You will not be allowed to eat eggs or peanuts.
http://toronto.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20071210/school_allergy_lawsuit_071210/20071210?hub=TorontoHome
The parents of six Vaughan children with life-threatening allergies have filed complaints to the Ontario Human Rights Commission after one Woodbridge school stopped the practice of checking the lunches of its students.
The families say failing to screen lunches for eggs, peanuts and other allergens to which their children suffer severe reactions is a form of discrimination.
The students, who are aged between six and 11, attend St. Stephen Catholic School.
"During the last school year, the principal and the board removed the accommodations that were in place and working well since the school opened in 2002, without consulting those who were impacted," the parents said in a statement to the media on Monday.
The students who suffer from the severe allergies say they no longer feel safe.
"At school, I'm afraid because I don't really know some of the food with eggs and milk look like, and most of the time the kids won't spot it because if it's like a candy or something, they'll just eat it," 11-year-old Alex told CTV News.
The parents and children say they aren't asking for anything new, just for the old program to be reinstated.
"Pupils with deadly allergies have the right to an education in a safe learning environment," lawyer Iain T. Donnell, who is representing the children, said in a release.
"It must be emphasized that these children are not asking for anything new but merely the restoration of accommodations that had already been in place since the school opened in 2002. Children's safety is non-negotiable."
The human rights complaint has been filed against the York Catholic District School Board, a trustee, a superintendent and the school's principal.
The parents involved in the dispute say the decision to scrap the daily allergy checks was "an administrative and political decision" that occurred after a new principal came to the school.
The board, in its defence, says it is impossible to properly check every lunch bag, CTV's Galit Solomon reported.
A spokesperson also said the program was ended to bring the school in line with the others in the region.
Official Chris Cable told the Toronto Star that St. Stephen has a "vigilant" approach to accommodating the children, and sends a letter to all families asking them not to send food that contains nut products or eggs in "pure form," and suggests a list of allergy-safe snacks.
Cable told the newspaper that while the Ontario Human Rights Code requires schools to accommodate children with disabilities, "it makes no mention of daily inspections of children's lunches by school staff .... nor does Human Rights require parents to send in notes with each lunch and snack to describe the ingredients."
Administrators say they are working with the commission to consider the individual needs of anaphylactic students.
How long before noone can eat eggs or peanuts to protect the minority? Why don't the 6 kids with allergies just not eat anything another student has?
The parents of six Vaughan children with life-threatening allergies have filed complaints to the Ontario Human Rights Commission after one Woodbridge school stopped the practice of checking the lunches of its students.
The families say failing to screen lunches for eggs, peanuts and other allergens to which their children suffer severe reactions is a form of discrimination.
The students, who are aged between six and 11, attend St. Stephen Catholic School.
"During the last school year, the principal and the board removed the accommodations that were in place and working well since the school opened in 2002, without consulting those who were impacted," the parents said in a statement to the media on Monday.
The students who suffer from the severe allergies say they no longer feel safe.
"At school, I'm afraid because I don't really know some of the food with eggs and milk look like, and most of the time the kids won't spot it because if it's like a candy or something, they'll just eat it," 11-year-old Alex told CTV News.
The parents and children say they aren't asking for anything new, just for the old program to be reinstated.
"Pupils with deadly allergies have the right to an education in a safe learning environment," lawyer Iain T. Donnell, who is representing the children, said in a release.
"It must be emphasized that these children are not asking for anything new but merely the restoration of accommodations that had already been in place since the school opened in 2002. Children's safety is non-negotiable."
The human rights complaint has been filed against the York Catholic District School Board, a trustee, a superintendent and the school's principal.
The parents involved in the dispute say the decision to scrap the daily allergy checks was "an administrative and political decision" that occurred after a new principal came to the school.
The board, in its defence, says it is impossible to properly check every lunch bag, CTV's Galit Solomon reported.
A spokesperson also said the program was ended to bring the school in line with the others in the region.
Official Chris Cable told the Toronto Star that St. Stephen has a "vigilant" approach to accommodating the children, and sends a letter to all families asking them not to send food that contains nut products or eggs in "pure form," and suggests a list of allergy-safe snacks.
Cable told the newspaper that while the Ontario Human Rights Code requires schools to accommodate children with disabilities, "it makes no mention of daily inspections of children's lunches by school staff .... nor does Human Rights require parents to send in notes with each lunch and snack to describe the ingredients."
Administrators say they are working with the commission to consider the individual needs of anaphylactic students.
How long before noone can eat eggs or peanuts to protect the minority? Why don't the 6 kids with allergies just not eat anything another student has?
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"How long before....." Dude- you missed it. Already here. Guy with allergy sued airline for not creating a "peanut free zone" for him. Notice that you don't get peanuts on the plane no more? Me, I'm allergic to idiots. Want the ACLU to file a suit on my behalf because the gubbmint will not create an "idiot free zone" for me. [:p] 0 -
wow. pathetic. 0 -
Why are so many kids popping up with these peanut allergies? I never heard of peanut allergy when I was a kid.
I have to wonder if there is some kind of environmental problem that is causing these allergies.
Last year the FDA announced that pregnant women should not eat tuna, as there was a chance that mercury from the tuna could harm the fetus.
Perhaps it is mercury poisoning, I don't know, but something is going on to cause all these weird allergies.
Also, the incidence of autism is up something like 500 per cent in the past 30 years. What is causing this?0 -
Heck, if it's life threatening (why take the risk), trust no one and pack your own food. My boys have no allergies but they take the time to pack their own lunches. 0 -
Another case of the minority bullying the majority. What happened to the non-allergic kids rights?
My daughter is allergic to milk and eggs. We are careful about what she gets and she knows not to eat anything outside the house unless we give it to her. One of her idiot daycare providers gave her someone else's (cow's) milk one day. Fortunately her allergy level is not high and she just threw up.
As far as why western nations suffer from allergies more and more - new research points to our "clean" society. Antibiotics, clean everything, new medicines, etc have reduced our natural immunity/tolerance to a lot of things. Evolution in action!0 -
What about the students who don't have allergies? DOn't they have a right to privacy?
If I were asked what's in my lunch I'd say Nunya.
NUNYA BIDNESS!!!0 -
This is another surprise for a site where the members don't even feel the need for our citizens to speak a second language and want our borders sealed. In the last couple of days we have been treated to an article about the problems of over crowding in the British prison system and now concern about student lunches in Canada. Are we joining the new world order around here? 0 -
Now it is somewhat understandable to ask the schools to monitor thier hot lunch programs for such things but to ask to monitor bag lunches is rediculous. I guess the parents should teach their kids NOT to share lunches and the problem will be solved. Or maybe those kids should be placed at a special table so they can be monitored. 0 -
Hell, first my daughter cant pack a gun to school, now she cant pack a peanut butter sandwich. Whats the world coming to? 0 -
quote:Originally posted by allen griggs
Why are so many kids popping up with these peanut allergies? I never heard of peanut allergy when I was a kid.
I have to wonder if there is some kind of environmental problem that is causing these allergies.
Last year the FDA announced that pregnant women should not eat tuna, as there was a chance that mercury from the tuna could harm the fetus.
Perhaps it is mercury poisoning, I don't know, but something is going on to cause all these weird allergies.
Also, the incidence of autism is up something like 500 per cent in the past 30 years. What is causing this?
Allergies are caused by what is most common.
For instance, rice allergy affects about 10-15% of people in Japan, whereas in the USA, rice is considered hypo-allergenic.
Peanut by-product is used in a lot of things, PLUS americans eat a lot of peanut butter compared with other countries, which is concentrated peanuts.0 -
I will buy that, but I grew up in Georgia, biggest peanut producer in the world, and I never heard of peanut allergies until the last few decades.
I haven't read the stats on allergy increase, but I bet it is way up.
I have read the stats on autism, and as I said, it is up something like 500 per cent in the past 30 years.
Something is causing this and I would like to know what.0 -
quote:How long before noone can eat eggs or peanuts to protect the minority?
The next revolution is brewing, I doubt it happens any time soon though; there's still too many of us neanderthals around who understand the concept of freedom.
quote:Originally posted by allen griggs
Why are so many kids popping up with these peanut allergies? I never heard of peanut allergy when I was a kid.
I have to wonder if there is some kind of environmental problem that is causing these allergies.
Last year the FDA announced that pregnant women should not eat tuna, as there was a chance that mercury from the tuna could harm the fetus.
Perhaps it is mercury poisoning, I don't know, but something is going on to cause all these weird allergies.
Also, the incidence of autism is up something like 500 per cent in the past 30 years. What is causing this?
I'm not sure how long ago you were a kid but I had a cousin who would be in his 40's today who was alergic to peanuts.
Heavy metal poisoning is not an allergy.
I would guess the increase in autism is mostly due to an increase in diagnoses rather than an increase in occurence.0 -
We found out my daughter is allergic to peanuts two years ago. My wife gave her the tiniest nibble of a peanut butter sandwich when she was @ 18 months old. The whole anaphylaxys (sp?) thing started.....extreme hives, closing airway, the works. Scared the bejeezus out of us. Just last year we were at the allergist for my son's allergy shot, and a mom was over in the corner feeding her kid NUTTER BUTTER COOKIES.......in the ALLERGIST'S OFFICE!!! Well, Caroline is all the way across the room, has touched nothing, and starts reacting. Thank God we were right where they could treat her with antihistamines. We carry two epi-pens with us at all times, we have them at her pre-school, and two sets of spares at the house. We haven't had to use them, but it will save her life if she ends up in contact with peanuts.
Peanut allergies are the most severe food allergy. You can't out grow it; there is no cure or counter-measure for prevention. It can VERY easily be deadly. We read EVERYTHING before we feed it to her.....even stuff PROCESSED on the same equipment as peanuts is a no go. Peanut oils are just as bad. We don't go to Chick-filet because they use peanut oil to fry. Every restaurant we go to we have to ask the peanut question. We make the necessary adjustments from our end to make sure she's safe, without imposing on others to comply with her needs.
Now, where school is concerned, we have her in her first year of pre-school. They have lunch at the end of the day, and my wife just picks her up early if a kid shows up with a peanut butter sandwich or the like, or she will go sit with her at another table with her little friend who has milk, wheat and strawberry allergies.
It's a constant thing having to deal with this condition, and we can't let our guard down for a minute, or she might die before we can get to a hospital.
Like a lot of you, I never gave the peanut thing a second thought....didn't know how deadly it is, or how many people are affected by it. Hell, peanut butter sandwiches were a staple at school and home growing up......never knew anybody that was allergic to them.
If your child's school has a "no peanut" policy, PLEASE honor it. This is a deadly allergy, and you can feed your kids all the peanut butter they want at home. It's a small, seemingly petty thing to ask, but it is what it is. I'd hate to know that I killed somebody's kid or put them in the hospital by ignoring the policy.
As a side note, I REALLY miss peanut butter and banana sandwiches, peanut butter fudge, peanut butter cookies, m&m's...........[:(]0 -
Talk about a pandoras box. Imaging if the "bag lunch screeners" where to have(unknow to them) some wierd diese. They could easily spread it in just a few hrs to 1000's if not 10's of 1000's of people just buy touching johnies bag lunch.
I'm allergic to ANT's
Maybe I should sue every buisness,resturant,homowner on the planet so is that I don't accidentily injest one[?]0 -
"Heavy metal poisoning is not an allergy."
Yes I know. But metal poisoning causes all kinds of problems.0 -
quote:allen griggs
Why are so many kids popping up with these peanut allergies? I never heard of peanut allergy when I was a kid.
I have to wonder if there is some kind of environmental problem that is causing these allergies.
Last year the FDA announced that pregnant women should not eat tuna, as there was a chance that mercury from the tuna could harm the fetus.
Perhaps it is mercury poisoning, I don't know, but something is going on to cause all these weird allergies.
Also, the incidence of autism is up something like 500 per cent in the past 30 years. What is causing this?
The autism went up when they added mercury to the immunization shots that all kids get. Funny thing is when they took the mercury out the autism rate dropped. I guess someone figured out poison is still poison even in small amounts.0 -
Once again...Darwin.
Doug0 -
quote:Originally posted by allen griggs
I will buy that, but I grew up in Georgia, biggest peanut producer in the world, and I never heard of peanut allergies until the last few decades.
I haven't read the stats on allergy increase, but I bet it is way up.
I have read the stats on autism, and as I said, it is up something like 500 per cent in the past 30 years.
Something is causing this and I would like to know what.
I don't mean to sound like a wiseass, but when you were a kid in Georgia chances are most of the kids with peanut allergies were dead before school age, so you wouldn't meet or hear about them. The longer they survive, the more people will know about them.0 -
if my child had severe allergies i would pack their lunch myself and not leave it up to some minimum wage school cafeteria lady. shame on the parents for not taking care of their own kids and relying on the school 0 -
What happened to parents taking responsibility for the welfare of their children...pack them a damn lunch for goodness sake! Don't expect the entire world to revolve around your child! These kinds of people make me sick.[xx(] 0 -
quote:Originally posted by ECC
What happened to parents taking responsibility for the welfare of their children...pack them a damn lunch for goodness sake! Don't expect the entire world to revolve around your child! These kinds of people make me sick.[xx(]
Well put...0 -
Here is a good example of what I mean about environmental factors causing disease.
The first case of asthma ever diagnosed was in London in about 1810. The doctors were puzzled, of course, they could not figure out what caused it, nobody had ever seen an asthma case before.
After a while they realized it was caused by air pollution. London was the epicenter of the industrial revolution and there were coal burning smokestacks throughout the city. London had the most pollluted air in the world.
No air pollution, no asthma.
Medical science takes a while to figure out the causes of new ailments.0 -
Big business tactics are bigger than we think. When a buck is being lost due to a lack of regulation or strategy, you can bet that regulation or strategy to prevent such a loss is sure to follow. 0
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