[Sca-cooks] OOP More schools ban Peanut Butter

[Nick Sasso]

-----Original Message-----
Nichola said:
<<I just want to comment on this coming from the schools side....
...
We have to take 100% responsibility for these kids while they are in our
care.
...
    In a nut free school, teacher has a Hershey bar, (Check the label it
is there), touches kid with allergy that doesn't have smart parents that
said anything.... KID DIES....  Do you want to stand in those shoes when
it comes time to make that phone call?>>

See, that kind of thing is the thing I think that folks miss. I know *I*
didn't consider it until I read the article, and then having done so, it
*completely* freaked me out, because I have been the care giver for toddlers
myself, and there is absolutely *no way*, that if one of them has something
like a peanut butter sandwich, that you can guarantee that every child in
that group isn't going to also be "exposed" to that peanut butter.

Anyone who has seen a 6 year old eat a PB&J sandwich *knows* that the peanut
butter *is* (not might, *will*)end up on everything within reach of that
child.    > > > > > > > >


I think I am still struggling with the logic of the solution enforced:

Maybe 13 out of 1,000 children (1997, JAMA) will have a significant peanut
allergy . . . so the 9,987 children without said allergy are put into a
situation of "food quarantine" for the solution of protecting the 13.  I
again find it lacking in creativity, motivation and/or ANY consideration of
the overwhelming majority of people who are not affected by this condition.
Certainly there are other options than a "zero tolerance" edict that is
lobbied, demanded and nearly extorted by some of the parents/families of
these children who have this very serious and very dangerous condition.

A society or sub-society that wields such absolute power in decision-making
has a real possibility of unhniging the vast power of the majority to
innovate and generate new, powerful solutions to such problems.  Fear of
litigation drives so much policy in large social institutions that liability
insurance and enforcement resources drain from the R&D resource pool of $$$
and motivation.  I am in favor of finding a way to protect the vulnerable
few . . . and at the same time considering the majority.  I don't mean to be
anti-draconian, or insensitive but if sequestration of the child from all
peanut contact (including magazine pictures) is the only solution for safety
of a given child, then perhaps home-schooling would be an appropriate
response until the sensitivity abates to a more survivable level, or a
better solution is developed???

pacem et peanut,
niccolo difrancesco
(I know I am treading in political waters, and working to stay respectful
and gentle in the conversation)