If a class is taking a field trip who should check that trip to see if everything on the trip is O.K. for the child with allergies? The teacher or the parent?
What if a visitor is coming to a school and doing lessons with a class...then who should check on the items?
If you have any documents supporting your opinion, please point me to them! Thanks. Just trying to figure out what we want to ask of our dd's school.
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I know this isn't right, but our school makes the parents check on field trips. I asked again and they checked with their lawyer...he said *our* responsibility. I'ts just not worth fighting, plus I don't think I could trust *their* decision anyways....so *I* will check all field trip destinations(and have peace of mind).
As for the class visitor...I am unsure, I would think the teacher would be in charge of that one....but no documents to prove.
sorry not much help, good luck
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Chanda(mother of 4)
Sidney-8 (beef and chocolate, grasses, molds, weeds, guinea pig & asthma)
Jake-6 (peanut, all tree nuts, eggs, trees, grasses, weeds, molds, cats, dogs, guinea pig & eczema & asthma)
Carson-3 1/2 (milk, soy, egg, beef and pork, cats, dog, guinea pig and EE)
Savannah-1 (milk and egg)
I also beleive that most of this falls to the parents.
It is MY child so usually I don't feel comfortable unless I check myself anyway.
I would say that school is ultimatley responsible, but in the end the burden would fall on the teacher and they already are so busy and overwhelmed that I am always happy to take on anything I can to make it easier on them.
I guess also I take a team approach so if I have a concern I check it out and let the teacher know that I have done so, so that they don't have to be nervous either.
Not sure this answered your question but I am a parent who so far has gone on every field trip and my dd is almost done with 3rd grade! I still feel most comfortable gong along!
I agree about attending field trips if possible, but some parents work. I'm lucky that I can attend field trips and I do.
My question is mainly about a "guest scientist" who came to the class to teach science. This person did a lesson using many food items. I was given notice a few days prior and the teacher asked if I wanted to contact the company(that did the lessons) or if she should.
My feeling was "what if I contact the company and everything is unsafe? Then what?" I figured that would be for the school to figure out. The room is a nut free room. I didn't want them to feel that they would do this lesson no matter what and it was up to me to handle the situation.
It ended up being a mess, very confusing. Teacher contacted company--misunderstandings and misinformation...blah blah.....I ended up having to talk to the company anyway. Luckily everything was fine after I spent 2 days researching numerous food items.
But what if it wasn't safe food? That's what I was trying to convey to the school and I think I ruffled some feathers in the process. I didn't mean to, but I am so sick of lessons involving food!
It was suggested to me by an employee of the school that my daughter could go to another classroom. I will be bringing this up in the next ppt meeting that we will be having soon. I, of course, was shocked and upset.
I'll have to delete some of this later. Please don't quote me because there is info here that I can't leave on for too long. Thank you.
Okay, that suggestion was way out of line...but I wouldn't be surprised if mine did the same(and have)!!! If they absolutly needed this science guy to do his thing, then have them move him to the lunchroom. That way all food is still kept out of your classroom. I do think that situation would warrant the school making sure his experiments were nut-free....if the class is nut free, that means the school needs to make sure *visitors* understand that as well. I think I would push that they understand that....IMO. I honestly think these schools just don't see things the way we do. To them it's science, to us it's something possibly deadly to our children. If you have a 504, I would clarify the classroom will remain nut-free. If they are uncertain, then move the visitor not your child! Good luck!
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Chanda(mother of 4)
Sidney-8 (beef and chocolate, grasses, molds, weeds, guinea pig & asthma)
Jake-6 (peanut, all tree nuts, eggs, trees, grasses, weeds, molds, cats, dogs, guinea pig & eczema & asthma)
Carson-3 1/2 (milk, soy, egg, beef and pork, cats, dog, guinea pig and EE)
Savannah-1 (milk and egg)
Even if they move him though, the lesson is hands on...that means if the food is unsafe, dd wouldn't be able to do it.
That would exclude her from a lesson, which is what I was trying to avoid by pushing for a 504 in the first place.
I just don't know what the right answer is in this case. (Other than I wish they just wouldn't do lessons that involve food!)
In our 504 it clearly states that DD will not be left out of ANY activites due to her FA.
It is pretty clear that nothing should be used that could possibly cause a problem or that mm dd would not be safe around.
If this was my situation and you had to contact the company- I would have given this responsibilty to the principal.
Keep fighting for what is right is all I can say...
Our 504 plan states:
[b]"A written plan will be developed prior to special activities including field trips or other activities that occur outside the school buildling."[/b]
So, for field trips, the School Counsleor (who acts as the case manager) writes up a 'field trip plan' and reveiws it with both myself and Mariah prior to the trip. It is her responsibility to get the information and do the write up. During that process we review things and often more issues some up. Often I offer to call to obtain information that I want.
Here, for example, was the plan that was written up for a field trip last month. The 4 activities did not involve any food products, but did include a 'tree rubbing'. There was a concern that the tree may be a walnut tree or other nut bearing tree. After discussion, we determined this (touching tree bark) was a non-issue for us.
[b][i]Titan Field Trip to Forest Park
April 19, 2007
Students will travel to Forest Park by school bus. Mariah will ride the bus with Mr. B. They will leave at approximately 10:30 a.m. They will participate in activities at four different stations while at the park. The team teachers will each have an Epi-Pen and cell phone on the bus and at each of the stations. Mariah will carry an Epi-Pen in her backpack. The backpack from the nurse
I`m not clear from your post ("pushing for a 504") whether you have a 504 or you don`t. If you have one, then it is illegal to teach a lesson and have your child leave the room. If you don`t have one but are trying to get one, or if you already have one, I would try to get a food free room. It eliminates all of these types of situations.
Let me know if you want me to delete anything in this post.
Thank you.
Actually, the principal was involved after the miscommunication with the teacher and the company. The principal said that WE needed to call the company. I was glad I did after all because the teacher insisted that Jelly Bellies were being brought in and that my dd would use different food items. I said "NO jelly bellies" and said they were not allowed in a nut free class.
Teacher went back and forth with me and dh and finally said she would have to consult principal. Principal told her to have my dh call the company.
After I called the company, I found that they were never going to use Jelly Bellies--only Starburst jelly beans. I was also present the day of the lesson. No Starburst, but they used Gimbal's which I had given the teacher for a different lesson on a different day. Hmmm.
Gail--thanks for the field trip advice. They are going to be very annoyed with me during this meeting, but I have to bring up things that happened this year and I have to fix them for next year. It's not going to be easy.
I always worry that it will affect dd. That some staff members will take it out on her. It's hard.
Sorry, I forgot this one:
Quote:Originally posted by Lori Anne:
[b]What if a visitor is coming to a school and doing lessons with a class...then who should check on the items?[/b]
The school is also responsible for their guests.
Last fall we had an 'incident' regarding a guest speaker in Mariah's Social Studies class who came to speak about her recent trip to Egypt. The teacher did not know ahead of time that the speaker would be handing out Egyptian gum. When she saw that, she went to Mariah and told her her not to eat it because she didn't know if it was safe. That was good, but it was still a violation of the 504 plan that states all food must be pre-approved by the Director of Food Services.
Any school program must be made accessible. . . it doesn't matter who is providing it. If it's a school program, then accommodations must be made.
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