Managing Peanut Allergies In Schools: Ethical And Policy Issues

Abstract

Protecting children with peanut allergies from harm poses difficult ethical dilemmas for school administrators. Some schools have responded to the peanut allergy problem by implementing bans on peanuts and peanut products, thereby sparking outrage and protests from some parents. School administrators should carefully consider how best to protect allergic children while taking into consideration the interests of non-allergic children, their parents and practical considerations. While it is not realistic to expect that a school setting can be risk-free, every reasonable effort should be made to protect allergic children from harm in order to promote their health and educational attainment.