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Posted on 09/27/2007 2:22:06 PM PDT by UKrepublican
Boy with nut allergy banned from school because he is a 'health and safety risk'
Like anyone with a nut allergy, George Hall-Lambert had always assumed it was the food that caused the problem – not him.
His new school didn't agree. Concerned that none of the staff was trained to cope if the 11-year-old had an allergic reaction, the headmaster banned him – on health and safety grounds.
George, who was diagnosed with a nut allergy at 18 months, carries an emergency adrenaline injection, known as an EpiPen, and wears a medical tag to alert carers to his condition.
When he began at Howden School in East Yorkshire, his mother informed the comprehensive about the allergy.
A file with medical notes was forwarded from his primary.
If the boy went into severe anaphylactic shock it could render him unconscious and he would need assistance using the EpiPen.
He had been at school for only four days when the head summoned his mother for a meeting.
He told her George must go home as no policies were in place to deal with his condition.
Judith Hall-Lambert, who has three other children, said: "Howden School is saying nobody could take charge of his EpiPen because staff don't know how to use it.
"They won't let him back in school until everything has been sorted out and he is classed as safe.
"If he went back now they say he would be a health and safety risk."
George, who was near the top of his class in his SATs tests, is receiving 15 hours a week tuition at home.
But Mrs Hall-Lambert, 37, of Eastrington, near Goole, added: "George is being discriminated against because he has a nut allergy.
"He is a bright kid and this could set back his education."
She dismissed an offer for him to attend the inclusion unit at the school, as it is predominantly for children with behavioural problems.
"George is well-behaved and there is no reason for him to be in that unit.
"He is entitled to a mainstream education like everyone else," she added.
East Riding of Yorkshire Council said arrangements had been made to send him to school full-time, but his mother had decided not to send him.
"The school is following guidance from the local authority and the Government in ensuring that George can access his entitlement to education in a safe environment."
Head Andrew Williams said staff were working towards an acceptable solution.
"My main concern is to ensure that we meet the health and welfare needs of all students in our care."
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Absurd.
Absurdity is definitely in fashion these days.
nanny state in reverse pinnnnggggg
Using an Epi-Pen isn’t exactly major surgery! I’m sure the boy knows how to use it. If he can — then the teachers sure should have enough brains to learn how to use it, too.
Also — doesn’t the school have a nurse?
I work in a public school as a nurse and we have a number of kids with nut allergies. It is a matter of educating staff as well as students.
The kids with allergies are usually well aware and do a great job in monitoring themselves, as for the young ones the staff keeps an extra eye out for them.
If someone wants to buy me a ticket I will fly over there and happily educate the school in how to take care of this child.
” Absurd. “
As absurd as completely banning all nuts (and nut products and items which may have the remote possibility of having some relation to nuts) from a school campus because one student has an allergy??
As absurd as sueing airlines to force them to stop serving ‘airline peanuts’ because someone who has an allergy *might* want to fly someday??
Since when has the world gone so topsy-turvy that the vast majority must now ‘adjust’ to accomodate the tiniest minority, instead of the other way around??
My son developed tree nut and dairy allergies very early on. Thankfully, he’s grown out of most of them and we’re awaiting final tests on his allergy to walnuts. That was pretty easy to deal with unlike our next-door neighbor’s son who is allergic to peanuts.
If he even gets a whiff of it in the air he has a reaction. His mom has been very active in working with the school system here in our town to ensure his safety as well as other kids that have similar allergies.
At least our school system worked with us. Now, even with sports, the question is always asked early on if anyone has any food allergies.
We always took a “shock” kit with us wherever we went and he had one at his school, too. It ain’t easy folks. Always worrying about it can add some gray hairs.
Send him to the U.S. We will let him in class and not allow peanuts or any peanut byproduct anywhere in the school including PB&J sandwiches.
Frankly, I can't hardly blame them with the legal system as screwed up as it is.
This kid winds up a drooling 12 year if he goes into shock. The lawyers will appear like magic.
He sounds to me like a nice kid. Just is allergic to nuts. So why should he be subjected to such a mean idea like this?
There’s nothing more here than the school is afraid of liability. My kid’s school has procedures in place for this.
” Absurd. “
As absurd as completely banning all nuts (and nut products and items which may have the remote possibility of having some relation to nuts) from a school campus because one student has an allergy??
As absurd as sueing airlines to force them to stop serving ‘airline peanuts’ because someone who has an allergy *might* want to fly someday??
Since when has the world gone so topsy-turvy that the vast majority must now ‘adjust’ to accomodate the tiniest minority, instead of the other way around??
Yeah, this one IS odd inasmuch as it’s the opposite of what usually happens. Ordinarily, they’d have outlawed nuts everywhere in the county.
wish I could have thought of that when I went to school
... but then we never heard of nut allergies when I went to school
The school is smart to keep this kid out of the school because the next step will be his mother demanding that peanut butter be banned lest some kid have to administer artificial respiration to him and inadvertantly kill him after eating peanuts.
It's ridiculous to pretend the kid's circumstance is normal and that all harm can be avoided IF other people simply change their behavior, get educated, and avoid eating peanut butter sandwiches.
I have entirely too many of my own allergies and health concerns to go around worrying about the folks with nut allergies anyway. My focus is on banning wheat, barley and rye, and strictly limiting the preparation of white kidney bean extracts ~ and hold the peach skin fuzz while you're at it.
LOL
Now thats absurd.
This is a CHILD.
He has EVERY RIGHT to be in school - in fact the law says he should be.
The school that the US child attends has forbidden all of the child’s classmates from bringing lunches containing peanut butter, among other things, to school. So here in the US all the other children, and their parents who must pay for (probably costlier) lunch foods other than peanut butter, must bear the brunt of the allergic child’s malady. In the UK the parents of the allergic child must bear the brunt.
Hmmmm. I am a fairly wealthy middle-aged man; but a childless one as my wife and I did not have children. So I have never been in the position of any of the parents in either situation. But it seems to me that the solution of the British school, while also “unfair” is the more equitable of the two. In either event, regardless of what the school does, someone is going to be very unhappy.
The school should provide a Home Teacher.
I notice now that all kinds of eating establishments and snacks mention that food/objects "might" have come into contact with peanuts. Figure they're just trying to cover their butts instead of providing useful informaton.
You must have a heck of a time determining where it's safe to eat and where it's not.
No answer yet.
We've got MILLIONS of folks with a wheat gluten problem. There are only a few hundred with the peanut problem.
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