Wordless Wednesday: No more pencils, no more books, no more teacher’s dirty looks

Today is Bean’s last day of school! Welcome summer!

This year Bean has had the best teachers and such a great, happy bus driver. They have all been so accomodating and so on top of things when it comes to her peanut allergy. I will actually miss them, but am so excited for her to be home for the summer.

This just makes me angry and sad!!

I cannot believe how cruel and uncaring people can be!  People are protesting school procedures and accommodations for a 6 year old little girl who has a severe peanut allergy.  They are protesting and saying that their children’s rights are being taken away all for one little girl!

This newscast left me heartbroken and angry!  The arguments presented by the parents who are complaining about accommodations being made for this peanut allergic child are insane!  Oh no, their kids have to actually wash their hands… but taking time to wash hands twice a day cuts into their daily learning time.  Really?  Shouldn’t the kids be washing their hands ANYWAY??  The interviewer asks the one complaining mom, “what happens if you push too hard for the rights of many and the little girl gets exposed?”  She responds, “I really can’t answer that.”  How can she? I am willing to bet that those same parents who are protesting, would be the first to want changes made if their child had a food allergy!  One of my favorite arguments they are making is that classic childhood traditions are being taken away.  The problem is, with so many children having food allergies, classic childhood traditions do not apply anymore!

I am going to go on a little rant right now, and I am going to apologize in advance if this makes anyone angry or if it hurts anyone’s feelings.  This is not our generation or what we grew up with as children!  This is a new generation of children with food allergies – lots of food allergies, some so severe it can cause a child to die in less than 15 minutes.  People will ask, “but isn’t that what Epipen’s are for?”  Epipen’s are in case of emergency and should only be used to save a life.  The adrenaline in them alone can cause complications, including heart attacks.  Hence the “use Epipen and call 911” labeling.  How many children do you know that would want  to be stabbed in the leg with a needle that will inject them with adrenaline to keep their body from shutting down completely?  Do you think they enjoy the sheer terror of feeling their throats closing up and not being able to breath?  Every new parent should be required to watch a video of a child going into anaphylactic shock as part of first aid training.  It would be taught right along side the Heimlich and CPR, because it can be just as deadly.  Everyone should know the signs of anaphylactic shock, because children AND adults, can develop a life threatening food allergy at any time in their life.

Going back to the subject of classic childhood traditions, bringing home made treats to school is a thing of the past, making treat bags with edible goodies is frowned upon, and class parties are becoming more and more food free.  Parents actually get upset by this.  People don’t realize that the home made treats they brought in for little Jimmy’s birthday, if not prepared correctly can kill a child. Cross contamination, and not reading labels carefully is a very real threat when it comes to homemade treats.  People then argue, well then just don’t allow the allergic child to eat the treat.  Come one people, you tell your child that all of their friends can have something, but your child cannot.  Your little Jimmy wants PB&J for lunch every day, and you are FIGHTING for that right… because he will die if he doesn’t have it?  Nope!  You are fighting and protesting, just because little Jimmy wants it.  No life or death situation.  No anaphylactic shock.  No 911.  So if parents are fighting and protesting that much just for something their child wants, then why wouldn’t you think that parents who have a child with a severe allergy, that can kill them, wouldn’t fight equally as hard and harder for their child’s rights too of a safe school environment?

In my opinion, your child’s right to have a PB&J at school is over ruled by a peanut allergic child’s right to not to die because or your child’s PB&J.  I view this as a want vs. need.  Your child may want peanut butter or things containing peanuts, but allergic children need to stay away from allergens to keep them alive.  And the thing is, no one is asking you to change your home life for this.  You can eat as much of whatever you want in your home.  At home, little Jimmy can have PB&J for breakfast and dinner, and for every meal on the weekends plus snack time.  He can eat it right out of the jar or smear it all over his hands and lick it off.  He is just being asked to wash his hands when he gets to school, and refrain from bringing anything with peanuts into his classroom.

So, I apologize if people feel that making accommodations at school for children with allergies is infringing on their rights.  I am also sorry it is necessary for schools to make accommodations for children with allergies.  It just means they are becoming more and more prevalent.  And I am sorry if your child has a food allergy, because it is not easy.

Just remember people don’t choose allergies.  Allergies choose people.