So you have to wonder if the Gazette or Amherst Bulletin had today's memo put out by the Amherst Schools, would they still have used the above-the-fold banner headline "Amherst Schools Ban Nuts"?
Probably not. But my guess is originally the schools had fully intended to BAN nuts, but after the newspapers made such a BIG deal about it, and those snarky comments on Facebook and Twitter started rolling in they, um, waffled.
So now it's not a ban -- God forbid Amherst ban anything other than flying commemorative flags on 9/11 -- it's a "strongly requesting" sort of thing.
Back in 1984 Amherst Town Meeting boldly declared us a "Nuclear Free Zone" to do their part on stopping nuclear weapons proliferation. Probably would not have worked so well if Town Meeting had only "strongly requested" it.
Wonder if the Gazette will print a retraction?
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Breaking News Update. Stop the presses! Superintendent Maria Geryk has sent out a follow up email saying "In response to feedback from families and community members, we will delay implementation until Monday, October 28." Notice the word "ban" does not appear ...
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UPDATE Saturday Morning (Geeze, I guess they did stop the presses. Yikes!)
Once again, a failure to use an inclusive/education/research based process results in back pedaling when the community finds out the newest fad coming out of central office. This is where the distrust in decisions comes from. Process should never be overlooked. In the long run, it is what makes meaningful (and efficient) change.
ReplyDeleteWTF are you talking about? I can sorta glean that maybe you think someone ought to be embarrassed by something. But who? For what? Did the newspapers make a mistake? Did the schools? What snarky comments? Retract what? Is the memo you linked to the source of the story? If not, where does the story originate? What on earth is the point of any of this post?
ReplyDeleteYeah, they both should be embarrassed.
ReplyDeleteRetract the word "ban". Well, except they are sort of, kind of, maybe, banning nuts.
In an Amherst sort of way.
Can anyone tell me why every day my kids come home and tell me they didn't finish their lunch because there wasn't enough time?
ReplyDeleteThey only get fifteen minutes of actual time to go to the cafeteria and eat. Then they are rushed out for recess.
What kind of f*cked up school system is this (rhetorical)?
They pay a group $100,000 to stand in the hallways with stopwatches last year to determine that they are wasting too much time in the halls and not actually working. So we lose Wed. early recess this year so they can make up that time.
But now the teachers are rushed in the morning to go to early meetings then start class at the bell causing them unnecessary grief. My kids are in class longer, and somehow the idiot school system of Amherst as found a way to waste even more time and my kids can't finish their lunch. A national survey by the School Nutrition Association shows elementary kids have on average about 25 minutes for lunch. The government recommends no less than 20 minutes. Have any of these diploma-hanging know-nothings seen the research that shows forcing kids to eat fast causes obesity.
How come children in many countries such as France get upwards of 2 hours to eat and somehow they learn far more and achieves greater levels of testable knowledge at 5th grade than a kid here learns by freshman high school.
So folks, when you make all those healthy lunches you can bet like my kids they are going for the less nutritional and "fun" things to eat first and leaving the good stuff in the lunch box because they don't have enough time.
You are right Larry, only in the Republic of Amherst.
As for nut allergies, it's unfortunate for the few kids who suffer from this vaccine induced allergy. I know I'd be scared for my kids if that was the case. One wrong snack or even a "dirty table" and if you don't get your epinephrine pen in time you could die.
I would think a ban would create more problems legally over a request. I know I am always conscious of it and never allow my kids to bring nut products to school for the sake of the few kids that have anaphylaxis potential due to nut proteins.
I understand the serious nature of the nut problem but is banning the answer or better education. IF we ban nuts should we ban other things too. Maybe flowers that attract bees. There are many other foods that kids have issues with. Should we ban those too?
ReplyDeleteThese kids who are at risk will have to go out into the real world someday. Wouldn't we be better teaching them how to avoid nuts and foods with nuts in them. Wouldn't we be better having an assembly on the serious nature of allergies in general.
when has banning anything solved problems long term. You would think in an educational institution that education would be the first answer. Oh but I forgot this is Amherst, we talk a good game but fall hopelessly short on real meaningful action.
"Wouldn't we be better teaching them how to avoid nuts and foods with nuts in them."
ReplyDeleteThe issue at this age is not about eating nuts as much as being exposed to others who do. Their parents have done a lot of education on the subject. The issue is more other kids with nut products. If a kid has a peanut snack on a bus and saseptable child sitting nearby could go into shcok. Just the smell of a nut can send a kid into shock and death.
Utilizing peanut oil as an excipient was great for the drug and vaccine industry but it's caused a small percentage of kids today to have very serious issues with peanut based products and even non peanut products that are manufactured in machines that also make peanut products.
And on our kids having no time for lunch in the Amherst schools:
ReplyDeletehttp://thegazette.com/2010/11/22/is-15-minutes-enough-time-for-elementary-school-lunch/
The bans abound...one Amherst elementary principal banned backing paper on bulletin boards because it may cause a fire. Somehow all of the other books and paper in the school aren't a concern though?
ReplyDeleteThe staff didn't even know about the peanut ban until the Gazette ran the article...not even the nurses!
Oh yeah, Walter, elementary kiddos in Amherst get 30 minutes for lunch. I've volunteered in the lunchrooms. The children have more than enough time to eat.
Thanks for the update. My kid said he was told 15 and my other kid said he can't finish his lunch because they don't give him enough time. They are told they have to eat fast and have recess I'll look into it.
ReplyDeleteAnon 9:42
ReplyDeleteThanks for that insider info. The staff did not know about the policy until they read about it in the paper.
The staff must love Maria so much. Maria with her all inclusive get everyone's opinion style. Oh, that must have just been for the interview phase of her career.
Now enter the over paid fascist stage. I will do and say whatever I want without any basis in facts. The teachers wanted her and now they got her in all her lack of skill and in-experience.
Maybe Ranger Rick Hood can come to the rescue and start a communications task force to address the teachers being uninformed. That will make a huge difference in the quality of education of Amherst area schools kids for certain.
Maybe the School Committee could get off their collective behinds and start working for the people who elected them and stop kissing the rings of the almighty trio of school administrators.
Wait, shouldn't we also ban shellfish? People also have life threatening allergic reactions to that!
ReplyDeleteWait, what about wheat, many people are allergic to wheat, we better ban that also!
Wait, what about eggs??? Oh my god, some people have a severe allergic reaction to eggs! Ban them too!!!
I just love that Walter posts a long, crazy rant complaining about lunch times without knowing the facts. In my 20+ years of experience in the schools, kids who "don't have enough time" to finish lunch are usually goofing off. If your kid has been saying it every day, be a responsible parent and contact their teacher!
ReplyDeleteI think this ban is ridiculous. As Anon 8:03 said, people have life threatening allergies to lots of things. Having a so-called ban will lead to people having a false sense of security. These parents need to tell their kids to only eat food they brought in! And I don't think it's true that just by smelling nuts a kid can go into anaphylactic shock.
ReplyDeleteThe nut people's solution for folks who like peanut butter sandwiches is to switch to sun butter instead, which is what a preschool that a friend of mine sent her child to did. Her kid could eat peanut butter just fine. But he was allergic to sun butter!! And everyday he was coming home from preschool with hives because in this nut free preschool they were feeding him sun butter.
Enough with the nut bans already! These kids need to learn to live in the real world, where they will be running into nuts, the food variety and the other variety, all the time!
Gee Wally, from what you write it sounds like the old; (The nut doesn't fall far from the tree.) If you get my meaning.
ReplyDeleteI think you get some kind of perverse glee in thinking that you are beating the newspaper, but they've got you beat as they've got a business and you've got a hobby.
ReplyDeleteI seem to have an awful lot of readers who share my "hobby." But yes, I probably should not have turned down the Koch Brothers.
ReplyDeleteNo smelling nuts will not send you into shock but it could cause reactions as have been documented. Bottom line 100 children in the school system suffer from this and I know I would never want my kid to watch a child convulse and die in front of them. Some day kids will drive but that doesn't mean we should let them drive now to get them used to the real world later. Children are irresponsible. They don't understand the dangers they present in being around a child who has an allergy to the sandwich they are eating. And while the allergic children are very aware of the dangers, they may not know a product contains nuts that some kid hands them and says try it, or may accidentally ingest residue from another child's food. It's best to ban nut products in the schools. If your kid had an allergy you certainly wouldn't want them around nuts with the potential of dying.
ReplyDeleteAs for lunch, I'll be timing each day next week to see how long children are given. My kids don't play around while eating and if this is true, something needs to change. The school system is so mismanaged from the top you have to check everything these days. This school system is now about rushing through everything. My kid went on a class trip last week and it was rush rush, don't touch, we don't have time, eat your snack in two minutes, hurry let's go, look and lets get on the bus.
Hey Wally,
ReplyDeleteSo, are you in favor of banning eggs? Wheat? Gluten? Sun butter? Honey, which might attract bees? Shellfish? You can't just choose one to ban and not the others. Do you want to have your kid see someone die from being stung by a bee? From eating eggs?
No, the nut ban is ridiculous. And your analogy about driving is also ridiculous.
I think the ban will be impossible to enforce. Do you really think all parents are going to read all labels of everything that they send their kids to school with? I don't think so.
Fear not. There will not be a nut ban. THERE IS NO NUT BAN AS OF NOW. The paper was incorrect in it's choice of words. The school is kindly asking that as of the 28th family and staff refrain from bringing nuts or nut products into the schools.
ReplyDeleteAs a parent, while my children do not suffer from such afflictions, I am respectful of others and avoid nut products when I make lunch and snack for school. Last year the school passed out an nut free snack list and it was nothing out of the ordinary. Many schools and preschools have such bans so it isn't something new and not difficult to follow.
Thankful the children who are allergic are mostly knowledgeable and stay away from nut products that are eaten by others.
Uh, Walter, you are a little slow on catching on to the post huh?
ReplyDeleteAnd, YES, the just the smell can be deadly to some people.
I oppose the ban but I do have a friend who will have a reaction if you eat peanut butter and blow in his face. We found out because back when this allergy was uncommon he told someone he was allergic and not to get to close. The kids did not believe him and blew in his face. He went to the hospital. Seems crazy that you can be that sensitive but some unfortunate people are.
ReplyDeleteHe was not protected by the school administration with peanut bans but learned how to avoid nuts, read labels, etc. This is really the only solution for kids and adults with allergies. The person most responsible for your safety is the one that looks back at you in the mirror each day.
First off, there is a huge difference between intolerances, mild allergies and anaphylaxis.
ReplyDeleteOne of the dangerous parts of nut allergies are people that don't really believe them and think people who are impacted by them are being dramatic.
It is not a joke, it is an incredibly serious illness.
I think asking all parents, and educating all parents, is a good idea. What I think is a better idea is for people to stop dismissing this as a trivial problem and comparing it to something such as a food intolerance -- which still may be serious but not deadly.
I'll frame out a medically plausible scenario:
A child at school with a nut allergy unknowingly eats or is exposed to a nut. Within minutes they may start to feel itching and swelling in their mouth and face. Their chest may start to develop large red hives. They complain to an adult who recognizes what has happened and calls 911. Start the clock for about 4 minutes - but the medics will get there as fast as possible.... because they take this call as seriously as you all should. They know the child will die without immediate help.
In the mean time the child's face, lip and tongue have started to swell. In another minute or so their tongue is so swollen that it protrudes out of their mouth and they can no longer speak. Their eyes are swollen shut. Their skin is red and flush. They can still partially breath through their nose but they are using every ounce of strength to try to pull air through their increasingly swollen tissue - like breathing through a coffee mixer.
The medics arrive and by now the child's airway is totally occluded, the child is limp and unresponsive. Without delay one of them injects the child with an epi-pen while the other tries to intubate him. It is a hard intubation because the child's tiny mouth is swollen shut. Maybe they are really good and can intubate him through the mouth, maybe through the nose, maybe they have to puncture a needle into his trachea to try to blow at least a little oxygen in.
Ultimately they get the kid to the ER. By then they have probably given some steroids, some fluid and called the ER doctor to ensure that the full-resuscitation team is standing by. They may live, they may not.
This is not fiction, this has happened. I have seen people have anaphylaxis and I have seen the terrified look in their eyes as they wonder if the swelling will kill them this time. It is not a food intolerance, it is an acute allergic reaction.
It is our responsibility to protect kids and to take their vulnerabilities seriously. We can't ban everything that people are allergic to from everywhere but we can at least be civil and recognize the seriousness of their situation. This isn't lactose intolerance we are talking about. Yeah, they need to learn how to live in the real world. Perhaps that real world (and this community) could start them off right by showing them what compassion, mutual respect and common courtesy look like.
But, I suppose it is fine as long as it isn't your child who suffocates to death on their own tongue.
Disclosure: I have a nut allergy. I take responsibility for it now but I appreciate having been surrounded by caring adults who took care of me when I was a child and not yet ready to enter your "real world" where apparently nobody cares about anyone else.
Another disclosure.
ReplyDeleteI too, had a disability.
No one cared about me.
Why the Fire Truck should I care about anyone else?
Die from my peanut-flavored breath, sucks to be you. Have a nice day.
Having an allergy or disease isn't necessarily a disability. I have never had an impairment from it. I certainly have not a disability of the ability to empathize.
ReplyDeleteI am sorry to hear that nobody cared about you. Not only do I not wish you death, I would be happy to save your life if you needed my help -- regardless of your wish for my own rather gruesome demise. The guys on the Fire Truck that you mentioned would also be happy to save your life some day if you need them.
It is a vicious cycle, how the abused often become abuser and the neglected often end up neglecting.
If you are 100% self reliant, good for you. It is rare in this society for someone to never need another to care about or care for them. I am sure you have a good contingency for dealing with anything that may come up. We are not born fully developed and ready to enter the world like some animals. I am very impressed you made it this long if nobody ever cared about you along the way - in fact, I don't believe you. Someone must have cared for you at some point or you would never have made it past being an infant. At some point in your life you were fed, clothed and bathed by someone who cared enough. Maybe a family member, maybe a nurse, or perhaps you are right and everyone who ever took care of you didn't actually care about you - but they still must have taken care of you.
I think you do care about other people, otherwise why would you choose to share your thoughts and feelings in an online community forum?
“Have a heart that never hardens, and a temper that never tires, and a touch that never hurts.”
“He has a right to criticize, who has a heart to help."
Or, just make sure you you have a plan for a way out - incase you ever do need help but don't want to accept it.
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteWalter- there is opportunity to visit/ volunteer in the lunchroom
ReplyDeleteDecades ago- I volunteered for lunch duty for my son's first grade class (his young teacher had difficulty leaving her class in the lunchroom and was missing her lunch break)
Today's Gazette article about the quasi nut ban says that we were all informed about the upcoming ban at open house. I was at open house and I heard nothing about the upcoming ban. I imagine I am not the only one who heard nothing about it. No wonder people are feeling blind sided. The kids with nut allergies should be sure to always have their epi pen with them may as my child with bee sting allergy does.
ReplyDeleteNotice the word "ban" does not appear in the follow up, front page story.
ReplyDeleteIn fact they seem to go out of their way to avoid the word, using instead "the decision."
7:20am; Don't waste your time on Wally, he doesn't correct a situation he just gives you his ignorant,childish opinion on who is to blame for this major dilemma in his daily life. It usually seems to be anything to do with Amherst. So be it...
ReplyDeleteIt is a vicious cycle, how the abused often become abuser and the neglected often end up neglecting.
ReplyDeleteGuilty as charged. My heart has been hardened and caring about others is a luxury that I can ill afford.
I did notice that the article does not say ban, Larry. That's why I called it a quasi ban. Not quite a ban. But pretty close. The school had been telling me and my child that we could not bring anything with nuts to school since day one because one child at her grade level has a nut allergy. Even when they are in separate classrooms! Just because they are in the same grade. They have never been in the same classroom. I'll abide by the rule when sending in snacks that the whole class will eat. But I'll pack my child's lunch as I see fit.
ReplyDeleteYeah, when Kira was in kindergarten 5 or 6 years nuts were pretty banned in her classroom.
ReplyDeleteI guess that's why I'm kind of amused about all the attention the Gazette is giving it.
So, now....
ReplyDeleteIs LK gonna be banned
or
not?
Wouldn't be the first time.
ReplyDeleteNow if only they would ban nuts in town half the population would have to leave.... (and elected officials)
ReplyDeleteForgoing nuts due to the allergies of another is -- literally -- giving up something out of consideration of/for the needs of another.
ReplyDeleteI haven't seen that done in any other context in Amherst -- so why should it be done in this one?
May I suggest that precedent applies and that perhaps we should merely presume that this is a mental illness -- that it is psychosomatic and hence the ch8ildren claiming to be allergic to nuts ought to be locked up in the psych ward.
If we do that enough times, the person will be sufficiently motivated not to be allergic to nuts anymore.
This is another muddled example from our average Amherst officials. Not terrible, not real leaders, but sort of meh.
ReplyDeleteAs we are talking about nut policy in Amherst school system, there are other "quiet" issues that are even more damaging to Amherst regional school Children's education. superintendent has spent $100k to hire a new director of teaching and learning who is going to quietly railroad the Amherst & regional school system down the hill. Starting 7th grade this year, they have adopted a cookie cutter approach, they place students of all abilities and interests in the same classroom, ask teacher to accommodate all students at the same time. Due to the huge diversity of students' interests and abilities in one classroom, no matter what group the teacher is trying to accommodate, there are students who are completely bored, and not learning anything, while other students are challenged beyond his/her abilities, and lose hope, interests. There are no incentive for kids to perform better than average. Your efforts are not appreciated, you will not be allowed to accelerate. Since you already know the material, you only get bored in class and wasting your time. Why should you learn more ahead of others in the first place? To the student academic challenged: I am sorry that you see bright students in the classroom. School doesn't purposely damage your self-esteem, or your ego. We just hope to inspire you and encourage you to move up. School administrators will use the same approach to 7-12 grade in regional school gradually. The curricular change is shrouded in secrecy under lofty slogans. There is no community input, nor community discussions. School administrators hope to reduce resistance when implementing quietly. A few years down the road, you will wake up to a new Amherst regional school system. Like it or not, it will be reality. The system will be well trenched and not easy to reverse back, or change. Got money? Congratulations! you still have choice to opt out to private schools! A family of moderate means? well, I am sorry, The school system has changed. You never heard of it? You are stuck.
ReplyDelete11:53am, can you please tell us nature about this? Is this what I'm hearing from my 8th grader that after her there will be no more honors classes, no more higher level math classes? If so this seems like a terribly backwards step. Can this really be what we have to expect from a system that keeps claiming it is focused on excellence?
ReplyDeleteI heard ARMS has eliminated Math honor classes. I heard complaints from both academic advanced student parents and academic challenged student parents. The advanced students are not learning anything, and the struggled students is not being given enough explanation and tutoring at their level to help them learn and grow. I heard teachers are frustrated of these orders from administrators asking them to do the impossible. I heard the administrators will do this model in middle school first, not only in Math, but in all subjects. Then the same cookie cutter approach will replace the current high school learning model as well. They only talk about "realignment of curriculum" without giving out too much details. During this crucial transition period, they are not being transparent and involve community discussions. When all the smoke and mirror clears, the community get what they see, like it or not. At that time, it will be too late to change back.
ReplyDeleteWhenever the schools come up on this blog, the comments proliferate.
ReplyDeleteWhy is that?
Because open public discussion of our schools, that might even include criticism (gasp!), is strictly forbidden.
I've actually mentioned to Maria once or twice that she should start a school related blog.
ReplyDeleteThe schools could make a fortune selling ads.
again, mediocre leadership. no real information of involvement of students or parents. and likely no improvements after the launch of yet another change in program. but who is watching?
ReplyDeletekids from educated affluent backgrounds do well, as expected, a few rise up from disadvantaged backgrounds, as usual and the rest is status quo.
many wish for so much more.
Thou shalt not criticize Amherst's public schools.
ReplyDeleteIt's one of The Ten Commandments of living here.
Criticize the schools???
ReplyDeleteThe 100 thousand dollar pyramiders will have ~none~ of that.
CHA---> $$$ <---CHING!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K6ZB7CsSw6Q
anyone wondering why NOW the school system is banning nuts in the schools? is it because the high school principal's daughter is now at the high school and she has a nut allergy?
ReplyDeletei am not opposed to the ban, but i think the schools have much more important curricular issues to deal with.
no, it's not.
ReplyDeleteI heard cookie monster chucking: I am passionate about building a new school pipelines.
ReplyDeleteAmherst, give me all your children. I am going to mold them into average joe/jane six packs!
Even though the latest word from Amherst school administration is that this is not a BAN - the wording at various schools' blogs seems to indicate otherwise. The Fort River blog has in big letter "Remember Fort River is a nut safe zone and NNUTS are not permitted at school, including after school events." Sure sounds like a ban to me. I don't know now they are going to police it. If someone bakes something to bring to school, even if it does not have nuts in it, there could be nut residue on the counters of the home where it was prepared. So, are the school now going to ban all home-baked goods forever!!! How sad would that be. The kids allergic to nuts cannot feel safe or at least should not feel safe, and the rest of us have to live with the nut ban. I am very opposed to this nut ban in the schools. And don't tell me it isn't a ban. Not permitted = ban.
ReplyDeleteIt is disturbing to read many of the comments on this blog. The amount of misinformation being shared is dangerous ...please go to the Food Allergy Network on line and educate yourselves on the topic before commenting. While I support the awareness movement, we were never told at Open House either. Yes, there is a communication breakdown in the system. We have never sent in nuts or nut products with our child because I would never be able to live with myself if a child was seriously endangered or died. I don't need to use children and their health issues to make a point or show that I am in control and will not be told what to do by the schools. Let's pick a real topic to demonstrate our concerns about the schools.
ReplyDeleteI don't know where I stand on the 'ban'. I would like to know, however, have nuts in any Amherst school EVER caused a serious reaction in an allergic child (how many)? Fewer than 100 child in the ENTIRE US die from an allergic reaction to nuts (yes, very sad for those 100 families but hardly an enormous risk). My gut feeling is that this is bad and will end up putting those kids at further risk (by giving them a false sense of security). If there have been serious reactions then ... maybe the ban is justified.
ReplyDeleteThanks for Larry Kelly providing a much needed forum for concerned citizens to discuss Amherst & Regional school issues. A little more than a year ago, Amherst Regional Superintendent Maria Geryk fired the director of curriculum, Beth Graham, and draft Rhonda Cohen from Winchester public school system. Rhonda Cohen stayed at Winchester school system for only about a year before jumping ship to Amherst, and become high paid director of teaching and learning in Amherst. Unimpressed with Rhonda's previous qualification, experience and achievement, Amherst entrust her with a crucial position to evaluate Amherst curriculum and teaching models and possible making improvements and elevate Amherst school system to its name. More than a year later, the results are mixed bags. Troubling signs have already appear. When chatting with friends, I started to hear Rhonda Cohen has the throne from Maria Geryk and becomes the curriculum Tsar, a powerful figure in Amherst & regional school systems. One of her changes is to eliminate middle school's honor class and honor program. I don't believe it initially. Amherst school is one of the best in Western Massachusetts and the envy of neighbor towns and cities. We have honor classes in middle schools for many years. How can that happen that we no longer have honor program in middle schools? When I talked to more people. I was shocked to know that it is happening in 7th grade this year! I know families children that benefits from the flexible and nurturing Amherst & Regional school one after another. When I told them about the change, they shook heads with disbelieve and felt lucky that their children have long graduated from colleges and no longer need it any more. Then I talked to 8th grade parents. They said that there are about half of 8th graders are taking honor program, and enjoying it. But their younger siblings may not benefit from it if the change becomes permanent. I was wondering if half of the current 8th grade population can thrive in honor program, why kill it? Amherst is a very unique town in America. We celebrate difference, diversity. We ask our school system to recognize each of our children as an precious individual, not a nut or bolt on a standardized machine. We want our school to cherish the diversity of Amherst population, because that is who we are and why we are here. "Cookie Cutter" is NOT Amherst education model, "Average Joe/Jane six Pack" is NOT Amherst education model. We have a strong tradition that develops each child according to its interests and ability and give children freedom to grow into a distinguished individual. There is no Mass production in Amherst. We don't even want to chain store in our town. That is Amherst. That is Amherst's sense and sensibility. We want our school administrator to understand this town, our tradition and culture. Amherst has suffered from school administrators, who doesn't know Amherst and don't care about Amherst, and use Amherst as a stepping stone for the next high paying job in their career advancement. We don't want to be used as an guinea pig and lab mouse. The children's education is at risk, and taxpayer's money is at stake. We want concrete results. We want transparency.
ReplyDeleteam i the only person who finds it a bit troubling that an institution dedicated to the education of our community's youth, refers to a peanut as a nut? it's not a nut. it's a legume. the peanut and true nuts have similarly structured proteins, which can cause cross sensitivity for those with (usually more severe) peanut allergy. also, there is much being discovered, within the field of immunology, about the how's and why's of allergy increase. these discoveries/advances will change the standard of practice and, hopefully, that will occur sooner rather than later.
ReplyDeleteStrong leaders involve parents and students, asking their opinions, explaining their ideas and suggested solutions. Average leaders muddle through, avoiding contact with the people most affected or maybe it just doesn't occur to them. Many parents have been concerned with the math program so why not get them involved.
ReplyDeleteThree chicken nuggets definition of Curriculum equality
ReplyDeleteYou are only allow to eat three chicken nuggets for your lunch. If you are a football type, you are out of luck, call your mom to feed you at home. If you mom doesn't have additional money, or ability to feed you more, you will go hungry. If you are a skinny type and not into chicken nuggets, we will force the three chicken nuggets down your throat and make sure you don't vomit it out. This is the new adopted definition of equality in Amherst curriculum.
Rhonda Cohen eliminated the Amherst Regional Middle School's honor program is not a surprise to Winchester town people. A few years back, when Winchester hired Rhonda Cohen to lead their gifted and talented program, they expected her to lead the program to a success. However, she killed the program half way while the program was under her custody. Winchester breathes a sigh of release that Rhonda Cohen has moved on and left them alone.
ReplyDeleteI would love to know the reasoning behind eliminating the Middle School's honors program. Anyone have any ideas? Larry, will you devote a blog post to this topic?
ReplyDelete