Schools

Nut Consumption Standard Wanted for Wayne Schools

Parents of students who suffer from nut-allergies speak out at Board of Education meeting.

Parents want a district-wide policy regarding the consumption of nuts in schools or see the district become nut-free.

A few parents spoke about the issue about a Board of Education meeting last month.

“A nut allergy is a very real problem with a potentially fatal reaction,” said Gail Shanahan whose children attend A.P. Terhune School.

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Students with allergies attending Terhune must sit at a special table at lunch, away from their classmates. A student is allowed to have one friend sit with him or her.

The policy on bringing nuts to school varies between institutions. Some permit them during snack time, others only during lunch. Parents of Pines Lake students received a letter asking them not to pack any nuts for their kids.

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Superintendent Ray Gonzalez said that school nurses continually educate parents and students about the dangers of nut allergies. Shanahan said she and her children have never been educated about them.

“Why is this a liability? I would like one common procedure,” Shanahan said. “I would like the district to become nut-free.”

Angela Sagretto, the mother of a fourth-grader with a “deadly” peanut allergy, spoke about how there is a chance something bad could happen because there isn’t one standard in place across all schools.

“There’s a lot of opportunity for a mistake. Parents like myself have to live with that fear everyday,” Sagretto said. “I know it’s not a very popular subject with many people. But is it really that big of a deal for your child to wait until they get home to have tree nuts or a peanut butter sandwich.”

Gonzalez said that district officials are “working with various members of the school community” to create a food allergy resource guide for school personnel to use to provide “consistent practices and procedures.”

“As a school district, we take these matters very seriously and work closely with our schools staff and food service providers to implement measures to support the health and safety of our students,” Gonzalez said in a statement.

The guide will be made public and be published on the district’s Web site when completed.

— Have a question or news tip? Contact editor Daniel Hubbard at Daniel.Hubbard@patch.com or find us on Facebook and Twitter. For news straight to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter.


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