Posted on 12/10/2007 12:06:40 PM PST by fanfan
TORONTO -- A group of Toronto-area children is asking the Ontario Human Rights Commission to force their school to launch mandatory lunch-bag inspections to screen out foods to which they have severe allergies, a case which could make all Ontario schools do the same.
The six children, ranging in age from six to 11, contend that the local school board discriminated against them when it shut down a voluntary lunch screening program at St. Stephen's Catholic Elementary School, in Woodbridge, Ont., aimed at keeping peanuts, egg products or other potential allergy-inducing foods off school grounds entirely.
Maurice Brenner, a human-rights expert who is helping the children pursue their case, said their allergies are potentially life-threatening and qualify as disabilities under Ontario human rights law. And he said that the school's lunch program, which was ended by the York Catholic District School Board more than a year ago, was necessary for the children's safety.
"Nothing is too much when we're talking about kids' safety," he said. "It's not off the wall by any stretch of the imagination. What if your kids had these allergies: would it be off the wall then? I don't think so."
Mr. Brenner said the voluntary program at the school ran for nearly six years, with parents pinning a note to lunch bags listing the contents and teachers assigned to monitor lunch hour checking that none of the children's lunches contained peanut or egg products, such as mayonnaise. If a banned substance was found in a child's lunch, a note would be sent home with them advising their parents of the fact.
But the board ended the inspection program at the end of the 2005-06 school year, which Mr. Brenner said "created total chaos."
"These kids are frankly frightened -- they're scared to go to school," he said.
Chris Cable, a spokeswoman for the York Catholic District School Board, said the program was ended because it was out of line with practices in the other schools in the region. "It was a question of bringing that school into line with the practices at our other schools," she said. "As a school board we're required to be consistent."
The children, and their parents, are currently in mediation with the board in an attempt to avoid a full hearing before a provincial human rights tribunal, but Mr. Brenner said talks are stalled over lunchbag inspections.
Ms. Cable said if a tribunal were to rule in favour of the children, "it could force every school in the province to do this."
She said St. Stephen's already has a program to keep peanuts and other allergens out of students' lunches and snacks, including reminding parents to leave potentially harmful foods out of lunch boxes and monitoring foods brought in for special celebrations.
"This school is a model for food allergy policies," she said.
Mr. Brenner said the children and their parents are not trying to make the lunch inspection program provincial law, just to get it brought back to their school.
"Every school should be able to come up with its own solution," he said. "If this becomes law, it's because the school board pushed it right to the bitter end."
He said the children's concerns need to be taken seriously. "These are deadly allergies: if these kids come into contact with these substances they can die."
The Woodbridge children are to hold a news conference on Monday, timed to coincide with International Human Rights Day, to promote their case against the school board.
The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology estimates that from two to four per cent of children and one to two per cent of adults have allergic reactions to food, most commonly peanuts, tree nuts, shellfish, fish, milk, egg, wheat, soy and sesame.
I can seriously see such a thing happening in Portland Public Schools...proponents just say “it’s for the children” and half of the electorate would gladly vote in extra taxes to pay for the food police.
I’m sensitive to liberals. They make me sick. When I see Hillary, for example, I feel like I’m about to puke. I say we just ban liberals to protect all of our human rights.
“they also need to ban meat because it’s so cruel and causes global warming.”
You joke, but that can’t be far behind. Wouldn’t want to offend any vegetarians or veggans. Why not? The precedent is being established.
"Stay home. Homeschool your kids. Make changes in your own life to deal with your own problems. Over here, the rest of us are going to go about our business."
I hope that point has come.
"OOH Mommy, I might see a peanut!"
Has anyone even attempted to explain how bringing a peanut or egg product onto campus is going to kill someone?
Wouldn't the stupid little allergic fart have to eat it or something?
Yes, we see it in action all the time.
hmm no we’re better off if we homeschooled and let the whiners stay in public school.
” Has anyone even attempted to explain how bringing a peanut or egg product onto campus is going to kill someone?
Wouldn’t the stupid little allergic fart have to eat it or something?”
I may be wrong but I believe the peanut dust could be toxic to someone with that allergy. But I can’t imagine a lot of kids bring cans or bags of peanuts to school. I’d like to know how someone eating a PBJ next to someone with a peanut allergy can be harmful.
Kids don't sneak peanuts into schools.
They sneak peanuts into their noses...
Can’t argue with that.
Hey, you may be on to something...
I’m betting the left is already moving along these lines, and we’re too late.
If someone is going to get killed by “peanut dust”, it’s better to just get it over with at a young age—survival of the fitest and all that.
Your kid might TRADE a tasty snack made with peanut oil for Little Johnny’s “safe” food.
Better idea: if your kid is that allergic to some foods, then the school should provide a room for thier lunch time. Use as many rooms as possible! Better than Food Nazis! “No lunch for you!”
closer would be survival of “the one who whines the loudest and people capitulate just to shut them up”
There are multiple religions that ban pork, at least one that bans beef, prohibitions on meat & dairy combined, prohibitions on shellfish...
No meat. No glutten. No dairy. No nuts.
Enjoy your lettuce, hope you don’t get ecoli. < /s >
This would not apply, of course, to the ones that did not make it past the abortionists' scalpel.
What is a school lunch for a healthy kid without the occasional peanut butter and jelly sandwich?
We are in an era when the limits and desires of the weak and of minorities are becoming government enforced boundaries for the majority.
How long before healthy kids are not allowed to run, skip, jump, whistle, sing or dance because some others can't do it, can't do it as well, or just don't like it?
i grew up with a chocolate allergy. It had the potential to (and it did at times) send me into severe asthma attacks. These were the days before fast acting inhalers. However I managed to get thru many a birthday party at school without eating chocolate cake or cupcakes that were brought in. I knew what to eat and what I couldn’t eat. No one else had to sacrifice anything because of me.
There’s kid in M<A that has a Latex allergy. The school which he may or may not attend next year is removing all Latex based products in anticipation.
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