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My old boss had a life-threatening nut allergy, so we couldn't have anything with nut products at our staff meetings/lunches... small price to pay for keeping a nice lady from dying, IMO. My mother has a similar thing with peppers (red, green, bell, jalapano, etc), but it doesn't usually affect her airborne - only if it touches her plate/food, as a few waiters learned when they scraped it off instead of re-making the meal. She has something we call the "bell pepper speech" she gives every waiter, but some of them just don't understand the severity of these allergies! Anyway, I'm not sure about a school-wide ban, but it wouldn't hurt anyone to try accommodating this teacher.
Wouldn't an adult have enough sense not to grab a banana out of their student's lunchbox and eat it????
see, that's my thing. I'll admit, nut allergies are a bit harder to manage. nuts are processed in the same locations as many items, so it tends to contaminate some other foods. but what is so hard about a grown adult keeping herself away from a bright yellow piece of fruit?
I don't want this thread going down the same, tedious back-and-forth path that the peanut-ban threads went (I'm already starting to see familiar faces and hearing the same arguments), but really, WHERE does it end? it has nothing to do w/ people not being able to go 8 hours w/o a banana, it's the fact they have to that's the issue w/ me. why do SO MANY people need to bend over backwards and alter the routines in their lives b/c of a very small group of people, or in this case, an adult teacher that is old enough to tend to her own needs and keep herself away from things that make her sick? again, where does it end? are you going to end up w/ schools w/ a large lists of "banned foods" b/c of allergies? how long before people just can't "eat an apple or carrots" b/c someone is allergic to them?
if the parents of the students at this school and the other teachers all got together and all decided together to ban bananas for a few years, fine, there's no issue whatsoever, b/c they came to a consensus. but more often than not, it seems like these ban are forced upon others and all it takes is for one parents to cry "unfair" before it becomes so
yes, keeping others safe is important, but there's only so much a school can do before people, children, parents, and adults, need to start taking care of their own needs and stop relying on others to watch out for them. this teacher has likely survived going to HS and college w/ no banana bans, has managed to live thus far in a world filled w/ bananas and has managed to live and even thrive (she got an education). don't know why she felt that now she can't be in the same building w/ the fruit (of course, there's likely more to the story we don't know) and I hope she doesn't assume other schools will be as willing to bend over backwards and "take care of her" by issuing a ban
It is all in the law suit folks. Win lose or draw they are expensive and it is your tax dollars at risk. Having a death and then facing any sort of liability suit is oh well you know. Banana Allergy
You don't want to be passive in avoiding a work place disability and having ADA kick in. It is your tax dollars at stake.
As a teacher, I don't touch the students food at all. Furthermore, I don't eat anywhere near the children. I don't understand how the children bringing bananas in a lunch bag or box would be a threat to the teacher. Would she be able to clean the area where she ate everyday (right before serving lunch) and then eat safely? I just don't get it.
I do have to say that the article was very vague about the nature of the teacher's allergy. Too many questions were left unanswered.
IMO, if you have allergies, whether you're a child or an adult, it's your job to keep yourself safe. people w/ food allergies should do their best to stay away from that allergen.
I'd have to disagree, I dont think a child (up to a certain age) is going to know any better to stay away from whatever it is they are alergic to.
My daughter can't have strawberries and she only knows strawberries as a fruit, but not as a drink, ice cream, or flavor on a candy/cake/etc. I gotta be sure to keep that stuff away from her and let people who care for her to do the same.
On a different note, I can see the ban being justified if the teacher is SUPER sensitive to the banana to include smell. If he gets a allergic reaction just from smelling a banana then okay, but if not, I who cares.
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My mother has a similar thing with peppers (red, green, bell, jalapano, etc), but it doesn't usually affect her airborne - only if it touches her plate/food, as a few waiters learned when they scraped it off instead of re-making the meal. She has something we call the "bell pepper speech" she gives every waiter, but some of them just don't understand the severity of these allergies! Anyway, I'm not sure about a school-wide ban, but it wouldn't hurt anyone to try accommodating this teacher.
