Peanut allergies
August 27th, 2007 by 
Alica
Several Sioux Falls schools are not serving peanut butter or peanut products in their cafeterias. Some even have gone so far as to ask parents to not send any peanut-based ingredients in their kids’ sack lunches.
Is this a reasonable request, or are the schools being overly cautious?
Do you, or someone you know, have a peanut allergy? How severe is it? What do you think about banning peanuts from school?
Posted in Uncategorized | 
August 28th, 2007 at 8:47 am
The district HAS to protect their students , staff and taxpayers from possible food allergies. There are students who are allergic to numerous variations of food.
I think the administration has and is doing a good job of dealing with this issue.
BUT should the GRINCH steal Halloween , Christmas and Valentines because of this policy change?
The children were not allowed to bring Valentine treats last year because of this policy. It was implemented without much discussion with the students or teachers. These two groups were the most impacted from the policy change. The teachers had to enforce the policy without a unified group. Some teachers decided not to enforce a complete ban. (I think was a good common sense decision.) The parents just got notes sent home even after some had bought the treats for the party.
There is a better solution than a total ban. That is the EASY way out instead to putting some time and effort into a solution.
I would suggest a focus group set up with students, parents , and staff to figure out a workable solution to these main celebrations without risking the students who are allergic.
With Halloween just around the corner the students and parents better get going if they are to implement change to this policy.
August 29th, 2007 at 12:06 pm
Good idea Todd. I believe that there are exceptions to every rule and the hoilday treats, in my humble opinion is an exception. I agree that we have to protect the students and if a classroon has a student with peanut allergies, the teacher should send a note home prior to the event letting parents know this. I think we need to let kids be kids and let them have their special treats on special days!!
August 30th, 2007 at 6:54 am
FYI — Check out the Argus poll today 8/30/07. It will be interesting to see what the consensus is after today’s survey.
Gosh, I wonder if the administration should have asked the parents of the students?
August 30th, 2007 at 3:00 pm
Question: Did BVSD go to far in banning shared treats?
At 4pm : 1411 voted in survey
72.5% — yes
27.5% — no
I wish I would have won a school board election by this margin!! (haha)
August 30th, 2007 at 8:05 pm
This is a hard issue, but people including children have had severe allergies for years and we’ve not changed our whole school system.
It is very sad that kids are so allergic to peanuts, but there are kids allergic to many things and there is no way we can ban them all. So now we’ve opened the door, to the “well you did it for so and so allergy, and now you have to do it for mine” mindset.
These kids will have this allergy their whole lives, are we just talking about the elementary years here or will this also include MS and HS? Special accomodations can’t be made everywhere and forever. At some point we have to adapt to our society. If this is purely for the early years because they aren’t mature enough to understand the consequences and implement their diet restrictions, then that’s a different story.
Are we teaching them that it is everyone else’s responsibility to watch out for them? Or should we teach them to proactively put their health and themselves first?
Is it fair to tell 99% of the student body they can’t bring peanut butter and jelly for lunch? Maybe. What if that’s what their parents can afford for lunch?
Is it fair to our educators to be the peanut police? There is absolutlely no guarantee that a child will not come into contact with a peanut product at school or on the bus or on the playground or at Johnnys house for a playdate.
The best we can do is be ready in case of an emergency. Train the staff to use the epipen and ALWAYS have it on hand. Not only in a locked drawer in the office, but located throughout the building easily accessible to staff.
August 30th, 2007 at 10:25 pm
I’m allergic to shrimp, dust, molds, cats, dogs and other furry animals, and I have exercise-induced asthma.
Just think of all the things my classmates would have to go without if I were a grade school student right now.
September 1st, 2007 at 10:40 am
I agree - its a bummer - but I support the decision. However, it goes further than just the peanut allergy - it also came about because of the national movement to keep our children healthier. Last year the parents were given guidelines to make sure treats were under a certain amount of fat content and calories along with no peanuts or even peanut oil. Although some parents made the effort to meet the guidelines - not all did. In the end - it fell on the shoulders of the secretaries to approve or disapprove all treats. That is a liability I personally would not want - and neither did they. The issue of the ban WAS brought to the parents - at a PTA meeting and it was discussed that there are other options to bringing “treats” that are non-edible. If you want to be involved in some of the decisions made at the school - attend the PTA meetings! I’m always disappointed with the turnout at these meetings - with over 950 families in our elementary schools the turn out at the PTA meetings is usually around 30 people - which includes the officers and school staff. My son just took bottles of bubbles for each child in his class to celebrate his birthday - I got a package of 6 bottles for $1.97 at Walmart - so it didn’t cost me much more than the traditional treats would have. So yes, its a bummer, but I understand it, I support it. Put some imagination into it - and its amazing what alternatives you can come up with for treats!
September 4th, 2007 at 4:27 pm
RBE Mom — At Valentines it was not allowed , endorsed , or creatively decided to use alternative ideas. I LIKED your idea on bubbles.
Did the kids still get to exchange Valentines with treats last year? No, because it was communicated that the students didn’t get to exchange treats. (by the way was not enforced or followed by some staff)
When the Wellness policy was approved we discussed at the board meeting that having the secretaries police the treats was going to be difficult. The administrators did not want the teachers policing the treats.
Why can’t educated, professional teachers inforce the policy? Answer: Because you would have to let the employee have power to make the decision. (I was a HUGE teacher advocate on the board.)
I agree with you that more parents should participate in PTA and PTSO.
I think these organizations are very good and can drive results for the benefit of the student.
Us parents are just WAY BUSY !!
September 5th, 2007 at 8:20 am
I agree with RBE mom. Get involved in your childs education!!! Its very sad that in this school district that 2% of the population does 100% of the work! I also agree with some of the new policy. I also believe that the children do not need snacks and junk food every day. But I also think that school hoilday parties should be the exception to the rule. Its a sad day when kids can’t be kids and have a hoilday party. Especially Halloween!! Why can’t they pass out packaged (not homemade treats) to their classmates???? If a parent does not want their child to have it, don’t participate or take the treats away when they get home. I’m all for the whole wellness issue, I just don’t think we need a complete ban of treats. I think that is going a little to far. On anther note, if were pushing wellness so hard, why is this not being implemented in the middle school? My child who is in middle school can have nachos and a rice krispy bar for lunch everyday if she wants. I think this policy needs to be looked at by administors, teacher, parents and students.
September 5th, 2007 at 8:56 am
Actually Todd - last year at Valentine’s Day I did know of the treat ban and the idea for alternatives - I sent minature yo-yos with hearts on them. But I knew of it because I had attended the PTA meeting when it was originally discussed - I think it was the January meeting. Obviously there needed to be, and still needs to be, better communication regarding the policy. Also, all staff needs to follow the policies or we will continue to have issues. As for PTA meetings - there are times I am whining like my kids that “do I really have to go?” - but I do as I am trying to do my part to keep Brandon Valley the wonderful school district that it is. It is a choice I make for myself, my kids and our community. Its a choice everyone has to make for themselves.
September 12th, 2007 at 1:23 pm
Is there still school carnivals in the spring time? I always wanted to participate in the Cake Walk and take home some frosting-laden treat. If they still do that, should the entire recipe be attached to the cake (of course with all the calorie, fat, sugar, and other nutrition information, too) just in case?
September 12th, 2007 at 3:34 pm
I love #11. Our family has won some great cakes. I would like the recipe.