# Why are penuts banned from school?



## ShadowSoldier (Sep 20, 2012)

This may come off as me sounding like a dick, but I don't get it.

Just because people are allergic to nuts, the rest of the people have to suffer? I mean, for me, when I was going to school, I didn't like having meat, I just had penut butter and jelly sandwiches. And now that nuts and everything is banned, I have to suffer for it because people are allergic?

The way I see it, just don't come around me when I'm eating my lunch. A lot of people are allergic to different things besides nuts, yet none of those got banned in school. So why should the rest of us have to suffer and change our diet and lunches just because some people are allergic? I really don't think it's fair.


----------



## emigre (Sep 20, 2012)

Its a precaution innit.


----------



## Deleted User (Sep 20, 2012)

wow your school sucks .....


----------



## Devin (Sep 20, 2012)

http://parentables.howstuffworks.com/health-wellness/schools-banning-peanuts.html


----------



## Veho (Sep 20, 2012)

Because peanut allergies are violent and more dangerous than most other allergies.


----------



## BORTZ (Sep 20, 2012)

I guess if there is someone you have a grudge against, and they happen to have a peanut allergy, you could also use that against them.


----------



## ShadowSoldier (Sep 20, 2012)

Veho said:


> Because peanut allergies are violent and more dangerous than most other allergies.



Ya but a lot of people only react to nuts when it either touches them or they come near it, like, 3 feet away. A person should have the right to eat nuts if they aren't allergic to it, just as long as they don't go near others that are.


----------



## Raiser (Sep 20, 2012)

Veho said:


> Because peanut allergies are violent and more dangerous than most other allergies.


In addition, peanut allergies are (probably) the most common of all food allergies.


----------



## Tom (Sep 20, 2012)

SOme people have an allergy to peanuts if even the smell is inhaled? That's all I got


----------



## Veho (Sep 20, 2012)

ShadowSoldier said:


> Ya but a lot of people only react to nuts when it either touches them or they come near it, like, 3 feet away. A person should have the right to eat nuts if they aren't allergic to it, just as long as they don't go near others that are.


Schools just don't want a food fight to result in actual deaths.


----------



## ShadowSoldier (Sep 20, 2012)

Veho said:


> ShadowSoldier said:
> 
> 
> > Ya but a lot of people only react to nuts when it either touches them or they come near it, like, 3 feet away. A person should have the right to eat nuts if they aren't allergic to it, just as long as they don't go near others that are.
> ...



What schools even have food fights these days?


----------



## MelodieOctavia (Sep 20, 2012)

I always saw food fights as an urban myth. I sure as hell never had one in my entire schooling.


----------



## Arras (Sep 20, 2012)

TwinRetro said:


> I always saw food fights as an urban myth. I sure as hell never had one in my entire schooling.


Yeah, same here. The worst I ever saw was three kids throwing their moldy bread at each other, which lasted for about 10 seconds.


----------



## Tom (Sep 20, 2012)

ShadowSoldier said:


> Veho said:
> 
> 
> > ShadowSoldier said:
> ...


MINE last year , Senior prank . Yes it was as awesome as one would think


----------



## jimmyemunoz (Sep 20, 2012)

What are penuts? LOL There are so many other things being forced on people today, like homosexuality for instance. People are being forced through laws, and minority peer pressure, to accept it. I guess these same people have now taken up a cause for penuts.


----------



## weavile001 (Sep 20, 2012)

theres a school here that holds an annual food fight, who stands more time without get hit by the foods(even pineapples) win.


----------



## FAST6191 (Sep 20, 2012)

I agree it sucks and would probably tell people to grow a pair but from a pure risk management standpoint it probably makes sense. Likewise although it is a somewhat violent reaction for some others can just be a matter of going blue in the corner and "community in shock as child dies 4 meters from oblivious teacher" (replace with capitals and/or add in straight A, big university scholarship sporting, sports team captain...... according to taste or lack of decency of chosen rag) is the sort of headline, despite being really ill informed, that grows legs.

On top of this some kids probably do not know better and will trade with people thus triggering things and the average minimum wage type that staffs a canteen is probably not best equipped to handle such a situation (if one of the more medically inclined 'tempers comes along I am sure they can relay a story of their first encounter with anaphylaxis or indeed stories of the first encounters of others- it is quite often a telling experience).

Edit- as for food fights. Schools not so much, parties (child and adult), weddings and funerals/wakes yes.


----------



## Gahars (Sep 20, 2012)

ShadowSoldier said:


> This may come off as me sounding like a dick, but I don't get it.
> 
> Just because people are allergic to nuts, the rest of the people have to suffer? I mean, for me, when I was going to school, I didn't like having meat, I just had penut butter and jelly sandwiches. And now that nuts and everything is banned, I have to suffer for it because people are allergic?
> 
> The way I see it, just don't come around me when I'm eating my lunch. A lot of people are allergic to different things besides nuts, yet none of those got banned in school. So why should the rest of us have to suffer and change our diet and lunches just because some people are allergic? I really don't think it's fair.



...Because the allergy is very common, often sensitive, and life threatening?

Banning all peanut butter is extreme, sure, but the rationale is understandable. Plus, I love peanut butter as much as the next non-allergic guy, but are you really "suffering" from just having eat something else for lunch?


----------



## ShadowSoldier (Sep 20, 2012)

Gahars said:


> ShadowSoldier said:
> 
> 
> > This may come off as me sounding like a dick, but I don't get it.
> ...



Again, some kids (like my older brother and sister when they were in school), don't eat meat for sandwiches, they wanted penut butter and jelly. Not really a whole lot of other alternatives out there.


----------



## Gahars (Sep 20, 2012)

ShadowSoldier said:


> Gahars said:
> 
> 
> > ShadowSoldier said:
> ...



Ask, and ye shall receive.

And I know that sucks, but (from the school's POV) what's the greater inconvenience: some kids have to find a replacement for their peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, or someone dies?


----------



## ShadowSoldier (Sep 20, 2012)

Gahars said:


> ShadowSoldier said:
> 
> 
> > Gahars said:
> ...



If someone is allergic, what's stopping them from just staying away from the penuts? If they're making the students find an alternative, then the school should have to supply the alternative.


----------



## Sicklyboy (Sep 20, 2012)

Cheese sandwich, egg salad, tuna, veggie, jelly (no peanut butter)... take your pic.

Also the myriad of other foods that aren't sandwiches.  We had pizza the night before, my mom would send me to school with two slices in a plastic bag.

In my elementary school, there were a few tables where foods containing peanuts weren't allowed.  Every other table was fair game.  Past that, it was on you to take care of yourself.

Edit:




ShadowSoldier said:


> [...] If they're making the students find an alternative, then the school should have to supply the alternative.



Again, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are not the only lunch items in existence.  Most foods can be eaten cold, so dinner leftovers from the night before are good; give the kid one of those pre-sealed cereal bowls, have him buy a half pint of milk from the lunch line; salads; soups in a Thermos; the list goes on.


----------



## iFish (Sep 20, 2012)

I know in high school(7 - 11) for me, peanuts weren't banned but they were in elementary school(K - 6).

I think it's because once you reach high school you know better about not touching others with the allergy or if you have allergies you know to avoid the things.
Like, when you're 6 - 9 in age, you don't really know better or know how serious it can be. But at that point, they can't just say certain grades in the school can eat this because it wouldn't be fair.

Well, that's probably not the real reason but that's what I always thought. Besides the obvious stuff that's already been said.


----------



## mthrnite (Sep 20, 2012)

ShadowSoldier said:


> Not really a whole lot of other alternatives out there.



There are a few. There are other nut butters, macadamia, sunflower, etc.. also soy butter. If avoiding meat, a grilled cheese sandwich, though better hot, is a treat if you make it like I do. Also hummus is good. I felt like you did about the peanut thing until I found out how serious it was, still, there is plenty of reasoned dissent where food bans are concerned, even amongst parents with allergic kids. Here's a network/organization that proffers alternatives to food bans, mainly through education, training of staff, and access to epinephrine.


----------



## ShadowSoldier (Sep 20, 2012)

plasma dragon007 said:


> Cheese sandwich, egg salad, tuna, veggie, jelly (no peanut butter)... take your pic.
> 
> Also the myriad of other foods that aren't sandwiches.  We had pizza the night before, my mom would send me to school with two slices in a plastic bag.
> 
> ...



Schools here didn't have lunch lines until much much MUCH later. Also, people like me, didn't want leftovers from dinner, me and my brothers and sisters were all the same. We wanted penut butter and jelly and a pack of cookies. Cheap stuff considering you know, we didn't have a whole lot of money to actually get the lunches that every other kid gets.

We also never had pizza when we were all living home as we couldn't afford it. Unless it was the horrible store bought stuff that.. well, you should know, was not good at all and the last thing we wanted was leftovers.

But again, there's no reason we, who aren't allergic to penuts, should have to change our lunch styles or eating habits or whatever just because some people are. Just stay away from the lunches.


----------



## Gahars (Sep 20, 2012)

ShadowSoldier said:


> Gahars said:
> 
> 
> > ShadowSoldier said:
> ...



As I mentioned, the school probably took this move because it's both a very common allergy and it can be very easy to set off. The reasoning is sound even if a total ban is a bit too far.

Really though, it seems like you're making a mountain out of a molehill here. As others have mentioned, there are a ton of alternatives out there. And if losing peanut butter is so great an inconvenience, take it to the school. Attend a board meeting, write an editorial or two in a local paper, etc. Just do something to get involved.


----------



## Hyro-Sama (Sep 20, 2012)

Ummm... Aren't you like twenty years old, [member='ShadowSoldier']?


----------



## ShadowSoldier (Sep 20, 2012)

Hyro-Sama said:


> Ummm... Aren't you like twenty years old, [member='ShadowSoldier']?



23... whats your point?


----------



## Deleted_171835 (Sep 20, 2012)

iFish said:


> I know in high school(7 - 11) for me, peanuts weren't banned but they were in elementary school(K - 6).
> 
> I think it's because once you reach high school you know better about not touching others with the allergy or if you have allergies you know to avoid the things.
> Like, when you're 6 - 9 in age, you don't really know better or know how serious it can be. But at that point, they can't just say certain grades in the school can eat this because it wouldn't be fair.
> ...


I think it's more that it gets harder to enforce when you enter high-school. I mean, my school _"officially"_ banned peanut butter but no one really gave a shit.


----------



## gamefan5 (Sep 20, 2012)

TwinRetro said:


> I always saw food fights as an urban myth. I sure as hell never had one in my entire schooling.


I did. MANY TIMES! XD It's actually crazy and not a myth. XD


----------



## Hyro-Sama (Sep 20, 2012)

ShadowSoldier said:


> Hyro-Sama said:
> 
> 
> > Ummm... Aren't you like twenty years old, [member='ShadowSoldier']?
> ...



If you're not in High School anymore and haven't been for approx. 5 years then how is this a problem?


----------



## Foxi4 (Sep 20, 2012)

I'm pretty sure that it's not "peanuts" that are banned on the premises, merely "using or storing nuts in the kitchen environment". The idea is that nuts could accidentally get in-contact with foods which are not supposed to contain them that are specifically cooked for those with nut-related allergies.

Nobody is going to taze you for bringing your own PB&J - it's just the school's kitchen which is banned from using them.


----------



## Sicklyboy (Sep 20, 2012)

ShadowSoldier said:


> [snip]
> 
> Schools here didn't have lunch lines until much much MUCH later. Also, people like me, didn't want leftovers from dinner, me and my brothers and sisters were all the same. We wanted penut butter and jelly and a pack of cookies. Cheap stuff considering you know, we didn't have a whole lot of money to actually get the lunches that every other kid gets.
> 
> ...



Still, if it _really_ comes down to it, a jelly sandwich is cheaper than a peanut butter and jelly one (and still allowed).  My little brother doesn't like deli meat on his sandwiches so he either takes a cheese and mustard sandwich or a bagel with cream cheese.

I think in the end, it's much more acceptable to have a few kids pout in the corner because they're not allowed to eat peanut butter in school than it is to have a few kids die because those other kids got their way.

Once you're in junior high onward, you're at least 12; far old enough to know the consequences of peanut contact if you're allergic, so it isn't an issue then.  But when you're young, you might not know - or even truly comprehend - the risks associated with having that sort of an allergic reaction.  Schools (in the US at least) have to be made aware of what kind of potentially fatal allergies the students have.  If little Jimmy suddenly can't breathe because he shook hands with Mark, who just ate a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and never washed afterwards, like most kids (and adults), and Jimmy goes to bite his fingernails, it could have easily been avoided if Mark wasn't allowed to bring that kind of sandwich in the first place.




Foxi4 said:


> I'm pretty sure that it's not "peanuts" that are banned on the premises, merely "using or storing nuts in the kitchen environment". The idea is that nuts could accidentally get in-contact with foods which are not supposed to contain them that are specifically cooked for those with nut-related allergies.
> 
> Nobody is going to taze you for bringing your own PB&J - it's just the school's kitchen which is banned from using them.



A lot of school cafeterias here in the US actually have partial/total restrictions placed on peanut butter, to the point where it can't be sold/eaten at all, or there's designated "clean zones".  Granted, no teacher/lunch aide is going to go around and check every kids sandwich, it's majorly an honor system sort of thing.  In my elementary school, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches were prepared in the kitchen and sold to students, but there were tables marked "no peanut butter" for kids with allergies (or anyone else if they wanted to) to eat at.


----------



## Deleted_171835 (Sep 20, 2012)

TwinRetro said:


> I always saw food fights as an urban myth. I sure as hell never had one in my entire schooling.


Hm, I had _one_ back all the way in middle school. I totally didn't start it though.


----------



## ShadowSoldier (Sep 20, 2012)

Hyro-Sama said:


> ShadowSoldier said:
> 
> 
> > Hyro-Sama said:
> ...



Because I frequently visit the highschool to chat with some of my favorite teachers and shit. And not to mention I sometimes babysit little kids where I have to get them ready to school to take them there and get their lunches all ready and stuff. But even then, when I was in my last year in school at the age of 19, the rule was still in effect. But now it's even more stricter here than when I was going to school.


----------



## Hyro-Sama (Sep 20, 2012)

Foxi4 said:


> I'm pretty sure that it's not "peanuts" that are banned on the premises, merely "using or storing nuts in the kitchen environment". The idea is that nuts could accidentally get in-contact with foods which are not supposed to contain them that are specifically cooked for those with nut-related allergies.
> 
> Nobody is going to taze you for bringing your own PB&J - it's just the school's kitchen which is banned from using them.



I believe some schools have totally banned PB & J from their premises. Even the students are not allowed to bring Peanut Butter to school.


----------



## SinHarvest24 (Sep 20, 2012)

ShadowSoldier said:


> Veho said:
> 
> 
> > ShadowSoldier said:
> ...


Have anyone ever been in a actual food fight?


I don't even get the purpose of wasting good food!!!


----------



## Foxi4 (Sep 20, 2012)

Hyro-Sama said:


> I believe some schools have totally banned PB & J from their premises. Even the students are not allowed to bring Peanut Butter to school.


That's slightly overboard then. There's being safe and there's being overprotective. Kids that have nut-related allergies know that they have them and they would not accept food containing nuts wheras the children who don't have nut-related allergies are not at risk of dying due to their own sandwich.

It's the foods that are not supposed to have nuts in them that contain trace amounts that are dangerous - they're the real killer and that's the whole point of banning nuts from a kitchen or factory in the first place. Going by this logic, shrimp and shrimp-related produce should also be banned since it can kill just as effectively.

What about snacks? Many factories do use nuts on their production lines and nobody seems to be bothered. Grab any snack out there and the label says it clearly - "May contain nuts" or "The machinery used in the production of this product may have been used to process nuts" on most of them simply to dodge persecution and liability, regardless of whether or not nuts are an actual ingredient.


----------



## ShadowSoldier (Sep 20, 2012)

Foxi4 said:


> Hyro-Sama said:
> 
> 
> > I believe some schools have totally banned PB & J from their premises. Even the students are not allowed to bring Peanut Butter to school.
> ...



The schools here, no Penut Butter at all. All the candy and snacks in vending machines are gone because they may contain nuts. Like they went full out. Even when the candy had warnings on them, they still got rid of them. I mean, the whole point of this topic is because I found out that they're trying to tell the parents "try not to let your kid have nuts at home, if they do, make sure they wash their hands for 30 seconds and arms and clothing" and all that jazz.


----------



## Foxi4 (Sep 20, 2012)

ShadowSoldier said:


> The schools here, no Penut Butter at all. All the candy and snacks in vending machines are gone because they may contain nuts. Like they went full out. Even when the candy had warnings on them, they still got rid of them. I mean, the whole point of this topic is because I found out that they're trying to tell the parents "try not to let your kid have nuts at home, if they do, make sure they wash their hands for 30 seconds and arms and clothing" and all that jazz.


That's going a little bit overboard. They're children, but they're not retarded - they know what they can and can't have once they are told so by their doctor.

The idea of a school being inquisitive enough into my personal life that they look into my sandwich is slightly unsettling - I see a huge difference between keeping a safe environment, especially in the kitchen which needs top standards of hygine and safety and actually banning something that's simply not dangerous to the parties involved.


----------



## loco365 (Sep 20, 2012)

ShadowSoldier said:


> Veho said:
> 
> 
> > Because peanut allergies are violent and more dangerous than most other allergies.
> ...


I can tell you that one certain teacher that taught me last year would go into anaphylactic shock just from being in the same room as an amount of peanuts. And it's not like they're going to wear neon signs above their heads that flash "Peanut Allergy". So allowing people to bring peanuts, but avoid those that have allergies, would be almost impossible to do.

Although it'd be pretty cool to have a neon sign above my head.


----------



## Edgedancer (Sep 21, 2012)

The simple answer is that it's safer for both the school and the affected students. By the same merit of they should be able to take care of themselves, why shouldn't we take responsibility to make sure they aren't exposed to dangerous and life-threatening situations. What you also have to remember is that the reaction can be triggered by inhalation and also simple skin contact. If one students doesnt wash their hands correctly and comes into even the slightest of contact with the allergic person, the effect is still the same.
As a teacher in training, this is super relevant to us. In my most recent school, we had a students that would have a severe reaction to so many different foods, including peanuts. He had to give the teacher on duty his first aid bag whenever he was on the playground because it had his epi-pen and everything in it. While this was a single student, and I am sure you will point this out, it enforced some rules such as not sharing food and no nuts in the school so that they could ensure the safety of everyone involved. A single incident could damage the school's repuation, no matter how much the student was at fault. Ultimately, they are liable for anything that happens so its easier just to make the ban and live with a couple of disgruntled students.
And honestly, are you seriously putting your own lunch above, potentially, a students life?


----------



## ShadowSoldier (Sep 21, 2012)

Edgedancer said:


> The simple answer is that it's safer for both the school and the affected students. By the same merit of they should be able to take care of themselves, why shouldn't we take responsibility to make sure they aren't exposed to dangerous and life-threatening situations. What you also have to remember is that the reaction can be triggered by inhalation and also simple skin contact. If one students doesnt wash their hands correctly and comes into even the slightest of contact with the allergic person, the effect is still the same.
> As a teacher in training, this is super relevant to us. In my most recent school, we had a students that would have a severe reaction to so many different foods, including peanuts. He had to give the teacher on duty his first aid bag whenever he was on the playground because it had his epi-pen and everything in it. While this was a single student, and I am sure you will point this out, it enforced some rules such as not sharing food and no nuts in the school so that they could ensure the safety of everyone involved. A single incident could damage the school's repuation, no matter how much the student was at fault. Ultimately, they are liable for anything that happens so its easier just to make the ban and live with a couple of disgruntled students.
> And honestly, are you seriously putting your own lunch above, potentially, a students life?



Not at all. I'm saying that I think they're going too far with it.

They eliminate all candy bars like Mars bars from the school because of it. And they're trying to control the nut problem at the kids home too. And I've seen plenty of examples where when I was going to school, a kid would be allergic to something say a dog or something like that, but yet on Show and Tell days, kids would bring in dogs. Now how is that allowed, to have a dog wander through the school and shit, but a kid can't have penuts in his own lunch? I'm sure if the kid knew that "hey, billy, jimmy is allergic to nuts and he could die. So when you eat your penut butter sandwich, make sure you're no where near him, you wash your hands entirely" everything would be better.


----------



## Hells Malice (Sep 21, 2012)

It's pretty obvious WHY. If someone with a severe allergy comes into contact with...peanuty residue (forgot the name of it, peanut protein or something), and it gets into a vulnerable part of their body (mouth or eyes), they'll have a severe reaction and they could die depending on how shit goes from there. Dying or not, nearly suffocating is a bitch of an experience regardless. It doesn't take much either, and it's not a joke that someone could touch a door handle or something, rub their eyes, and have an allergic reaction.

There's hundreds, thousands of things you could substitute instead of eating peanuts, there's really no reason to bitch about it. Schools are supposed to be a safe environment, and with so many people moving around and touching shit, you just never know. Better safe than sorry.
EDIT: and yeah schools do go a little far with it, like not eating peanuts even at home...pretty retarded. It makes sense in a way, but it's just a joke to try and enforce something like that.



ShadowSoldier said:


> The schools here, no Penut Butter at all. All the candy and snacks in vending machines are gone because they may contain nuts. Like they went full out. Even when the candy had warnings on them, they still got rid of them. I mean, the whole point of this topic is because I found out that they're trying to tell the parents "try not to let your kid have nuts at home, if they do, make sure they wash their hands for 30 seconds and arms and clothing" and all that jazz.



Actually candy and snacks were removed because parents have gone berserk against unhealthy food. Basically anything with sugar got pulled from educational environments.
At least, that's what happened to every school in my town, and I even have some Canadian friends elsewhere whose schools did the same shit.
Retarded, but not peanuts fault this time...though i'm pretty sure peanuty snacks weren't allowed just because of the general ban anyway.


----------



## ShadowSoldier (Sep 21, 2012)

Hells Malice said:


> It's pretty obvious WHY. If someone with a severe allergy comes into contact with...peanuty residue (forgot the name of it, peanut protein or something), and it gets into a vulnerable part of their body (mouth or eyes), they'll have a severe reaction and they could die depending on how shit goes from there. Dying or not, nearly suffocating is a bitch of an experience regardless. It doesn't take much either, and it's not a joke that someone could touch a door handle or something, rub their eyes, and have an allergic reaction.
> 
> There's hundreds, thousands of things you could substitute instead of eating peanuts, there's really no reason to bitch about it. Schools are supposed to be a safe environment, and with so many people moving around and touching shit, you just never know. Better safe than sorry.
> EDIT: and yeah schools do go a little far with it, like not eating peanuts even at home...pretty retarded. It makes sense in a way, but it's just a joke to try and enforce something like that.
> ...



Then as I said, those schools should offer the alternative to the students for free if they're going to make the parent go out and buy a whole new lunch system.


----------



## mthrnite (Sep 21, 2012)

You can sign up for reduced cost or free lunches if you can't afford a peanut butter substitute.

edit: at least I assume you can in Canada.


----------



## Hells Malice (Sep 21, 2012)

ShadowSoldier said:


> Then as I said, those schools should offer the alternative to the students for free if they're going to make the parent go out and buy a whole new lunch system.



While that'd be ideal, schools are underfunded as it is.
It's not the schools fault directly, whatever monkey retards are in charge of the school districts is to blame, and they're forcing rules on schools like removing all "unhealthy" food.
Yet there's budget cut after budget cut for schools. It's pretty sad.
Though it doesn't help so many teachers keep crying for higher wages, further reducing the amount of funding for schools.
Though that's all a bit off topic I suppose.



mthrnite said:


> You can sign up for reduced cost or free lunches if you can't afford a peanut butter substitute.
> 
> edit: at least I assume you can in Canada.




We have that in elementary schools. Never heard of the system in highschools though.


----------



## chavosaur (Sep 21, 2012)

Totally was eating a PBJ sandwich when I read this...
My school has no such bans on peanuts.


----------



## Foxi4 (Sep 21, 2012)

From what I've read on the subject, a food allergy reaction only occurs when certain food proteins make their way into a human body, be it via the respiratory or the digestive tract, sometimes also via skin contact. Now, this by itself does not mean that "fragrances" are dangerous.

Tests in the area have been made and a fragrance alone was not enough to trigger an allergic reaction - the situation looks different when it comes to for example peanuts ground into dust that become airborne.

In other words, sitting next to a person who's having a PB&J most likely won't trigger a reaction. Sitting in the middle of a peanut processing factory where peanuts are actively pulverized will. That's the difference.

Allergic reactions to peanuts are quite violent and dangerous, but they are harder to trigger than for example reactions to pollen - the particles in question are simply heavier.

Google it, there's a lot of studies on this particular subject.



> "Casual exposure to food allergens from skin contact or by smell is probably one of the most worrisome notions, engendering much more stress than is truly warranted. Most research studies and clinical experience show that severe reactions occur from ingestion and not from skin contact or breathing fumes. (...) Airborne peanut proteins near peanut butter are harder to detect. My research group had thirty highly peanut-allergic children sniff peanut butter for ten minutes and none reacted."
> 
> ~"_Understanding and Managing Your Child's Food Allergies"_ by Scott Sicherer, head of the food allergy research program at Mt. Sinai


----------



## the_randomizer (Sep 21, 2012)

Peanut allergies are pretty bad in some people; in fact, my sister's son (nephew) almost went into anaphylactic shock but the ambulance arrived


----------



## Gahars (Sep 21, 2012)

Hells Malice said:


> We have that in elementary schools. Never heard of the system in highschools though.



I can't imagine a public school not having that; if I remember correctly, it's mandated by law.


----------



## ShadowSoldier (Sep 21, 2012)

Gahars said:


> Hells Malice said:
> 
> 
> > We have that in elementary schools. Never heard of the system in highschools though.
> ...



I've never heard of it and it was never offered at our schools. Must be a U.S. thing.


----------



## Gahars (Sep 21, 2012)

ShadowSoldier said:


> Gahars said:
> 
> 
> > Hells Malice said:
> ...



Yeah, looks like it.


----------



## Hyro-Sama (Sep 21, 2012)

You should read these


----------



## Foxi4 (Sep 21, 2012)

Hyro-Sama said:


> You should read these


Link 1: The article states it quite clearly:


> UPDATE Nov. 23, 2010: According to the final coroner's report, Christina Desforges died from an acute asthma attack *after physical exertion with her boyfriend, not an interaction with peanut butter on his lips.*


Link 2: Who's to blame? Certainly not the school - the child was aware of her allergy and ate the peanut regardless. Going by this line of logic, we should also ban using cuttlery in school diners because of the slim possibility of someone cutting themselves with lethal results or closing down every single chemistry lab due to fear of the children drinking or eating a dangerous substance during an experiment.


----------



## YayMii (Sep 21, 2012)

Some people (including me) have hypersensitive sense of smell when they're near a peanut. It's unpleasant, but it's not enough to cause a ban.
Kids might accidentally eat a peanut without knowing, so a nut-quarantine prevents that from happening.
(FYI my school no longer has a ban on peanuts but it is still somewhat discouraged)


----------



## ShadowSoldier (Sep 21, 2012)

Hyro-Sama said:


> You should read these



I think you should.


----------



## air2004 (Sep 21, 2012)

Not sure why they are banned in school , but I have an idea why they are banned at church.


----------



## nukeboy95 (Sep 21, 2012)

why?

one word law suit


----------



## Tonitonichopchop (Sep 21, 2012)

As someone who suffers from peanut allergies, I'll say now that not eating peanuts isn't as simple a matter as avoiding pb&j sandwiches. More products than you think contain peanuts, and although I only get a reaction if I actually ingest peanuts, eating a peanut product by mistake is really easy and was a mistake I often paid for as a child. Now I know to check the labels for EVERYTHING, but young kids aren't usually this responsible and will just eat a granola bar or cookie without hesitation. But in all honesty, I don't believe peanuts should be banned in schools since a child with allergies needs to learn to deal with it and just be as careful as possible. I do however agree that it probably isn't a good idea to have peanut products being made in an area with non-peanut products. So if the schools want to do that, I think they should since there's a high risk something like a cookie might become contaminated by mistake.


----------



## ShadowSoldier (Sep 21, 2012)

nukeboy95 said:


> why?
> 
> one word law suit



I mean before the whole penut is banned thing.

I mean if you're going to say lawsuit, you might as well ban things like brocolli, or certain types of meat that people are allergic to.


----------



## nukeboy95 (Sep 21, 2012)

ShadowSoldier said:


> nukeboy95 said:
> 
> 
> > why?
> ...


----------



## Foxi4 (Sep 21, 2012)

Tonitonichopchop said:


> As someone who suffers from peanut allergies, I'll say now that not eating peanuts isn't as simple a matter as avoiding pb&j sandwiches. More products than you think contain peanuts, and although I only get a reaction if I actually ingest peanuts, eating a peanut product by mistake is really easy and was a mistake I often paid for as a child. Now I know to check the labels for EVERYTHING, but young kids aren't usually this responsible and will just eat a granola bar or cookie without hesitation. But in all honesty, I don't believe peanuts should be banned in schools since a child with allergies needs to learn to deal with it and just be as careful as possible. I do however agree that it probably isn't a good idea to have peanut products being made in an area with non-peanut products. So if the schools want to do that, I think they should since there's a high risk something like a cookie might become contaminated by mistake.


A very wise thing to say indeed - processing of allergen-rich substances should be restricted to specified, restricted areas (in dedicated factories) wheras in school kitchens, said food products should not be used not to contaminate the rest of the food, however banning them on the premises entirely is going a bit overboard.


----------



## ShadowSoldier (Sep 21, 2012)

nukeboy95 said:


> ShadowSoldier said:
> 
> 
> > nukeboy95 said:
> ...



There always has to be one idiot who thinks he's being funny to ruin a thread. And if it isn't Hell's Malice, it must be you then.


----------



## Veho (Sep 21, 2012)

Foxi4 said:


> Going by this line of logic, we should also ban using cuttlery in school diners because of the slim possibility of someone cutting themselves with lethal results


Some schools only allow spoons in their cafeterias.


----------



## Foxi4 (Sep 21, 2012)

Veho said:


> Foxi4 said:
> 
> 
> > Going by this line of logic, we should also ban using cuttlery in school diners because of the slim possibility of someone cutting themselves with lethal results
> ...


That's... that's just sad... If I were a pupil in one, I would treat that as an insult.


----------



## MelodieOctavia (Sep 21, 2012)

Veho said:


> Foxi4 said:
> 
> 
> > Going by this line of logic, we should also ban using cuttlery in school diners because of the slim possibility of someone cutting themselves with lethal results
> ...



Damn. School these days (at least in the US) are beginning to sound more and more like prison. When I was going to school, all students were required to buy transparent (see through) backpacks, and I thought that was BS then. Now we have metal detectors, people choosing what you can and can't eat. Soda banned from lunchrooms, and in your case, now only spoons (not sure how strict Croatian schools really are). I think I had a bit more freedom when I was in juvie, tbh.


----------



## mthrnite (Sep 21, 2012)

Before you guys complain too much, consider that schools are in general much safer places to be now than they were when I was a kid in the 70's.
Back in my day, school lunches consisted of little more than broken glass and cockroaches, anything vaguely white and liquid was considered milk.


----------



## AlanJohn (Sep 21, 2012)

In my 3rd world country we even get knives at cafeterias to eat out terrible food.
Yes, food-fights here are the real deal, unlike in your sissy america


----------



## [M]artin (Sep 21, 2012)

AlanJohn said:


> In my 3rd world country we even get knives at cafeterias to eat out terrible food.
> Yes, food-fights here are the real deal, unlike in your sissy america


I bet you're that one guy that squirts ketchup all over himself and plays dead for 2 hours in the corner of the cafeteria. Coward.


----------



## AlanJohn (Sep 21, 2012)

[M]artin said:


> AlanJohn said:
> 
> 
> > In my 3rd world country we even get knives at cafeterias to eat out terrible food.
> ...


No, I am the danger. I am the one who stabs.
Fear me, or feel my agony to dispose you.


----------



## [M]artin (Sep 21, 2012)

k, just lemme finish my Mac-n-Cheese first.


----------



## Hells Malice (Sep 21, 2012)

ShadowSoldier said:


> nukeboy95 said:
> 
> 
> > ShadowSoldier said:
> ...



BAWWWWWW
BAWWWWWW

your move.


----------



## Hyro-Sama (Sep 21, 2012)

Instead of complaining about the failed public school system (Mostly in America.), try home schooling or private schools.


----------



## Sicklyboy (Sep 21, 2012)

Just realized the threat title is misspelled.


----------



## ShadowSoldier (Sep 21, 2012)

Hyro-Sama said:


> Instead of complaining about the failed public school system (Mostly in America.), try home schooling or private schools.



I'm not saying it really affects me. But for other parents, home schooling is not an option for them. It just seems that the school system has them bent over a barrel and they didn't even bring lube.


Hells Malice said:


> BAWWWWWW
> BAWWWWWW
> 
> your move.


----------



## mthrnite (Sep 21, 2012)

I have school aged kids, I see the peanut ban as, at most, an inconvenience. While our school doesn't impose such a ban, if it did, it would be easy to substitute some other food, incredibly easy, without paying any more money for it. I'm opposed to these bans, but not because it puts any undue hardships on parents. I'm opposed because I prefer an educational solution that doesn't put undue hardships (and stigmatization) on the kids with severe allergies.

Honestly this reminds me of the complaints when wheelchair ramps became manditory. Think about the people with the real problem, even if they are in the minority, and don't be so worried about petty privileges that you might lose to help someone else live better, or just live at all.


----------



## Hyro-Sama (Sep 21, 2012)

ShadowSoldier said:


> Hyro-Sama said:
> 
> 
> > Instead of complaining about the failed public school system (Mostly in America.), try home schooling or private schools.
> ...



Well I think it's parents who are asking for these bans. School systems aren't usually proactive in addressing issues. 




plasma dragon007 said:


> Just realized the threat title is misspelled.



Saw what you did there.


----------



## Sicklyboy (Sep 21, 2012)

Hyro-Sama said:


> ShadowSoldier said:
> 
> 
> > Hyro-Sama said:
> ...



Whoops


----------



## CCNaru (Sep 21, 2012)

I currently work at a restaurant (a small one in Disney World) and while we do take food allergies VERY seriously (we only let trained people who deal with allergy-free foods. must change gloves and wash hands whenever you deal with these and then some), we don't ban any foods that can be considered allergic. In fact, PB&J is one of the main kids' meals in our restaurant. If some private company can do it (albeit one of the biggest in the world with $1bil+ profit), the school can - I think it's just a matter of actually having to train people for these things, and frankly none of the school systems can afford to deal with these other than straight out banning them. The substitutes are just plain too expensive, and you don't come to school to eat...you come to school to learn.


----------



## GamerzHell9137 (Sep 21, 2012)

Whao... kids these days are allergic to penuts too....
Or is that just America?


----------



## Sicklyboy (Sep 21, 2012)

GamerzHell9137 said:


> Whao... kids these days are allergic to penuts too....
> Or is that just America?



Just us silly Americans again. 

Kids everywhere. And not just "these days" either.


----------



## GamerzHell9137 (Sep 21, 2012)

plasma dragon007 said:


> GamerzHell9137 said:
> 
> 
> > Whao... kids these days are allergic to penuts too....
> ...



American kids all the day. *trollface*


----------



## TheDreamLord (Sep 22, 2012)

It's stupidity. A lot of kids are also lactose intolerant, or even allergic. I don't see milk being banned.


----------



## ShadowSoldier (Sep 22, 2012)

plasma dragon007 said:


> GamerzHell9137 said:
> 
> 
> > Whao... kids these days are allergic to penuts too....
> ...



I don't know, I'd say "these days" it's a helluva lot worse than what it was when I was in school. When I was going to school, you could bring anything to school, like literally nobody was allergic to anything. But "these days" it's just so much worse.


----------



## leic7 (Sep 22, 2012)

In the schools in my area, the child's family could talk to the teacher or the principal about their financial problems regarding lunches, and said problems would be dealt with discretely without other students knowing anything about it. Perhaps the schools in your area might have something similar in place? We don't advertise something like this so the kids don't get any unwanted attention paid to their "free lunches" or get stigmatized in any way, but the parents would need to tell at least someone in school so the school could help.

As for the ban on nuts from our schools, I see the rule itself partly as a way to teach students to be considerate of others around them, and partly for safety reasons. Having a rule/structure in place encourages a certain behavioural norm, the new behavioural norm can in turn encourage a new way of perceiving and relating to others, resulting in a shift in attitude that's transferable to other places later in life. Putting others' needs before your own pleasures and conveniences is a very difficult lesson to teach, so I'd support every chance that could be used to teach it.

The other thing I want to comment on is the peanut butter & jelly combo... Peanut butter is already quite an acquired taste, and you have to add jelly on top of that?!? Ugh.


----------



## Coconuts 500 (Sep 22, 2012)

You shouldn't eat peanut butter/jelly sandwiches for lunch, anyway. That's a snack if anything, and even that is not a good idea. Lunch should be robust, keep you energized through the day. A sandwich won't do that. It'll fuck you up like a tiger in heat.


----------



## Just Another Gamer (Sep 22, 2012)

ShadowSoldier said:


> plasma dragon007 said:
> 
> 
> > GamerzHell9137 said:
> ...


Got to agree with this I mean when I was still in primary school the worst thing was asthma but apart from that we could eat and bring whatever we want. But bringing that up isn't it said the health of children now is worse because parents try to protect their kids from everything.

I'm not having a go at people with allergies but I mean if your allergic to something then you would avoid it but you can't force other people to not eat it as well just because you are there.


----------



## BlueStar (Sep 22, 2012)

GamerzHell9137 said:


> Whao... kids these days are allergic to penuts too....
> Or is that just America?



I'm 31 and British and have a horrific allergy to them.  When I was a kid it wasn't very well known.  The doc just basically said 'don't eat nuts then' and I just had to deal with it.  All I knew was that if I ate a tiny bit peanut of I was more ill than I've ever been from just normal illness.  never went to hospital when I had a reaction, just waited it out, though I probably should have done on several occasions.  Meant I really had to fight to be given an epipen because they didn't want to prescribe them for someone who'd never been hospitalised with it.


----------



## ShadowSoldier (Sep 22, 2012)

Coconuts 500 said:


> You shouldn't eat peanut butter/jelly sandwiches for lunch, anyway. That's a snack if anything, and even that is not a good idea. Lunch should be robust, keep you energized through the day. A sandwich won't do that. It'll fuck you up like a tiger in heat.



...keep you energized? How will a pb/j sandwich not do that? I had one every day when I was in school and had no problems... I don't know a single person who did have a problem.


----------



## DaggerV (Sep 22, 2012)

TwinRetro said:


> I always saw food fights as an urban myth. I sure as hell never had one in my entire schooling.


I initiated one once that spread through-out the cafeteria, but it was because someone pissed me off taking my food and junk. Didn't get in trouble for it since no one pointed fingers


----------



## Smuff (Sep 22, 2012)

Just Another Gamer said:


> I'm not having a go at people with allergies but I mean if your allergic to something then you would avoid it but you can't force other people to not eat it as well just because you are there.


Some of the sufferers can have "an attack" just by touching a door handle that someone who has recently handled peanuts has also touched (for an extreme example). How are they supposed to avoid that? The ban may seem silly, but it has more to do with preventing the schools falling foul of America's culture of litigation and blame (that unfortunately has spread to this side of the pond and beyond).
Blame the lawyers kids, and their frivolous ambulance chasing blame culture.


----------



## Guild McCommunist (Sep 22, 2012)

Are we seriously having a 7-page thread about saying fuck all to people with deadly peanut allergies because you can't wait a bit to eat some goddamn peanuts?

Seriously?


----------



## gamefan5 (Sep 22, 2012)

Guild McCommunist said:


> Are we seriously having a 7-page thread about saying fuck all to people with deadly peanut allergies because you can't wait a bit to eat some goddamn peanuts?
> 
> Seriously?


Yes. It's amazing isn't?


----------



## MasterPenguin (Sep 22, 2012)

SmuffTheMagicDragon said:


> Just Another Gamer said:
> 
> 
> > I'm not having a go at people with allergies but I mean if your allergic to something then you would avoid it but you can't force other people to not eat it as well just because you are there.
> ...



Pretty much this. My brother has peanut allergies this severe. Don't think of it as simply a door handle however, as it could be anything. "I lost my pencil...Can I borrow (aka steal lol, you know how kids are) yours?", or "can I borrow a piece of paper?" if that person had peanuts literally any time through the day then off to the hospital he goes. Besides touch, it was also just the smell, literally if you had eaten any, then simply talked with him then off he goes. It's not always just as simple as "oh don't come near me when I'm eating", since some idiot parents thought that which cost him a trip to the hospital.

Examples given throughout this thread are pitiful -> you don't see a dog ban because very few people are actually deathly allergic to dogs, most simply get watery eyes, sniffles, minor things (much how I do with cats, and I live with one). With milk, it's similar, as most people get upset stomachs and pains, but generally won't die without a large amount, making it *a lot* safer (There are exceptions to this obviously.) The thing with peanut allergies however is that many people get severe reactions to them, not just minor discomforts. I know many people that are either deathly allergic, or very severely, as there was around 5 of them in my school.

So in the end, I'd rather watch people suffer not being able to eat a sandwich, then to watch my brother die. That's just my opinion however. So I fully support the ban.


----------



## ShadowSoldier (Sep 22, 2012)

Guild McCommunist said:


> Are we seriously having a 7-page thread about saying fuck all to people with deadly peanut allergies because you can't wait a bit to eat some goddamn peanuts?
> 
> Seriously?


And what's stopping you from not coming in here exactly?


----------



## Sicklyboy (Sep 22, 2012)

Because he makes the same point as all of us but a he'll of a lot more blunt.


----------



## Yumi (Sep 22, 2012)

I read and skimmed through here so if its been said then ignore.

Why not buy your own PB/Peanuts and make it at home?
Do you really have to have a pbj sandwich every morning lunch to be satisfied?

Edit: Fixed.


----------



## ShadowSoldier (Sep 23, 2012)

Yumi said:


> I read and skimmed through here so if its been said then ignore.
> 
> Why not buy your own PB/Peanuts and make it at home?
> Do you really have to have a pbj sandwich every morning to be satisfied?



What are you talking about at morning? I mean for like at lunch, or recess.


----------



## Foxi4 (Sep 23, 2012)

Yumi said:


> I read and skimmed through here so if its been said then ignore.
> 
> Why not buy your own PB/Peanuts and make it at home?
> Do you really have to have a pbj sandwich every morning to be satisfied?


That's the thing - some schools have a peanut _quarantine_ - you are not allowed to bring anything containing peanuts, regardless of whether you made it yourself or not. It's considered a health hazard, which is a bit of an overkill.

It's one of those rules that are simply a tad extreme. I understand that peanut allergy is incredibly severe and _ingesting_ peanuts can be lethal to some people, but I'm on the side of science on this one, and from what I've read so-far, being in the immediate neighbourhood of peanuts is not dangerous whatsoever. Peanut proteins have to make physical contact with you to cause a reaction, be it a mild one or a strong one. People who suffer from a food allergy will not eat the food product concerned, it's simple as that. Such a quarantine is understandable in areas which prepare food for the students - the kitchen. A complete ban is overkill. There needs to be moderation in everything.


----------



## Sicklyboy (Sep 23, 2012)

But foxi you're not dealing with grown adults who are aware of their allergies and what triggers them. You're talking about, in most grade schools, kids from kindergarten to 5th grade; typically 5 to 12 years old, give or take. 

You expect a kid who still gets milk and cookies with his nap time to comprehend that he can die if he eats a peanut or comes into contact with something or someone with residue from peanuts on them? Most kids that young don't wash their hands before or after they eat. In older years you're often much more conscious of such things if you have a life or death reason to be. Most kids that young can't even truly comprehend what it means to die.

Edit - I mention specifically grade school because here in the US that's typically where the peanut ban is. Jr High and high school you're on your own for the most part. As ShadowSoldier said, in his part of Canada even the high schools have the ban. THAT is overboard, though still understandable, in my opinion.


----------



## Foxi4 (Sep 23, 2012)

plasma dragon007 said:


> But foxi you're not dealing with grown adults who are aware of their allergies and what triggers them. You're talking about, in most grade schools, kids from kindergarten to 5th grade; typically 5 to 12 years old, give or take.
> 
> You expect a kid who still gets milk and cookies with his nap time to comprehend that he can die if he eats a peanut or comes into contact with something or someone with residue from peanuts on them? Most kids that young don't wash their hands before or after they eat. In older years you're often much more conscious of such things if you have a life or death reason to be. Most kids that young can't even truly comprehend what it means to die.


Would you apply the same rules to a High School or higher though? You probably wouldn't, and yet I hear they are bound with the same regulations.

Besides, I was pretty damn conscious about what and how I ate in grade school.  People don't magically find out they're allergic to something - usually they have an allergic reaction first. It's like a "hot stove reaction" - the child does understand that touching a stove will burn it if it got burned by it once before - allergies are no different. As far as residue is concerned, aren't schools supposed to be regularily cleaned?

I can see the _reasoning _behind it and the goal is _commendable_, but I still don't see how someone's lunch would be dangerous to anyone _as long as the children follow basic rules of hygine_ and the cleaning staff does their job. "Residue" alone can hardly cause a violent reaction - average antihistamines, which allergic children should have with them anyways, can handle the reaction to those (eye sore, skin itch, rash and the likes).

People with allergies are not handicapped. They don't require to be sheltered or protected from the hazards of the outside world. What guarantee do you have that the same residue won't be on a traffic light button? Or on a seat of the bus? Or just about anywhere else?

Scientists agree that the issue is overblown because it really is - skin contact in most cases causes typical allergic reactions which can be handled, inhalation causes no reaction whatsoever unless peanut dust is inhaled, and to do that, you'd have to pulverize nuts right infront of someone's face. The only thing that does cause a violent, dangerous reaction is ingestion, and it's hard not to notice that you're eating a product containing peanuts if you brought it to school yourself (I outlined that the kitchens should be peanut-free AND shrimp-free, so lunches bought at school would be safe for everyone).


----------



## Tom Bombadildo (Sep 23, 2012)

TL;DR Thread

As someone with a peanut allergy, I'd rather not risk having to go to the hospital because I'm walking next to/sitting across someone eating peanuts. That just sounds like not good. EDIT: Do note that kids generally throw food at each other, my school is no different. I had an entire bag of peanuts thrown at me once and I had to leave school.

The main reasons schools ban it is because 1) it's dangerous (as mentioned by someone as I skimmed the pages) and 2) Schools don't want to have to be responsible for some kids death because some kid just had to have some peanuts.

Before my elementary school banned peanuts, a group of kids had to sit by themselves during lunch in a separated room, which is definitely not something that should happen.


----------



## ShadowSoldier (Sep 23, 2012)

Suprgamr232 said:


> TL;DR Thread
> 
> As someone with a peanut allergy, I'd rather not risk having to go to the hospital because I'm walking next to/sitting across someone eating peanuts. That just sounds like not good. EDIT: Do note that kids generally throw food at each other, my school is no different. I had an entire bag of peanuts thrown at me once and I had to leave school.
> 
> ...



If someone beside you is eating peanuts, chances are, you're going to back the hell away anyways.

I mean, so far, I don't see why it should be banned and not other stuff. For example, one kid in my highschool died because he touched a dog's collar that had traces of some form of meat on it. By that I mean someone was eating said meat, touched the dogs collar, than the kid did too. And this meat is served in the school cafeteria, yet they never banned it. And this is a common thing that they sell, it's a full bagel with pizza sauce on it and meat and cheese. They've been serving it for years. To this day it's still not banned.


----------



## Foxi4 (Sep 23, 2012)

Perhaps it's because peanut allergy is more common than other food-related allergies. That said, people need to keep their cool about those things. No matter how you slice it, anything can be potentially lethal.


----------



## Tom Bombadildo (Sep 23, 2012)

ShadowSoldier said:


> Suprgamr232 said:
> 
> 
> > TL;DR Thread
> ...


It's because peanut allergies are by far more common than most other food allergies.


----------



## BORTZ (Sep 23, 2012)

God the typo in the title. I keep reading it like this:
Why are P-nus banned from school. 
If you dont get why thats funny to me: This is why.


----------



## ThatDudeWithTheFood (Sep 23, 2012)

Why is this topic still alive.
This typo is pissing me off too.
It looks like penis.

Ninja'd


----------



## Yumi (Sep 23, 2012)

ShadowSoldier said:


> What are you talking about at morning? I mean for like at lunch, or recess.



Wait, it's the same thing! Why not wait after school??
there's like tons of different cuisines that are available.
Why do you HAVE to have it during school?!
I think anyone can wait after school to eat such meal. or wait until after high school.




Foxi4 said:


> Yumi said:
> 
> 
> > I read and skimmed through here so if its been said then ignore.
> ...



I see. Understood.
But,
even then if it benefits from risking anyone then it's OK in my view. Are peanuts really necessary at school?
If it's true that it is the most common allergic food there is, then banning it is correct.
Unless they make a PB/Peanut-Area Only like many do for smoking.

~

Can't have it? Deal with it.
Eat something else.



Spoiler



Not the best but still, no one wants this
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AxU-wm-Cfoc


----------



## ShadowSoldier (Sep 23, 2012)

Yumi said:


> ShadowSoldier said:
> 
> 
> > What are you talking about at morning? I mean for like at lunch, or recess.
> ...



Wow? First of all, Peanuts is the best way for protein, so a lot of people will want it, whether its in bar form, peanut butter form or whatever.

A lot of kids, well here, don't get home until 430 in the afternoon after school. Which means that for most families, around 5/530 is dinner time, they're either not going to want to eat or aren't allowed to eat until then.

Oh wait, you're allergic to something? Deal with it.
Go eat somewhere else.


----------



## mthrnite (Sep 23, 2012)

Another upside to a ban is that nobody has to announce they have allergies. Therefor they aren't seen as privileged or weak or worse.. doubted and "tested" by boneheaded classmates who don't "believe in it". Common old peanut butter is poison to them, and maybe you don't have to think too far back to your own school days to remember when assholes seized every opportunity to make your life miserable.

Just a thought.


----------



## Hyro-Sama (Sep 23, 2012)

This thread needs to just die already.


----------



## Yumi (Sep 23, 2012)

ShadowSoldier said:


> Yumi said:
> 
> 
> > ShadowSoldier said:
> ...



You really love peanuts huh?
I just don't see the point of fighting to have peanuts in schools.
Sure, what are the odds of someone coming in contact with a peanut? But odds are there.
Best way to prevent such allergic reaction is to ban it. For now..unless there's a way to make peanuts coexist in schools without threatening a person who is allergic to it.

I'm done.


----------



## Foxi4 (Sep 23, 2012)

Yumi said:


> You really love peanuts huh?
> I just don't see the point of fighting to have peanuts in schools.
> Sure, what are the odds of someone coming in contact with a peanut? But odds are there.
> Best way to prevent such allergic reaction is to ban it. For now..unless there's a way to make peanuts coexist in schools without threatening a person who is allergic to it.
> ...


It's like you haven't read what he wrote.

He's wondering why peanuts, out of all the foods that may cause an allergic reaction, are singled out as the one solitary banned item in schools. He doesn't necessarily want then unbanned, he's merely curious as to why other allergens get a green light when peanuts don't.

I personally think that children should not be kept under a glass dome - they need to learn how to manage their allergy as the outside world is not peanut-free. I'm pro education, I'm pro banning allergen-rich items in kitchens to prevent cross-contamination, but I'm againts quarantine for the sake of having one.


----------



## ShadowSoldier (Sep 23, 2012)

Yumi said:


> ShadowSoldier said:
> 
> 
> > Yumi said:
> ...



Hey man, just pulling a Yumi. And Peanuts are the best way to get protein. They have more than any meat or yogurt.


----------



## J-Machine (Sep 23, 2012)

Shadowsoldier you are giving us Canadians a bad name with your lack of compassion and penchant for ignorance. If somebody told me I could seriously harm someone by having peanut butter in my lunch I would just find something else to eat cause I care about the well being of others and that's the only thing to discuss here. you obviously don't care nor have you sought out alternatives, some that are both cheap and hard to discern from the product it tries to emulate. Instead all I hear is you moan and argue like some mad cow that bit it's tongue while chewing it's cud.

get over your angst, by a tub of sunflower butter, and go on about your life.


----------



## Foxi4 (Sep 23, 2012)

J-Machine said:


> Shadowsoldier you are giving us Canadians a bad name with your lack of compassion and penchant for ignorance. If somebody told me I could seriously harm someone by having peanut butter in my lunch I would just find something else to eat cause I care about the well being of others and that's the only thing to discuss here.


That's the issue here. You *cannot* harm anyone by having peanut butter in your sandwich. Unless you smear that sandwich againts an allergic child's face and shove some down its gullet, you can be pretty sure that the sandwich will have no effect whatsoever on the allergic child.

Let me quote some *science* on this one:



> The specific issue of whether peanut-allergic patients could react to the smell of peanut butter was examined in a well-designed study in 2003 by Dr.Simonte and his collegues at Mount Sinai Medical Center. Thirty children with histories of severe peanut allergy, all with CAP RAST levels greater than 100 kU/L and with histories of reactions to smells, were entered in a placebo controlled double blinded experiment. The placebo used in this study was soy nut butter. Both the peanut butter and soy nut butter was placed 12 inches from the subject's nose for ten minutes. The subject was then observed for one hour in a normally ventilated room. There were no symptoms of any kind observed in any patient. (...) Another study by Dr. Perry and collegues from Johns Hopkins Medical Center analyzed the air around peanut butter, peanuts and peanuts being shelled, and found no detectable peanut protein in the air samples. While the testing methods might have been unable to detect very small amounts of airborne peanut protein, those small amounts would be unlikely to cause significant reactions and anaphylaxis.
> 
> ~The Peanut Allergy Answer Book: 2nd Edition by Michael C. Young, page 94



What this means is that eating anything containing peanuts in direct proximity of someone allergic to peanuts will not cause an allergic reaction. The book also explains how some people "react" to smells despite the fact that the protein concentration is incredibly low, and how it's a psychosomatic reaction based on aversion rather than an actual allergic reaction.


----------



## Tom Bombadildo (Sep 23, 2012)

This thread should just be locked. Can't you all see Shadow just can't live without his nuts?


----------



## Hyro-Sama (Sep 23, 2012)




----------



## retrodoctor (Sep 23, 2012)

It should be obvious why your school banned peanuts...? I honest don't understand all the complaining that goes on around here.


----------



## Hyro-Sama (Sep 23, 2012)

Suprgamr232 said:


> This thread should just be locked. Can't you all see Shadow just can't live without his nuts?





Spoiler


----------



## mthrnite (Sep 23, 2012)

Foxi4 said:


> Unless you smear that sandwich againts an allergic child's face and shove some down its gullet, you can be pretty sure that the sandwich will have no effect whatsoever on the allergic child.
> 
> Let me quote some *science* on this one:



I would respectfully suggest that you not mix hyperbole and science claims, they have a tendency to cancel each other out.

I think this discussion has run it's course, because both sides (and the middle for that matter) have pretty much made and ignored all the claims out there. The science involved is not conclusive and people are treating it like it is, the politics involved (lawsuits etc..) are only part of the story. At this point it's totally understandable why schools are enacting bans on peanuts, as it's the most common serious food allergy out there. The people that are most put out by this whole deal and deserve the most understanding are those kids that can't eat peanut butter, because peanut butter is delicious.

At the end of the day, if you're going to feel sorry for someone, make it them, as you can always go home, grab a spoon, ram it into a jar of creamy peanut butter, and withdraw a tan glob of pure manna from heaven, and eat that mess till there ain't none left.


----------



## Densetsu (Sep 23, 2012)

Arras said:


> TwinRetro said:
> 
> 
> > ShadowSoldier said:
> ...


I've been in a big food fight before.  It was during a picnic and involved mayonnaise, mustard, watermelon and 2-liter cola bottles shaken up and used as cola cannons.  



ShadowSoldier said:


> And I've seen plenty of examples where when I was going to school, a kid would be allergic to something say a dog or something like that, but yet on Show and Tell days, kids would bring in dogs. Now how is that allowed, to have a dog wander through the school and shit, but a kid can't have penuts in his own lunch?


Because you can't go into anaphylaxis from dog hair.  An allergy is basically an immune response gone out of control.  Different allergens have different methods for stimulating the immune system.  Things like dog hair, dust and pollen overstimulate immunoglobulin A (IgA).  Things like venom and peanuts stimulate a different immunoglobulin in our bodies called IgE.  When IgE is overstimulated, it causes plasma to leak out of your blood vessels into the surrounding tissue, which is what causes the redness and swelling.  That comes with a dangerous side effect--the volume of blood in your vessels is lowered, and so your blood pressure lowers to a dangerous level (this is called systemic shock).  So the reason why peanuts are banned from some schools is threefold:
As others have already pointed out, systemic shock can be fatal.
As others have also pointed out, peanut allergy is the most common food allergy with the potential to cause death.
I can't speak for other countries, but the US is extremely sue-happy.  All it takes is one lawsuit to set a precedent for a peanut ban to be put into effect.  While I agree that banning peanuts is a little much, it's probably this final point that prompted the ban.
I have a couple of friends who are allergic to peanuts (one of them can bench press 230kg; I call him Superman, and peanuts are his kryptonite).  They carry an Epi-pen on them at all times because it's so difficult to avoid peanut dust.  Just one whiff of it and they can't breathe.  I was at a party back in high school and my friend (Superman) ate a chocolate-flavored protein bar.  Within minutes he was clutching at his throat and wheezing.  Luckily he had his Epi-pen nearby, so he injected himself and we had to drive him to the ER to make sure he was alright.  Even though the protein bar wasn't peanut-flavored, it contained trace amounts because it was manufactured in a place that makes peanut butter-flavored protein bars as well.  The doctor told him that if he didn't have his Epi-pen, he could've died.  Anaphylaxis is no joke.  




TheDreamLord said:


> It's stupidity. A lot of kids are also lactose intolerant, or even allergic. I don't see milk being banned.


Because lactose intolerance isn't an allergy.  It's an _intolerance_.  The way it normally works is, you ingest lactose (any product containing milk), and the enzymes in your body break down the lactose.  Some people don't have the enzyme to break down lactose in their bodies, so the lactose gets metabolized by bacteria in the gut instead.  It's the bacterial metabolism of the lactose that leads to diarrhea.  Again, this isn't an allergy.  It doesn't involve antibodies like IgE.  And diarrhea doesn't cause lawsuits the same way that, you know, death would.


----------

