My sisters son
By AnnaB87
@AnnaB87 (761)
United States
February 19, 2007 12:53pm CST
My sister called me the other day to tell me she was calling social services on her sons school. (the reason why was because that a teacher knowingly gave him something he was allergic to, and then said that it was okay that he had a reaction)
So when she called social services they were not overly concerned.
So now she has contacted a lawyer to sue both social services and the school.
He child has severe allergies the kind that can kill you.
He also had a reaction that she was not told about but found out about because her son told her as did another student in the class, plus when she took him to the doctor the same day of the reaction the doctor wanted to know how much medication she had to give him,
The school had medicated him and not told her. After giving him peanuts he is very allergic to this another student told her that the teacher gave his friend peanuts then he fell down in the floor and the teacher put him to be for a long time. (these kids are 4 and 5 years old)
If she had purposely given him foods she knew he was allergic to would she not be charged with child endangerment or neglect or something?
So why is the school not being held to the same standard?
Also the doctor has called the school numerous times, and is willing to go to court because of this.
Do you think that this could be goin on because her son is mixed and she does live in an area that is judgemental. Of Asians especially.
11 people like this
12 responses
@imsilver (1665)
• Canada
19 Feb 07
oh my. Of course I think your sister should go after the school. For so many different reasons. I cannnot believe this happened. I can't imagine it happening in my childrens school. Especially with a peanut allergy. That's one of the worst.
I help with a breakfast program that we have at the school. At recess time, we make up toast for the kids who are hungry. Sometimes it's cheese and toast but other times it's peanut butter and jelly. We have a couple kids that have peanut allergies in the school who attend the program. We have VERY strict rules about how it works. The knife that is used for the peanut butter is not allowed to come into contact with anything else. If it does we just throw it in the sink and grab a new one because even washing it doesn't necessarily remove ALL the peanut traces. And for them to have to medicate her son and then not even think about mentioning that to her is so wrong. They wouldn't do that here. My daughter has issues with her teeth but the school phones me and I bring the medicine to school and give it to her myself.
I hope your sister gives them all what they deserve.
4 people like this
@AnnaB87 (761)
• United States
20 Feb 07
My sisters son is allergic to a lot of foods not just peanuts, but any kind of nuts, and eggs, milk, breads, any dairy products really, Shellfish, (he had a very bad reaction to that, she left him with our cousin and told them what he could and could not have, well and they made rice, which would of been fine except they cooked it with scrimp, and then picked out the scrimp thinking he could then eat it anyway, no that sent him to the emergency room, it nearly killed him)
I think that sometimes people just do not take food allergies as seriously as they should. Food allergies can be deadly.
Especially when it is because of something like celiatic disease. (I am not sure I spelled that write)
Anyway with him if someone gives him a cookie or a piece of cake or even candy they could kill him.
I think that before anyone offers anyones child something they should double check with the parents first and then listen. Because there may be a reason the parent says no,
3 people like this
@Myrrdin (3599)
• Canada
19 Feb 07
Well, what can I say, this is terrible. Allergies should not be taken lightly. I have had allergies all my life and I have had to threaten restaurants with lawsuits in order for them to double check recipes for fish content before. I could see it happening once by accident, but regardless the parents should have been informed immediately, I know that even with my EpiPen it is still recommended I get to a hospital ASAP if I ingest seafood. I think the school and the teacher should be taken to task on this one, it is a foul up of the worst sort. As to the possible racism connection, unfortunately you'll never know for sure, and it would be hard to demonstrate in court, I'd stick with the child endangerment issues and leave it at that.
3 people like this
@Lakota12 (42600)
• United States
20 Feb 07
hope she i ssuing both school and teacher she knew and still gave peanuts thats not god the teacher should also lose her job for this If mother had done it they wouls probably took child away from her and put her in jail . Same should happen to the teacher social service too how dumb of them
2 people like this
@ronita34 (3922)
• Canada
20 Feb 07
Wow ... I am ver glad that your friend has decided to go to court and sue the school as this is just wrong. If his Teacher did in fact know then yes i am positive tht your friend will also be successful in court also! I just can not figure out what is wrong with some people these days? I mean not even school is safe anymore what is going on!
@msmonkeyfeet (789)
• United States
19 Feb 07
I think the school as well as the teacher should be held responsible for what happened to your sister's son. I'm not sure I would say that it had anything to do with him being of a mixed race, I think it was simply done through neglect. At least I would HOPE it wasn't because of that! I think you should definitely take action against them before this happens to some other child!
@monkeygirl17 (167)
• United States
20 Feb 07
That is just horrible. That kind of behavior sickens me. I hope they get in serious trouble!
2 people like this
@Bunny2 (2102)
• Australia
20 Feb 07
That's atrocious! I don't know why the teacher did this - but negligence is not allowable when it comes to trhe life of a child or person. Also, the mother should have been informed immediately. Food allergies are not to be taken lightly. I believe your sister should bring charges against the school and the teacher. It's just not good enough. A mistake is bad enough but mediating without telling and not telling them in the first place is abhorrent. The next time it might be too late by the time the child gets treatment.
2 people like this
@emeraldisle (13139)
• United States
20 Feb 07
I'm glad your nephew is all right. That is good. Now your sister needs to do some things. She should call the police. What the teacher did endangered her son's life but on top of that she adminstered a medication without a licsence. That is a crime. Then call a lawyer and file a suit. I'd also call the press and let them know all about it. I would not let the school board just sweep this under the rug. The more who know about it the more they can't ignore it. If this woman did this with your son she could do it with others and at some point she might not be able to save them. She needs to be stopped before she kills someone with her negligence.
@SageMother (2277)
• United States
20 Feb 07
It sounds like the teacher cannot keep up with all the health conditions of the kids. She might not have known how serious the allergy was because there are someplaces that don't share that information with the people who are actually dealing with the kids.
Now. Is the sister's goal to make money, or to bring a problem to light? If she wishes to actually cause change she need to call the local newspaper and get them involved. She needs to call the regulatory agency for childcare centers. Social Service won't do anything unless you go to the regulatory agency, at least m-in my state, with issues like this. This is where you report neglect and endangerment of the sort you are addressing.
Suing the daycare might close it down, but that is about all. Once the insurance for the business has paid out, IF they pay out on the claim, there will be no other recourse. There might be a little money but, because suing takes this issue into CIVIL court, there is no need for a speedy resolution. The insurance company can dely until the affected child is over 21. If no apparent permanent damage has occured the insurance company will then argue that there was no harm done and so there is no need for payment...they will work to prove there are no damages.
Your sis should try to get reimbursed of the visit to the doctor and the medications, she should contact the regulatory agency, and seek advice about going to the newspapers. The experience you are having has NOTHING to do with your being Asian...it is how the USA treats people in general...trust me on that one.
@payingforschool (678)
• Canada
23 Feb 07
I am so mad just reading this. If it were my child, I'd be calling the regulatory boards, the local newspapers and news stations, and maybe even the government. What that teacher did was absurd. It was abusive, and endagered the life of a child. She should go to jail.
