Clintonville Ban a Tough Nut to Crack?

Discussing Clintonville Elementary's recent decision to ban nuts in school due to student allergies, Chris Peterson wrote today on the North Haven Way: 

What if a couple of children develop an allergy to apples (yes, that allergy exists)? Will the school bans all apple products as well? Also take into account the number of children that have this type of allergy. It's not hundreds or dozens, it's several. So is that all it takes for the school to unleash a policy that affects the entire population? As one parent pointed out, if several students have asthma, will they ban gym classes and recess?

Key to this debate is finding the balance between mitigating potential risks, and making responsible administrative decisions that secure the safety of students.

Peterson cites a study by the CT State Department (attached to this article as a PDF) suggesting that outright bans of certain foods in schools may create a potentially dangerous "false sense of security" in the classroom:

School wide bans may not render the environment absolutely safe because there is no method for ensuring that the allergenic food does not inadvertently come into the schools. Bans can create a false sense of security, which can lead to less responsible approaches to effective management strategies, education and emergency responses. Banning offending foods detracts from the schools’ responsibility to properly plan for children with life threatening food allergies and to educate all school personnel accordingly. It may also limit the opportunity to teach children with allergies to take care of themselves in environments where they may be exposed to allergens at any time.

What are your thoughts on the ban? Is Clintonville managing the situation correctly, or do you think the decision to keep nuts out of the school will lead to bigger problems down the road?

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