We’re all familiar with bullies, but the allergy epidemic has created a brand new target for them: The food allergic child. Food allergies are something that distinguish our children from the rest of the pack, and an astonishing 30% of allergic children report being bullied, teased, or harassed because of their food allergies.
Of those bullied,
80% said it’s solely regarding food allergy carried out at school by classmates.
21% reported bullying by teachers or other school staff
86% report multiple episodes
57% described physical events like
• being touched by their allergen
• having an allergen thrown or waved at them
• intentional contamination of their food with their allergen
• comments to provoke fear – I have peanuts in my pocket.
Source: http://www.annallergy.org/article/S1081-1206(10)00733-7/abstract
Normal consequences imposed by schools for “normal” bullying behavior include:
• an apology letter
• notification of parents and victim’s parents
• detention
• progressive discipline, a gradual escalation of consequences.
I submit that food allergy bullying is even more serious. Being threatened with their allergen feels the same to an allergic child as being threatened with a weapon would, since the consequences of a severe allergic reaction are brain damage, organ damage, cardiac arrest, coma, or death. Our children correctly apprehend that their lives are at risk.
Food allergy bullying requires more severe consequences right from the start, in addition to the usual apology and notifying both sets of parents:
• Teachers should complete a safe schools incident reporting form that reports it to the principal.
• Instead of gradually escalating consequences, the principal should consider suspension of the bully, which is permitted even on the first offence for:
• intimidation, bullying, or harassment
• uttering a threat to inflict serious bodily harm
The principal should also consider recommending expulsion:
•if the bully used the victim’s allergen as a weapon, for using a weapon to cause or to threaten bodily harm to another person
• if a reaction occurred requiring medical treatment, committing physical assault causing bodily harm, or
• engaging in an act to injure the physical or mental well-being of a student
In my school district, police involvement would be required for weapon offences or threats of serious physical injury. The police investigation could lead to criminal charges such as disorderly conduct, assault, wanton endangerment, or administering a noxious substance.
Police investigated a case involving a 19 year old high school student who smeared peanut butter on a peanut allergic student’s forehead was charged with assault, spent four days in jail, was suspended from school, and convicted of simple assault. His defence in part was that he didn’t know the seriousness of peanut allergies. To read more about this case, click here.
A grade 8 student in Georgia put crumbled peanut butter cookies in a peanut allergic class mate’s lunch box. He didn’t eat the cookies, and he did not have an allergic reaction. After an investigation, the student was arrested on a felony wanton endangerment charge which will be dealt with in the juvenile criminal justice system. He was removed from the school and could face expulsion from school. A person is charged with felony, or first-degree, wanton endangerment when suspected of engaging in conduct that causes the danger of death or physical injury to another person. To read more about this case, click here.
To help prevent bullying of allergic students:
• Include allergies and other medical issues as a topic in school wide bullying prevention education.
• Include teachers and staff in this, as sometimes they’re the bullies.
I submit that our allergic children deserve no less.
* If you found this post helpful, I would love for you to use the “Sharing Is Caring” bar (below) to share this post via Facebook or Twitter. If you’re reading this as an e-mail message, you need to jump over to my blog first by clicking here.
I agree! As a parent of four children with multiple life threatening food allergies and celiac, I can tell you that adult (parent, teacher, etc) on child bullying is definately more common than one might think. I find this as much, if not more criminal than child on child food allergy bullying! My children have experienced teachers (who were well aware of the allergies) eating foods that the chilren were deadly allergic to, while she walked around in the classroom during instructional time! I had difficulty explaining the impact of this teacher’s behavior had on a food allergic child’s ability to function in class. Unfortunately, we often forget to educate our children that they can, should and absolutely need to tell adults and teachers immediately when and if their behavior (words or actions) presents a life threat to them. Unfortunately, our children not only fear death because of the actions of teachers/parents, but they are fearful that their complaints will either make matters worse, or that they not be taken seriously.
And if it is a parent of a non-allergic child who is threatening the allergic child or making disparaging comments about their medical condition, I submit that the police should be called and the parent charged with harassing a minor. Parent-on-allergic-child bullying happens far more than people think it does.
Thank you so much for the post, it was interesting reading.