I have a nephew who is severely allergic to peanuts. I still wouldn't force the idiocy of this public school system on the entire population of the school because of a handful of kids. Even at young ages these kids avoid any foods not provided by their mom or certified as no-nuts. My kid would be taught and learn this. That's the problem with public schools, they can't teach.
I am a grown woman and have avoided honey all my life due to SEVERE allergies. I cannot even smell the stuff without my throat closing up and my mouth itching.
I was working at a nursing home and our department head meetings were lunch meetings, the lunch being provided by the dietary department. Unknown to me, the cook used honey in the sauce, not much so there was no aroma because the sauce was also very spicy.
Needless to say I wound up in the hospital in anaphylactic shock and on a respirator. Gratefully no one expected me to eat by myself there on in. Rather they respected me and my need to be a part of the department meetings and didn't serve any dishes that required the use of honey. I don't think that's socialism or liberalism, rather I think it's respect for the individual. I'm very happy the people I worked with had a lot more humanity than most of you on this thread.
The idea that most of you would isolate and ostrasize a child based on a condition that is no fault of his seems rather cruel to me. It seems that the school has looked to the need of the individual in this case and tried to make a solution that would not make the child some sort of social outcast. The use of "peanut gallery" seems to be an attempt to make the area comfortable for the kids who should be eating there. They are not even making the kids stop bring peanut items to school, but rather trying to give all the children a pleasant and respectful atmosphere. Why this solution is considered idiocy truly is beyond me.
What seems idiocy to me is having to isolate a child because you wouldn't want to have anyone inconvenienced by acknowledging another's needs. Doesn't citizenship ask us to be mindful of the needs of others in our society?