As of April 1, no peanuts, products with nuts or home-baked foods will be allowed in Derby elementary schools.
The rule was recently approved by the Board of Education in the board’s new “Food Allergy Management” policy.
“As you may know, several of our students are affected by serious – even life threatening – allergies to certain food products, including nuts and peanuts. In response to this situation, the Board of Education has adopted a policy on the management of food allergies,” Superintendent Stephen Tracy said, in a message to parents and families.
The no-peanut rule goes into affect on April 1. By April 15, the district expects each school to have developed an individual plan for all children with serious food allergies, Tracy said.
The policy is posted below. Article continues after policy.
Food Allergy Regs FINAL 2012-03-16
“Please take a few moments to familiarize yourself with (the policy).” Tracy said. “And thank you, in advance, for doing your part to safeguard the health of all of Derby’s children.”
UPDATE 4:25 p.m.
After the Valley Indy first reported this story Tuesday afternoon, a number of fans of our Facebook page weighed in with comments of their own. Here are some of them:
- Judy Viertel Wier: “Would that mean if a child wanted to bring a peanut butter and jelly sandwich to school they can’t? Why should everyone have to change for a few? If there’s a problem with peanuts, get to the root of the problem and fix it. No one wants to change THEIR diet, but expect everyone else to. Something’s wrong here. Next thing you know, everyone will have no choice but to eat the school’s pink slime burgers.”
- Ashlie Miller: “There are many children that have severe allergies to nuts especially, I’m fortunate that my daughter is allergy free but alot of childcare centers and places are nut free now and I respect that. In some cases allergic reactions can be deadly and with children being naive and innocent and wanting to share and teachers not being able to have eyes everywhere I feel this is a simple solution to possibly save someone’s life. People can be so selfish, If finding an alternative for your child’s lunchbox is so inconvenient think of the parents of children with allergies that have to worry every day sending their kid to school.”
- Laurene Boulton: “I feel this is a knee jerk reaction by the Derby School System which I think should concern themselves more with educational improvement rather then peanut products. Instead of punishing hundreds of students because a very small few are allergic,the parents of these children should educate them (children) on how to protect themselves from the very ingredient which harms them. Like using hand sanitizer which parents supply at the beginning of the school year, so in addition to colds our children can sterlize themselves against potential unforseen hazards like peanut products (This lies with the family). Will you next prevent a child from eating peanut butter at home then coming to school? This is why I feel it is better to educate children that are allergic to protecting themselves, which is something I think the family should do rather then our school system. But I guess its just easier to ban it then to place the responsibility were it belongs, with the family.”
