Food allergies and our schools

There are students at Duanesburg Central Schools with peanut/tree nut allergies. Food allergies are a growing health issue in this country and in many cases the allergies are life-threatening. It can take as little as 1/10,000 of a teaspoon of peanut or peanut butter to cause a fatal reaction. Allergy to peanuts and tree nuts may be life-long, and can cause reactions ranging from itching or swelling of the lips, tongue, or mouth to life-threatening shortness of breath and a drop in blood pressure.

Our school needs to be a safe environment of learning and growth for the entire student body. With that in mind, we are asking that you keep peanuts/peanut butter/tree nuts to a minimum, especially if you know your child shares a classroom with a child who has allergies. We realize that some children are very finicky eaters and you can not get them to eat anything else. If your child is bringing a peanut product for snack or lunch please remind them that they should not share foods with other students, they should not eat on the bus, they should keep their hands to themselves, and they should wash up after eating.

Some schools have gone to “no nut” policies. We feel this could lead to a false sense of security. If we are aware that there are peanut products in school, yet remain vigilant in our safety practices then we are always protecting the students. Peanut flour and peanut oil are used in many everyday products that we would never suspect and these pose just as much a threat as raw peanuts.

Thank you for doing your part to keep our school a safe environment for everyone. 

For more information, visit the following resources:

• > Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network
• > Center for Disease Control and Prevention
• > Making the difference: Caring for students with life-threatening allergies (PDF)
• > Letter from the school nurses (PDF)