It was an editorial decision to provoke. I highly doubt that attorneys at the Department of Justice are looking at this with head-slapping Eureka! epiphanies. It's quite likely the basis of an article like this has roots in fear, fear of disability harassment, retaliation, or disapproval of other parents which manifested into the need to voice it rather than just do it without attention seeking. Whatever the case it's not a blog but an opinion piece therefore someone in the editorial department signed off on it instead of something else.
As an out and proud troll I say, "Well played."
If I really wanted to spend the time I could troll the comment areas talking about all the accommodations we have, watch the crapstorm foment then when the freak out reaches a mouth foaming zenith admit we've always used private school so I pay for their kids to go to school but they don't pay for mine. Or I could write an equally fallacy-filled opinion about Food Channel curriculums and how US students continue to lag worldwide in math, science, reading, then snark that cupcake mommies should bake less, help their kids with homework more, or maybe get a job if the only thing keeping them from midlife crisis breakdown is stuffing all the bakery items they want to eat down other kids throats. I'm sure that kind of PvPkill makes an editor drool with excitement especially with my obviously ethnic surname attached to it. The competition of parental 'styles' seem all the rage these days.
Even with its imperfections for follow through at a local level, I think the federal Dept of Ed's Child Find mandate in identifying eligible students for 504 and IDEA is a system that is actually working for providing FAPE. No kid is required to get the best education but at least one equal to peers. One difference a lot of parents don't seem to understand is the principal of 504 removes barriers (accommodations on allergens) to existing education access whereas IDEA provides additional programs or services for special ed needs as well as removes barriers where necessary. The average person would not realize that a barrier removal is not an additional service or program hence the incorrect notion that something like a peanut ban is "special" right (for example) that contradicts another's perceived right.
I guess what I'm saying is what was the intent of the editor not necessarily the author or the respondents. Trolling. But also as a general rule I think ALL 'food allergy parents' need to realize that removal of extraneous food in a curriculum does not hinge on us alone. The more we take sole responsibility for it the more people are going to continue to hold us solely responsible for it. My ok'ing food in a curriculum does not automatically make it ok for every kid. The emotions having the treats, 'fun' lessons with candy, food rewards, those are all really deep. Any emotion we have is what the food does (causes anaphylaxis) not about the food itself in all cases... whereas for others it's about the food itself at least the consumption portion for the most part. And I think this is what The Lunch Tray confronts handily, the emotional attachment to children's consumption of treats at school initiated by a multitude of adults.
Topic: "I place all decisions in her hands" WaPo Opinion (Read 3802 times)
