Did you see this in the news...? http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/09/28/food.allergy.bullying/index.html?eref=mrss_igoogle_cnn
It's just sad to me that school will treat this, like all other bullying, as the child's problem. When a child is quite literally afraid for his life, this is beyond bullying; it's assault with a deadly weapon.
You know, kids are going to get made fun of so matter what at school. It's not suprising to me at all that it's food allergies. If a child is different in any way, shape, or form then they are a target for malicious treatment by their peers. It happens to everyone: smart kids, skinny kids, fat kids, kids with allergic reactions to ANYTHING, handicapped kids, siblings of handicapped kids, the whole shebang. There is nothing the school can do to eliminate it or prevent it. For some kids it's the negitive attention they crave, so the school is only fueling the fire in some instances. I think it all boils down to self esteem and parenting. If the child had a high self esteem then they wouldn't bully in the first place, and if the parents taught them the dangers of bullying then they probably wouldn't do it either. Sadly, I don't think some parents know that their child is a bully, which can only make things worse in some cases. :/
Things like this happened daily when I was in school. I stopped eating my lunch when I was really small because I was picked on for not having prepackaged foods which were cool. I am really glad to see my kids eat healthy food at regular intervals as homeschooled kids. And although they have no allergies to foods I would be incensed if they were mocked over their food choices as it can lead to life long implications. And in this instance Amie is right it was assault to do this to that child if mere particles affected the boy. Education is key to the kids so this kind of thing doesn't continue unfortunately it's public school so it likely will.
Somebody should produce a safety video that shows realistically what could happen to a food-allergic kid who gets bullied by waving a granola bar in his direction. I can't imagine that even a bully could see that video and then threaten another kid -- I'm thinking that the bully thinks, "oh, he'll get sick, turn red, go home for a day and itch, and be back tomorrow and I can do it again." I can't imagine that the bully really understands swollen throat, gasping for air, swelling past all recognition, and dying. Maybe if they saw a really graphically-realistic video it could "sink in" and it wouldn't be so much "fun" anymore - or maybe some non-allergic friends will step up and teach the bully the parts he didn't understand.... I knew a kid once who was so allergic to fish that he couldn't even be in the cafeteria when fish was served. He couldn't even eat food that had been stored in the freezer where fish was stored!
Lindina that's a fantastic if not a bit graphic for young kids. An attention getter kind of like the drunk drivers who are walked through the morgue to shake them of their bad ways kind of thing.
That's scary! When I had my 2nd child, I had a friend go and get everyone some food from Captain D's after I gave birth. One of the nurses in L&D came and said she needed to close the door to my room, I didn't understand. Turns out the other nurse was so allergic to fish/shellfish/something that she was having an allergic reaction to us having on the hall! She was already read and swollen and my room was about 4-5 rooms down from the nurse's station! Some people have SERIOUS allergies and I think it's the school's job to make sure the kids are safe. I think a video is a great idea. Are most people THAT allergic, no, but some are, and that child is so it needs to be addressed. This is more than just making fun of or picking on a kid. This is way more than calling someone "fatty, fatty 2 by 4" or "four eyes".
Hi . Guess I'm jumping in feet first for a newbie. This story makes my stomach turn and hits close to home. DS has multiple food allergies. I guess we are making the right choice to HS this next school year. The lack of respect some children can have for each other can be so disheartening.
That's just sad. It's not just bullying. I mean, threatening a kid with severe peanut allergies with a peanut is like waving a gun in his face! That should have the same kind of punishment. Better yet, ban peanut butter from the school! Urg. This kinda stuff makes me so mad! My oldest gets picked on at the gym all the time because she ALWAYS brings healthy lunches (to camp) and snacks (to practice). And she likes broccoli. I guess that's a total kid no-no! In fact, she LOVES vegetables. Just a shame. I sometimes despise the world we live in!
DH agreed that this is far more than bullying. He said, just like another poster I believe, that it's more like "Assault with a deadly Weapon". It IS sad. KBabe- I know at least in our school they CAN'T ban peanut butter. For the kids in our school, if their parents don't pack them a lunch and they don't have money to buy a lunch then they get ONE peanut butter sandwich for lunch. Without the peanut butter, at least for here, then some kids wouldn't get a lunch. :-(
I agree the school should be taking action on this one. It's not bullying if the child's life is in danger! Something should be done to prevent this in the future, or at least widely discourage it! I do not however agree that banning peanut butter is the answer. Firstly there are some families who just can't afford to pack their child anything but pb & J for lunch, and second as a PP said at the schools here when a child doesn't have a lunch they are given a peanut butter sandwich, also there are children who won't eat anything but peanut butter and Jelly sandwiches. When my son went to Christian School last year he took peanut butter and jelly many days because that's what he wanted. Yes there was a little girl in his class who was allergic and the teacher knew it but since the boys and girls sat at different tables it was ok, and my son was asked to wash his hands and face after lunch before touching anything in the classroom. She never had a reaction at school, but did react on a field trip to make cookies when the lady handed her M&M's before her parents could stop her.
It is a tough situation. But as some has said, while bully's are bad, they are not satan personified. A grade school child cannot understand the consequences. Many adults can't. But it should be addressed and dealt with quickly. Don't start me on banning things and zero tolerance...which if you start throwing around words like assult you're going to end up. Have a real sit down with the bully. If he does it AGAIN...totally different response. I am perfectly happy to have removed my most sensitive child from the wonderful world of middle school...He can figure out who he is, then he can face the world with it. It is so hard to do it all at the same time.
My son has severe food allergies as well as some other issues with ADHD and mild Autism. He was enrolled in public school for 3 weeks this year in kindergarten. I couldn't believe that they thought my child could know what he should and shouldn't be able to eat! He is 5 people! I, of course, sent breakfast, lunch and snack with him each day and would recieve a bill that he was eating food THERE! They told me that he was saying he didn't want what I sent so they let him buy food! Who cares what he wants! lol It's not safe! The problem wasn't with the other kids or even the their parents; the problem was the school staff! There were many other issues on why we didn't last in public school, with the main one being I had my heart set on homeschooling. I can say that if they would have been putting something with peanuts in front of my child they would have put him in the hospital or even possibly killed him... His allergies are so severe that he must carry an Epi-pen at all times.
Kids can be naturally pretty cruel.."Naturally" might suond like bizarre, I know, but that is how I see it. My step son was bullied at school for his stepmom (myself) speaking with an accent; for having good grades, for dressing up in ironed clothes instead of jeans with holes and tshirts hanging below knees, for liking reading...you name it. Kids who are bullies do pick ones who have some differencies and making fun at the. In our case with SS, the school didn't do anything to help him, nothing; we went to the teacher, then to a principal, nothing happened. It is so sad though. (we signd him up for a karate class, and in a while he got some confidence and had a fight with one of bullies after school outside, trying to defend himself. And guess what?? Who was graunded? A bully? Nope, my step son got in trouble for this fight. Nonscence.
