A dear friend of mine who lives in Texas is trying to come up with a solution for what she sees as anaphylaxis waiting to happen. Here is her e-mail:
[i]So dd's kindergarten is having a Thanksgiving feast next week and they are serving peanut butter sandwiches...she has two kids in her class with allergies...
So I call the teacher to say that this is a really bad idea and I'm told that the child whose allergy is severe won't be coming to the feast and the other child's parents will be sending ham/cheese for her to eat...of course, everyone else in the class (heck in 6 kindergarten classes) will have eaten PB&J sandwiches...
So the teacher feels the problem is solved because these two kids "won't" be eating it and anyway, it's traditional and the kids whose older brothers and sisters went to the school had this feast with PB&J and it's the cheapest...yadda, yadda, yadda...
Oh, and the kicker? Why should the whole school change for this one child? Ummmm because he could die?
And I'm not getting into the other kinds of allergies because I know that many here are facing difficulties with other food/perfume/sythetic products...it's just that the attitude that we can't bend even a flipping little to protect the lives (or comfort) of one student because it might infringe on the rights of the rest of the class really burns my patootie.
I'm not asking to not have the Thanksgiving Feast but I cannot see any good reason to put these kids in danger. I will buy enough ham and cheese to feed them all if need be....
So now I have to go to the principal...hooray.... [/i]
Obviously, many American parents have come up against this type of situation. She is an ex-pat Canadian in Texas and already doesn't fit in, lol, so she doesn't care whether or not she makes waves; she just wants to protect those two children. The parents of the allergic children are a little wide-eyed about the matter though... I guess fitting in and not making waves is what it's all about at her school?
She's composing a letter to the principal. If I can get her permission I'll post it later for some feedback. I think it's absolutely ridiculous that they can't have an alternate sandwich that day. Advice anyone who's been in this situation?
Thanks,
Carolyn [img]http://uumor.pair.com/nutalle2/peanutallergy/smile.gif[/img]
![http://uumor.pair.com/nutalle2/peanutallergy/smile.gif[/img]](http://uumor.pair.com/nutalle2/peanutallergy/smile.gif[/img]){kind=link}
Clarification:
This school already asks parents to refrain from sending peanut products because of the students with allergies.
The Thanksgiving Feast with PB is [i]tradition[/i]. [img]http://uumor.pair.com/nutalle2/peanutallergy/rolleyes.gif[/img]
She's working on the letter - more to come.
Quote:Originally posted by Cayley's Mom:
[b]The Thanksgiving Feast with PB is [i]tradition[/i]. [img]http://uumor.pair.com/nutalle2/peanutallergy/rolleyes.gif[/img]
[/b]
I had always thought that [b]turkey[/b] was the traditional meal for Thanksgiving.. why not have turkey sandwiches? I've never heard of anyone having peanut butter for Thanksgiving. Maybe the school administrators should read their American history textbooks to see that "turkey" is the traditional feast.
What planet is that school on??? What on earth does peanut butter have to do with Thanksgiving? What happened to Turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, pumpkin pie? Any American knows what is served for Thanksgiving feast. Was peanut butter invented when the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock? Did the Pilgrims serve their Indian friends pb&j sandwiches? I doubt this very highly!! This school needs to take some history lessons and learn what Thanksgiving is all about.
Perhaps the pa students' doctors could step in and discuss the issues of residue, etc? If they are in the Houston area, maybe there's a remote chance they are even in the area I moved from? I know an AMAZING doctor who is very pa aware.
[This message has been edited by Dawn (edited November 17, 2003).]
Yeah, I agree with Erik.
Can the teacher give facts as to WHY it is a tradition to serve PB at the Thanksgiving feast?
I have never heard of such a thing. For our Thanksgiving feast at school--we had TURKEY and all the fixings!!
It doesn't make any sense especially since the school already asked to refrain from sending peanut products!!! What kind of message is the school trying to send? Do as we say but not as we do? That's a load of BS!!
How about starting a new tradition for the Thanksgiving--try serving TURKEY!!! [img]http://uumor.pair.com/nutalle2/peanutallergy/rolleyes.gif[/img]
Rediculous, especially since they regularly ask for accomodations. HUGE mixed message.
Our school uses chicken nuggets, and I cannot understand why turkey is not used(sandwiches or whatever). I guess it is expensive and alot would not eat it, but nuggets are pricey too(at least the ones I gave permission to use).
I like the food pantry donations and such. Why do the kids have to eat? It is getting harder and harder to accomodate all allergies. In my dd's class there is PA/TNA/egg/milk allergies. The milk one is bad and he also has PA, but hives up like crazy with spilled milk on his skin. How about if each kid brings a lunch they will enjoy?? becca
I think this school has made it their tradition because it's cheap to serve peanut butter instead of turkey. I wonder if the money they are saving is worth a child's life? I wonder how expensive it would be for them if they were sued and lost? I'm amazed. This goes against the spirit of Thanksgiving totally - is that their tradition also?
Quote:Originally posted by Timmysmom:
[b]What planet is that school on??? [/b]
[i]Texas[/i].
Quote:Originally posted by MommaBear:
[b]
[i]Texas[/i].[/b]
LOL, MommaBear!!!
I haven't had time to read this whole thread, but I think the Thanksgiving PB tradition started when George Washington Carver time-travelled back to the Pilgrim's time and presented it to them upon their arrival. Yeah, yeah, that's it. [img]http://uumor.pair.com/nutalle2/peanutallergy/rolleyes.gif[/img]
Bizarre, just bizarre.
Amy
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