I'm sorry so many schools are not handling the allergy issue well. I guess I've taken it for granted that our school goes all out to protect these children, which they should.
Last year there was a boy with life threatening peanut allergy in a different classroom. All the kids in that class were very aware and very, very protective of him.
His whole class table was made peanut free and it worked well.
At the end of the year the whole grade ate outside and DD8 had a peanut butter sandwich, because there was no allergies at her table and I hadn't thought about the fact that they would be outside.
The other kids wouldn't let her near him, the whole recess! In fact they were quite the caring, little angry mob and chanted "peanut girl" at her for the whole recess!
It's good she is so understanding.
Ever since then, I make the girls wash their hands whenever we leave the house after they have eaten peanut butter. I'll even make them change their clothes if they get p.b. on them. Regardless if we are going to meet up with someone with allergies. You just never know who has the next shopping cart, what if they rubbed p.b. on it inadvertantly?
In regards to GT kids being in the minority and fighting.....I'd like to think you catch more flies with honey, but if the only way to secure an apporpriate education for your child is to fight, then that is what you should do, my good people!!!
Seriously, througout history it's usually the minority who are being discriminated against, very rarely, the majority. That doesn't mean unjustices cannot be triumphed over. If GT is 5%, that's a pretty strong 5%. I don't think the majority of people are mean, nasty and uncaring. It's just being able to slow down and put yourself in someone else's shoes.....that's sometimes hard for everyone.
But, even I know when to say uncle. You better believe if my child isn't being served well or adversely affected by being in school, I would drop out of the "fight" in a New York second and take her home to school if it can't be worked through. Because, ultimately, my only priority as a mother is to get those kids grown up and off on their own as happy, healthy people who like themselves and others.........
stepping of overly dramatic soapbox now,
I
