As kids across the country start the school year, many schools are facing a new challenge — how to protect an increasing number of students with severe food allergies.
Fourth grader Sam Spear is part of that growing group.
On Sam's first day of school, for instance, his teacher explained the rules: "This year, we are not going to be trading food," she told the class.
Many schools are taking quite drastic measures to keep children safe.
Sam's school and many others have peanut-free tables in their cafeterias. Other schools have a long list of banned foods — everything from homemade snacks to strawberries to sesame seeds.
A New York City nursery school has set aside one classroom for snacks containing no eggs or dairy products. At another school near Charlotte, N.C., cafeteria workers are careful to cook without using peanut products, which means hours spent scrutinizing food labels.
"One life lost is too many," said Cabarrus County Schools Assistant Superintendent Jim Amendum. "We think this is a reasonable accommodation to make."
http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/BacktoScho...1140183&page=1
I know that the allergic reaction to peanuts can be deadly. But how did we get to this point with food allergies? How did my generation get through school without ever hearing about food allergies? Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches were standard lunch-box fare, unless you wanted to trade for a baloney sandwich.
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