The patently infantile response I get from people wrt accommodating a child with food allergies to this day stuns me.
No quoting: This woman is a teacher. I cc'd "reply all" to the other two mothers just to keep things honest, and in an attempt to deflect the claws I sensed lurking beneath the fluffy facade.
I gave myself TWO days to contemplate a response. One line for each day.
i was ever so ginger. Cautious. Eggshells. in response to a group email notifying us icecream would be served (by an organization that deals out food for such events at the school) and inquiring as to what substitute for the citrus beverage might be a better choice (but ignoring the OBVIOUS that icecream probably isn't a good idea in the presence of not only a milk allergy, but a peanut allergy) Classroom has milk, red dye, and peanut allergies. No mention of the peanut allergy so far.
No quoting at all, this is going to get deleted.
In order of transcription:
"Ok...ice cream will be offered as the snack and a lemon bar to the child who has allergies, should we change the drink from lemonade to something that would go better with ice cream?
Caprisun, Mott's 100% Apple juice, Tropicana
Orange Juice
...I can look and buy a differnt more ice cream friendly juice w/out dye!
let me know your thoughts"My reply:
"Whatever works water is good too. Inclusion is a wonderful valentine theme.
How are we going to navigate the milk allergy with the messy kindergardeners? "
In 36 pt font she replied to me:
The child with the milk allergy will have an lemon ice bar and a parent will be bringing in Capri Sun's for all of the children as they do not have any dyes or added coloring. See you on Tuesdayend no quote. The font says it all. I better get the hell out of her way. Or....I could just ask about the peanut allergy next and ask how to turn off the accessibility function on my laptop....sending it to the other two mothers involved for full disclosure. Egads. Maybe the teacher too, but not expecting any sympathy there.