St. Louis schools adopting no-peanut plan
Published: Sept. 16, 2007 at 4:13 PM
ST. LOUIS, Sept. 16 (UPI) -- Schools across St. Louis have capitulated to a growing national trend toward banning peanuts from school grounds as a safety precaution.
With area schools such as Rock Creek Elementary School instituting a strict no-peanut policy, education officials are attempting to make schools safer for children with peanut allergies, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported Sunday.
"It sounds goofy, but to these kids a peanut butter sandwich is like a loaded gun," Rock Creek Principal Deanne McCullough said. "Their lives are already impacted so much. At school, they can at least have that part of their life be normal."
A 2006 report from the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network said fewer than 1 percent of all school-age children are allergic to peanuts.
But with parents and school officials unable to create an effective-yet-non-restrictive policy regarding the simple food, many U.S. schools have begun banning peanuts altogether. A study involving 1,200 nationwide school districts found 18 percent had banned the nuts to ensure students' safety, the newspaper said.
With area schools such as Rock Creek Elementary School instituting a strict no-peanut policy, education officials are attempting to make schools safer for children with peanut allergies, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported Sunday.
"It sounds goofy, but to these kids a peanut butter sandwich is like a loaded gun," Rock Creek Principal Deanne McCullough said. "Their lives are already impacted so much. At school, they can at least have that part of their life be normal."
A 2006 report from the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network said fewer than 1 percent of all school-age children are allergic to peanuts.
But with parents and school officials unable to create an effective-yet-non-restrictive policy regarding the simple food, many U.S. schools have begun banning peanuts altogether. A study involving 1,200 nationwide school districts found 18 percent had banned the nuts to ensure students' safety, the newspaper said.
© 2007 United Press International. All Rights Reserved.
This material may not be reproduced, redistributed, or manipulated in any form.
This material may not be reproduced, redistributed, or manipulated in any form.
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