This article has been circulating around the food allergy community. It is about the fight of a mother to ban peanut butter sandwiches from her 6 year old son's school to help keep him alive. Now, I don't believe banning all peanuts or any food is necessarily the answer. But the article, doesn't say she's trying to ban ALL peanut products from the school either. Regardless, the scariest part of this article are some of the comments. Here are two that I find particularly horrific:

"As a teacher, is there any point that we say "Enough is enough." I'm not trying to say that we shouldn't educate this child. Teachers are expected to be caregivers, teachers, parents, doctors, and now "policers of food." It is extremely difficult for me to teach your children when I have all of the extra things that go beyond just teaching. Everyone complains about test scores. How about letting teachers be teachers and not all the extra things that you don't do at home."

I certainly hope person never teaches Kayla. You can't go into teaching and NOT expect to be caring for these children in other ways than "just teaching". Especially the young ones.

"The parents should be thanking their lucky stars that the kid wasn't born with Downs Syndrome, or no immune system and has to live in a bubble.

Perhaps Darwin is gently suggesting to these parents that their genetics don't make for the best combinations, and to lay off making any more children.

But that doesn't give them the right to emburden the other parents just because their children possess superior vigor and vitality."

Talk about ignorant. First, genetics do not necessarily create food allergies. We may have a lot of allergies in my family - but no one, on either my side or J's has food allergies. Where are the genetics there?!? Not to mention, using his "Darwin theory", that means neither of my kids should even be alive. Kayla was conceived through major medical intervention and Alysa has started to miscarry when medical intervention saved her. Does that mean they don't matter?

I love how so many people are very quick to say homeschool or send them to private school. First of all, I would love to know how they think private school would solve the issue? Plus, let's keep in mind that with all the tax dollars we pay for public school, private school is not an option for the majority. ESPECIALLY when you take into account all the extra money spent on doctor visits, medical care and the majorly expensive food bills that come with life as a food allergic parent. And homeschool? That's not an option for a dual working household and not even necessarily for SAHM's. It's a lifestyle and one that takes knowledge, forthought, diligence and yes, more money. Some don't have the money for it and some don't have the discipline for it - there are many reasons why homeschooling may or may not work for any given family. It's not up to some ignorant person to dictate where someone's child is educated.

Now, I won't be asking Kayla's schools to ban all dairy products [although it would give added piece of mind ;)], but there will need to be concessions made to keep her safe. And I will expect concessions to be made. And until the government will give me vouchers for my children's education, so I CAN choose the school that they go to, no one will be telling me how and where I should educate my child and how to deal with her medical condition.

Yes, yes - I got on a bit of a tirade. But, it aggravates me that we have no school choice unless you make a bazillion dollars, then you get other parents that are so EVIL about keeping a child safe from harm and possibly death. I also don't get the anger and hatred behind it all. How can you really be so callous about the health and wellbeing of a child??? The point is we, as food allergy parents DO NOT want to raise our children in a bubble, but that means we need help - help from the school and yes, help from other parents. But it's no more or less than we would offer up if the shoe was on the other foot.

Hearing about these cases and more importantly reading the comments of some of these parents (there were some really good responses in defense of this family too) truly scare me. These are the parents of the kids my children will go to school with. It's times like these where I almost wish Kayla wouldn't have potty trained so easily. If she refused it, I'd have a reason to delay her preschool in the fall. But...my little girl doesn't want to live in that bubble and I don't want her there either. So I'll just have to keep toughening myself up for the fights that lie ahead.