Are School Peanut-Free Zones Necessary?
August 16, 2009 by Jennifer Walker-Journey
Filed under Parenting
My son’s school is a peanut-free zone. It’s forced me to think beyond PB&Js and PB&Hs for his school lunches. I think he can handle going without peanut butter for lunch for five days of the week. Do I think making elementary schools peanut free is extreme? Well, I did. Like many other parents, I rolled my eyes at what I thought were over protective parents demanding everyone around their child avoid peanuts because of a silly allergy. One day those kids will have to sit in the same room with a peanut butter sandwich – now or in college. You can’t ban peanuts from the planet. Really, how bad could those peanut allergies be?
That’s what I used to think. Then I heard from a few parents of kids with peanut allergies.
More and more school children are suffering from food allergies, especially peanut allergies. Most often the reactions are little more than a cough or a sneeze, but some can be fatal. Overall, food allergies result in more than 30,000 emergency room visits a year.
A recent study found that half of patients with peanut allergies reacted to as little as one-fiftieth of a peanut. What makes peanut allergies so potentially lethal to those who suffer from them is that the peanut does not have to be eaten to be fatal. Some people react to inhaling peanut products or touching an object that has been in contact with the allergen. If my child were that allergic to anything, you’re damn straight I’d lead the fight to ban that product from the earth.
Creating a peanut-free zone, especially at a school, isn’t an easy undertaking. For starters, every surface has to be wiped clean of any possible peanut residue, and all lunches served at the school cannot contain peanuts, peanut butter or peanut oil. The school also has to communicate to the parents the importance of not packing lunches for their children that contain any peanut products. For those of us who have never had to deal with a food allergy, banning peanut products from our kids’ lunches may sound ridiculous. But talk to a parent of a child severely allergic to peanuts, and you quickly learn why making such a concession on our end is a small price to pay.
Says Marc McMorris, M.D., assistant professor of internal medicine and pediatrics in the division of allergy-immunology at the University of Michigan Health System, “I doubt any of us would want a child to have a fatal reaction in a classroom because another family neglected to follow the rules that have been laid forth by the school district.”
Source: University of Michigan Health System
Photo, Flickr, Matt Hurst
I read your recent post about PB&J lunch alternatives several days ago and was very glad to see the above post, which was mentioned on Twitter by food allergy mom and advocate Gina Clowes. Thank you for being so understanding!
While I’d love to say I back any parent trying to protect their child, this is one that I do not agree with. My kids get PB&J for lunch every day, on rare occasions ham, baloney, tuna fish, etc. But it is easier and cheaper for PB. School says we make too much for reduce lunch, so I’d never agree to this one. My son is allergic to turkey, however school would never stop surving turkey every year, even though they only do it for a month. I have come to the conclusion that if I want him not to be near it, I must keep him out during this time. I’ve done this too, just last year they served it to him, thankfully he didn’t eat much but still. So I do understand not wanting it in the school, but sometimes others can’t afford to do this. It does sound like you are in an area where you can afford to do without it and there are more options, which sounds like this has made it a bit easier.
I worked in the school cafeteria for 4 school years and we put children with peanut allergies at peanut-free tables or areas. Kids come to school with all sorts of lunches and many vegetarian children bring sandwiches with nut butters.
We also had students with wheat allergies and we did the same thing. If they had a note from their dr, then it was noted on both their emergency info and the cafeteria manager had a notation as well.
I’ve noticed that many snacks have notations on them about “made on peanut free” equipment. That makes me wonder if there are peanut products out there that we are not aware of. Peanut-free could get really complicated.
And also sad. Peanut butter is so yummy. I feel bad for the people who don’t get to eat it.
I owned a daycare with an average of 40 kids. None of them not one had a peanut allergy. And, we still rarely ever served pb&j sandwiches because it is difficult to meet the nutritional guidelines when you have that.
For example, a meal where we served pb & j sandwiches we had 2 options:
1. each sandwich, regardless of one piece of bread or two, had to have 2 TABLESPOONS (capped that for emphasis) of peanut butter on them. Have you ever tried to eat a pb&J sandwich with one piece of bread and 2 TABLESPOONS of pb on it and folded in half? Please tell me—now – at that point, I had to worry about choking hazards not allergies.
2. the peanut butter was considered the protein portion of their meal and so if I chose to serve another source of protein and could document that I did so, I could lessen the amount of pb on the sandwiches. So, we would decrease the amount of pb and every child got 1/2 of a boiled egg with their lunch which would also usually include english peas or sometimes french fries and then some kind of fruit.
That said, does a pb & j sandwich with 1/2 a boiled egg and peas and peaches sound good to you? Ack…
Ok, so I was totally off subject but schools fall under the same nutritional guidelines that daycares do so if a school is serving pb&j sandwiches, they too have to comply with the amount of protein in the meal contingent on the age of the child.
With that said, the only time our school serves pb&j sandwiches for the most part is if there is a field trip and kids have to have a sacked lunch and they buy it from the lunchroom like normal.
Now, if I choose to send something from a fast food place to school with my child, I have to completely unpack it and put it in a regular ziplock bag (think mcdonald’s cheeseburger, *gasp*) and the fries can’t be in the little baggy either. No drinks of any kind are allowed in the lunchroom if they have a label on them unless it is milk. No soda cans, no juice boxes, no gatorade bottles, it has to be in a thermos. None of those containers with the label removed are acceptable either. Not even bottled water.
With that, you can see that the schools are very much regulating what we send and how we send it even though I highly doubt that there is a kid out there that has an allergic reaction to mcdonald’s chicken nuggets, cheeseburgers or fries And, what about gatorade or juice? Bottled Water?
I stay in a constant battle of will’s with my kid’s school and I take big issue with them playing big brother and telling me when I can check my kid out, when I can take him on an educational family trip and it be an excused absences or a death in the family causing travel not being excused.
I don’t think as much about the fast food packaging as much, but when they start to tell me what I can send or bring my kid or lunch (even if they tell me how to pack it), then I will be standing on the porch of the good board of education just like I did last year when my son’s classroom teacher decided that candy would make an adequate reward for good behavior. I called foul on that and had to go through all kinds of channels. But, I did find the nutritional policy and I did find the wellness policy.
And, what I consider to be an even greater travesty is that they are worried about what a parent sends their own kid to school each day to eat, they are monitoring ow much time we spend every night reading to/with our kids, they monitor who in my family dies and when they are buried to account for absences (and have asked for notes from a funeral home before) but they aren’t holding anyone accountable for the fact that 9 out of 60 first graders were held back last year Actually it is more than 9, just 9 of them ended up in one room together.
Let’s put that in perspective, my kid who has yet to make anything but a 100 on his big ol’ school tests on spelling and reads no a 3rd grade level is in a room, being taught on the level of kids who are repeating the grade and they are more concerned about whether he has a pre-packaged meal or a simple pb&j sandwich in their bag? Give me a break already…..
Daycare is one thing, kids don’t understand they are allergic and can’t have it. But most kids, by the time they reach school age that are allergic to peanuts have had this beaten into the head and they wouldn’t touch something peanut butter based in the first place. I mean really, do we have nothing more to concern ourselves about as a society on a whole than pb&j sandwhiches when in most cases, even the most indifferent parent who never see’s that homework is done or has never read a book or even doesn’t read to their child on a regular basis will inevitably very much on-top-of the fact that their kid has a peanut allergy and will bust their butts to see that their kid knows it too.
Stepping off my proverbial soap box.
Our little boy has had severe food allergies since he was a baby. It has really been a loong and hard road for all of us and mostly him! He has really been too young to fully understand the extent of the problem that his life was being faced with. I do not think anyone can be fully aware of this feeling without going through it. Our little boy does carry an Epipen and is allergic to peanuts. However, he had an anaphylaxis reaction to either melon or sunflower. He is now sooo much better with all of his sensitivities because we put him on the Vidazorb kids chewable probiotics- thank you God! But- there are still foods we must avoid.
I understand that there are many allergies out there and we can’t ban them all…but peanut is one of the major ones with fatalities involved. If it were their child, I want to believe that those against peanut-free schools would feel this way too if their little one faced death because someone else must have peanut butter. Our daughter is in school, and because I know the dangers to others-she even packs Soybutter and jelly sandwiches. She loves them and doesn’t even know the difference (which by the way- there is hardly a difference).
I have a home daycare and all of my families have lovingly complied with my nut free, melon free and sunflower free home. I am sure it seems challenging to those who do not understand this life…as I may have been before seeing our two-year-olds throat and lips swelling to the size of balloons. Seriously, it is scary. I would never want anything to happen to anyone’s child-especially if I knew it could be avoided by a simple sandwich switch (by the way, ramen noodles in a thermos costs waaay less than even peanut butter).
I wish all of my child’s allergens could never be near him…unfortunately this is just not realistic. I know that when he goes to school, I will worry. But I have to just do all I can to protect and educate him and those around him incase of whatever. It worries me a lot. I think the best advice for parents of allergic children is to educate those around their child. Talk ALOT with cafeteria workers, lunch duty employees, teachers, office staff etc. Make your child stand out by communicating with them. Make sure they are trained and aware of the severity.
I hope others can have more empathy towards this. In the whole scheme of things, is it really so much to not pack a peanut butter sandwich? Really? There are mommies and daddies out there that would never want to live a day of their life without their child…shouldn’t we then do all we can to protect them without feeling like we are an outcast? Thanks for letting me speak my thoughts. It really is about the children.
My son has severe allergies to many foods, peanuts being one of them. I think it’s hard to understand how dangerous and stressful dealing with food allergies is unless you have to deal with it yourself. I have read articles of people sneaking pb&j into school, and it sickens and saddens me. I’d like to know how those parents would feel if their child’s sandwich was the one that killed a child. It sounds dramatic, but it has happened.
If we ban everything some kids can’t have, there won’t be much food left.
Some kids are lactose intolerant, so let’s ban the milk, cheese, and ice cream.
Some kids are allergic to peanuts, so let’s ban the peanut butter, peanut oil, and peanuts.
One commenter’s kid is allergic to turkey, so let’s ban the turkey.
Another child is diabetic, so no sugar allowed.
Another child is sensitive to chemical preservatives, especially aldyhides, so no artificial sweetener, and none of the usual pre-fabbed fare common to school cafeterias.
Another kid is allergic to oats.
Another kid can’t have wheat gluten.
Another kid is allergic to berries…
…see where I’m going here? It’s a terrible strategy.
I’m sorry your kid has an allergy, but instead of teaching them to wander around haplessly ignorant of that, depending on others to protect them for you, stop being lazy, PACK A LUNCH, and teach your kid to discern what is and isn’t safe for him/her.
It’s one thing to try to change the school’s menu (which might be annoying if you take it too far, but doesn’t violate anyone’s rights), and another thing entirely to try to dictate what other parents may pack for their children to eat at a public school they are LEGALLY REQUIRED to attend.
As someone with life-threatening chemical sensitivities, I am appalled that someone would use this sort of medical condition to try to dictate the lifestyles and diets of others for their own convenience. If the peanuts were somehow airborne, that would be another thing entirely (as your child could not, through responsible behavior, avoid them) — but they aren’t!
Quit copping out of your job as a parent by blaming others’ innocent sandwiches (and peanut-butter cups…mmmm).
HedgeMage the Annoyed
I can’t believe what I am reading. Do you people not understand the difference between a LIFE THREATENING allergy to peanuts and the inconvenience of packing something other than PB and J sandwich? Parents (such as myself) of kids with peanut allergies are not saying that we want the school to feed our children, we are trying to create an environment that is SAFE for them. I pack my son’s lunch and snack EVERY DAY. He is 5 years old and doesn’t know how to read ingredient labels. If you haven’t done so, the next time you’re grocery shopping, take the time to read the labels and see how many items say “may contain traces of peanuts” or “made on shared equipment with peanuts”. You’d be amazed. Not only that, but the packaging changes, so EVERY TIME I go to the grocery store I read, and re-read labels. I read them again before I give them to my son.
Before you start jumping down the throats of people that are trying to protect their children, think about what YOU would do if it was your child. Every time my son is out of my sight I worry that he might accidentally eat something that contains peanuts. He does know he’s allergic, he’s had an anaphylactic reaction, and he’s good about asking before he eats. The problem lies with people NOT CHECKING before giving him an answer, or not thinking it’s important to really read labels.
I realize that he’ll be in the ‘real world’ and will be exposed to peanuts. But does that mean I shouldn’t do everything I can to protect him? I’m not trying to ban peanuts from his school just to inconvenience parents. I get it. It’s not fun when your child is used to peanut butter sandwhiches every day and now they can’t have them at school. But I will bet if you explained how dangerous it was to someone (most likely someone they know), they would understand.
Not only am I a mother of a child with an anaphylactic peanut allergy, but I am also a kindergarten teacher. This year, 10% of our class has a peanut allergy. That number grows larger every single year.
Finally, please have a little empathy for those of us that have to deal with these allergies. We did not choose for our children to have them, nor are we ‘copping out of our job as a parent by blaming others’ innocent sandwiches’. All we are doing is trying to protect the health and life of our kids. I hope all of you that think we are crazy never have to see your child in a hospital bed, covered with hives, throwing up, and having trouble breathing. I hope you don’t have to spend the night lying next to them freaking out every time you hear another beep from the machine that is monitoring them. I hope you don’t have to look at your baby and pray that he/she will never have to go through that experience again, and that the next time it could be even worse.
Ah, once again, the “Well, MY child has..” crowd strikes again. Here’s some food for thought:
Only about ONE PERCENT of the population actually has peanut allergies. Ten TIMES that are allergic to bees. I personally know more people that have anaphylactic reactions to red bell peppers than peanuts, yet red bell peppers are constantly used as filler material. Good luck going to any mexican/tex-mex place that doesn’t mix them in somewhere. They’re in soups, stews, meatloafs, you name it. But we’re freaking out about peanuts to the point where people are chopping down nut trees because a child might walk under one?
This is ridiculous. Your child probably didn’t even have a reaction to peanuts anyway. It’s probably something completely unrelated.
“Investor’s Business Daily
December 3, 2008 Trends: North Carolina is the fifth-largest peanut grower in the U.S., yet peanut-allergy nazis have persuaded even officials in that state to crack down on PB&Js.
Take Union County Public Schools, the fastest-growing school district in the Tar Heel state. Officials there recently sent letters home to parents asking that they no longer pack peanut-butter sandwiches or cookies in their kids’ lunches.
If they abide by the restriction, a certificate with their child’s name will be placed on display at their school “in acknowledgment of the voluntary commitment to safety your family has made.”
The district’s also shaming parents into washing their kids’ hands in the morning before they go on the bus, lest they transfer the dangerous peanut molecule and endanger a seat mate.
The move isn’t isolated to North Carolina. It’s a national trend. Other states have banned peanuts altogether from schools, while others have created peanut-free zones within schools.
A Washington lobbyist group is behind the anti-peanut push. It’s stalking schools with fears about children going into anaphylactic shock if they so much as touch something peanutty.
“Just a small amount of food on your hands can get on desks, books, playground equipment,” warns the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network.
Peanut allergies have emerged as among the most common allergies in kids, according to the CDC. They’ve doubled since 1997.
Nobody knows for sure what’s driving the increase. But some doctors think it’s media hype and parental neurosis. CDC studies show about 25% of parents think their kids have food allergies when only about 4% really do. And only 1% actually have peanut allergies.
Another reason for the so-called epidemic is more parents are randomly removing peanuts in their babies’ diets, thereby lowering their tolerance in later years.
A child with a food allergy is up to four times more likely to have other related allergies like asthma than a child without a food allergy. So is it really the peanuts or something else causing reactions?
We’re all for keeping kids free of lethal food reactions. But in the case of peanuts there appears to be an overreaction. Some parents have even gone out and bought peanut-detector dogs for their kids.
CDC data show food allergy deaths are extremely rare, with peanut-related deaths almost nonexistent. And kids really at risk of death by peanut carry epi-pens. Punishing other kids for such an extreme minority is, well, nuts. The health benefits of peanuts to the other 99% far outweigh the risks. A handful of peanuts twice a week halves the risk of heart attack. Peanuts have the lowest glycemic index and decrease the risk of diabetes.
Schools should do some independent research before banning a cheap source of protein for kids — especially in the middle of a recession. “
In your piece you say that after talking with parents that have children with peanut allergies you are more sympathetic. You go on to say “What makes peanut allergies so potentially lethal to those who suffer from them is that the peanut does not have to be eaten to be fatal. Some people react to inhaling peanut products” Where did you get your information? No doubt from a hysterical parent. Please educate yourself.
The only child that the CDC has on record of dying from a food allergy in a daycare setting died from a MILK allergy not peanut. Should we ban milk too? Most deaths from peanut allergies, which are extremely rare, are teens and young adults and happen at home or restaurant. This all according to the CDC.
In your piece you say that after talking with parents that have children with peanut allergies you are more sympathetic. You go on to say “What makes peanut allergies so potentially lethal to those who suffer from them is that the peanut does not have to be eaten to be fatal. Some people react to inhaling peanut products” Where did you get your information? No doubt from a hysterical parent. Please educate yourself.
The only child that the CDC has on record of dying from a food allergy in a daycare setting died from a MILK allergy not peanut. Should we ban milk too? Most deaths from peanut allergies, which are extremely rare, are teens and young adults and happen at home or restaurant. This all according to the CDC.
I highly recommend that you pick up a book called “The Peanut Allergy Answer Book” by Michael Young, MD. On page 92 it specifically addresses the airborne issue. Here is excerpt from the book. “For anaphylaxis to occur, the peanut protein must be ingested, or find its way into the bloodstream, such as through a cut in the skin.”
You also mentioned catching flack over your opposition to peanut bans. You will find that 99% of the people pushing for these bans don’t have a clue about peanut allergies. And the scary thing is they are the ones caring for children with these allergies and they don’t have clue about it. When a peanut ban came to my daycare I immersed myself into the subject. I now am now even more determined that peanut bans are not the way to go. Even FAAN (food allergy and anaphylaxis network) does not recommend food bans of any kind.
Stand up for you believe in educate yourself and educate others.