going bananas

School bananas ban 'over the top'


A council leader has said a banana ban enforced at a primary school for two years was "over the top". Children at Stoke Damerel Primary School, in Plymouth, have been unable to include the popular snack in their packed lunches since 2007, as one of its staff members has a life-threatening allergy to them.

After only just learning of the banana boycott, Vivien Pengelly, leader of Plymouth City Council, said she would ask officers to investigate. Councillor Pengelly said: "This is the first I have heard about this and it does sound a bit over the top to me. "It's my experience as a headteacher that when there are allergies in a school we encourage children to manage the risk around them. I shall be asking officers to look at this particular case again to see whether anything else might be done."

A spokeswoman for Plymouth City Council said it could not reveal the identity of the staff member involved, due to medical confidentiality. She said: "A member of the school community has a severe life-threatening allergy to bananas and on the advice of the council, the school has asked pupils not to bring them in. "These are very unusual circumstances but the school community has been supportive and understanding over the last two years." But the spokeswoman added the individual involved would be leaving the school in September - when bananas will be welcomed back to the facility. She went on: "We cannot comment on specific individuals because of medical confidentiality. Most people know that individuals can have allergic reactions to substances, with nut allergies being particularly well-known."

hi Jason, where have you been?

LOL @ Jason! I feel sorry for the poor person who is allergic to bananas. What an odd thing to be allergic to. But as far as forbidding people to bring them to school, that does seem a bit over the top. I mean this person can't eleminate bananas from every place they go into. They must manage it when they are away from work.

WHAT? I dont get it,, are they going to stop ppl from carrying other things that others maybe allergic to pretty soon no one could bring any food items;-(   so did the person eat the banana knowing they were allergic or do thet just not want to see them period??

You would think by now they have some kind of anti-bannana tablet this person could get ahold of adn take...... Hi there Micheal..Jason...good to see you both!

Hi Guys!   hey shirley happy Birthday for last week lol, sorry i missed you!

So because of an allergy, school kids cant have the benefits of bananas? The kids have to miss out on one of their five fruits and veg. I had the silly idea that we were for the many not just an individual. The teacher could always get another job. I dont like Tomatoes, so please no mention of them on here, they make me sick. Am I being a bit OTT?

Edited by: Peter Evans at:16th June 2009 00:27

Not at all Peter, and I will respect your wishes never to mention T******* to you. Does that mean you do not like t****** sauce as well?