Peanut butter = loaded gun

A number of schools in the STL area have become “peanut free”. A lot have “peanut free tables” but some have actually banned other students bringing in peanut items to school, likening a peanut butter sandwich to a loaded gun for those students who airborne allergies to peanuts.

Hmm. Interesting topic. On one hand these students could die if they are around peanut butter. On the other hand, its peanut butter and we’re talking about kids. In the article it states that in 2006, a group estimated that 435,000, or less than 1 percent, of school-age children had a peanut allergy.

Less than one percent of school age children have a peanut allergy and because of this less than one percent, schools are banning peanut butter? I mean, what’s next. What if someone is allergic to fish? No fish oil, no fish sticks. How far are other parents that have kids with allergies away from requesting everything that their kids are allergic to be removed from the menu? Now I have a friend who’s allergic to , well, a lot of stuff. I try to be very sensitive and although I have no major allergies, empathize with him and those kids. However, having obstacles in your life just magically removed isn’t the way life works. When these kids get older are they going to request that bagel shops that sell peanut butter spread remove it from their menu? Perhaps even sue them?

This sort of reminds me of the second hand smoke debate. To smokers its their right to smoke where they want. To non-smokers, its dangerous and rude. Well, to non-peanut eaters, its dangerous but to a kid who loves peanut butter sandwiches, its their right to eat it for lunch. I know, its not the same thing, because kids have to go to school and non-smokers don’t have to go to smoky bars, yeah yeah. But, I just think that once schools start making concessions for one allergy, what’s to stop them from having to make concessions for ALL allergies? And you know its coming. We should just plan on keeping our kids in little plastic bubbles to avoid all risks. Or maybe just keep them in our bellies.