Quote:Originally posted by lilpig99:
[b]
I think the idea may be this...why aren't the schools [i]trying[/i] to include our FA children. When doing so isn't all that hard? What's the impediment other than 'it's the way its always been done?'.
Their lives are all about coping and being different. Can't we make the educational process an inclusive one, rather than just another [i]excluding[/i] part of their life?
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Just answering outloud. [img]http://uumor.pair.com/nutalle2/peanutallergy/biggrin.gif[/img]
. . . Drum roll, please:
[b]Top Suggested Reasons Why FULL INCLUSIVITY is Not Done:[/b]
1. Because what's "fair" for most is good enough.
2. Because our staff is already overwhelmed and cannot be bothered to manage this.
3. (Private School) Because another classmate's parents contribute big $$$ to this school and that child WILL have his "special day" the way HE (his parents) want it to be.
4. Because YOU cannot tell US what to do.
5. Because it's [i] just not done that way [/i] in our community.
6. Our community has a heritage based in this particular crop food. You cannot take away our childrens' heritage. (No lie.)
7. Little Johnny (another FA child they know) doesn't seem to think he needs this. Why are you so special??
8. You never asked for this before! Why do you need it now??
9. We're not going to do this unless somebody [i] makes [/i] us.
10. Because ______________________________
__________________________________________
_________________________________________ .
(Fill in blank with your own school's lame, worthless excuse for an excuse.)
- - - -
DO feel free to add your own to this list.
I feel better getting that out of my system.
Not trying to make light of this subject nor derail the topic. Already knowing the excuses we may hear allows us to be prepared with reasonable, unemotional, direct responses, like
[i] [b] IT'S MY CHILD'S RIGHT. [/b] [/i]
------------------
~Eli[b]Z[/b]abeth,
Mother to 2:
DD age 5, NKA, treated as though PA/TNA
DS age 8, PA, possible TNA, Latex, legumes?
(PA diagnosed & ana reaction 1999)
Member here since 2000
[This message has been edited by ajas_folks (edited August 15, 2007).]

10. Because in the very long history of schooling in this country, the "tidal wave" of food allergic kids in the school system, combined with increased knowledge/awareness of families and the public at large re: food allergies is a very recent phenomenon.
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If you look at the history of the schools forum in PA.com, for example, there was early trailblazing work around 504's in the 2001-2002 timeframe. When I came here in 2002, there was just enough critical mass of information, combined with research being done at the time and media articles, that I had enough to put together a compelling case to fight for a 504 in 2003. Now, we've advanced to the point there is a pretty good amount of information here and other places to help guide folks for the 504 process.
But, you'll note that over the last 4-5 years, and right up to the present day, we still see many posts that reference that a school has [b]never[/b] done a 504 for food allergies before, or that they have been done poorly, etc. So on the grand timeline, this is a sufficiently new enough issue that the school mindset just isn't always there yet, much as we wish it would be.
Think about the implementation of mainstreaming physically/mentally disabled children into classrooms. It took decades after laws were passed for schools to really get on the ball and better integrate this into their thinking. Not saying it will take decades for the subject of food allergies, but it's important to examine this subject against the broader backdrop.

Quote:Originally posted by Sarahb:
[b]How does inclusion relate to Chanda's thread "Brainstorming MFA Table?" does inclusion include the cafeteria?
[/b]
I guess this is where the "homebound" discussion fits in. That or we need to rethink handicap entrances.
I guess if we can make the cafeteria safe for aerosol sensitive individuals, then we *should* be able to make all parking spots handicap accessible (including proximity) and not have to mark them as such. I just don't see being able to monitor the private lunches for 1100 students in my son's cafeteria to the point of making it safe for aerosol *or* contact sensitive individuals without a little cooperation from the food allergic family and individual. There is *going* to have to be compromise on both sides. No way around it. Unless you line them up prison style and shovel food onto their plates. And even then parents of food allergic children will want to bring *unsanctioned* food from home in. It's evident many people in the food allergic community don't trust each other to make safe food choices.

We have been absolutely blessed with our school in that the principal said to me "we don't know what it is going to take to keep Ben safe, you tell us what you need and we will do it" Then his teacher called me before the school year started and before meeting me to tell me she took the list of things he was allergic to, went to the grocery store and checked everything she bought against the list just so she could try to grasp how complicated it is. She put them in seperate sections of her cart and when she was done and the tiny section of safe foods was so small she told me it moved her to tears. She was angelic and moved from first grade last year to second grade this year and Ben will have her again!
There is no peanut products allowed in the classroom at all with no exceptions. We provided a selection of snacks that are for any child at any time for any reason. We have families for whom English is not their first language and have sent in nut foods because they did not understand, that snack is replaced with a safe one and a note sent home. If a child forgot their snack or didn't like what was sent or any other reason they could pick a safe alternative.
For times when a snack was sent in that Ben could not have we kept Philly Swirls and fruit snacks on hand. A treat that was not the same does not seem to me to be wrong because he is not quite the same. Maybe it helps that in his class is a lovely girl with Downs who needs some adaptive technology, a family who spend part of the school year visiting family in India, a child who is Jehovah's Witness and does not participate in all activities, and on and on. Diversity in many ways, Ben's differences are just part of who he is.
I go to every party, every field trip, and am welcome at any time. I do not go in and hover, I just go and help in any way I can be useful.
Many times during the year Ben can have what the other kids have, other times he can not. Would I like for him to be able to feel free to eat anything and not feel different. I would like for him not to be different, I would like to not have this threat in our lives. That is not the hand we were dealt. What I think is in his best interest for his life skills is to be able to accept as fact his limitations and learn that while it is not just like everyone else it is managable.
At a birthday day party at Chuck E Cheese he was given a piece of cake by one of the helpers. I was so proud when my 6 year old handed it back and matter of factly said "I am not going to eat this, I have no idea what is in there" and then turned to his safe rice crispie treat and ate it while laughing with his friends. This is the best I can hope for, life skills.
Ben is allergic to 25 different foods and at age 7 has not outgrown a single allergen.
Ann

hi gvmom,
will you email me? it's in my profile! thanks

Quote:Originally posted by gvmom:
[b]Answer is, not really. Can't elaborate. I really, really, really wish I could.
[/b]
Hoping things turn around . . . keep us posted when you can. [img]http://uumor.pair.com/nutalle2/peanutallergy/smile.gif[/img]
~Elizabeth

Sending you lots of support gvmom. I so wish I could do something to help you. Just know how we are all behind you.
many many hugs...keep your chin up.

Quote:Originally posted by gvmom:
[b]
And, btw, just a point of clarification, are you really inferring that my motivation has nothing to do with ensuring my children are safe, first and foremost? That their physical and mental health aren