What's a school's role in providing a gluten-free prize at a school sponsored event?

[GlutenbusterMama]

Hi! I just wanted to get some thoughts on a situation I'm currently dealing with at my son's school. They held a school sponsored event (after school) and they advertised that the prize for attending would be a soft pretzel. When I emailed the school to ask if there would be an alternative provided for my celiac son, I was informed it would be my responsibility to bring in a prize and they would give it to him. When I pushed the issue, feeling it was an unfair request, I was given a statement that it would be impossible to provide a substitute for everyone's nutritional and religious exceptions. Am I asking too much for the school to provide an alternative? They had a list of things that he could have as well as a non food prize. I realize I could have opted not to have my son attend, but I don't think that's fair to him either. For the past two weeks they've been getting everyone excited by announcing this event on the morning announcements and decorating the school. Where do I go from here? Do I push further and talk to administration?

[Wheatwacked]

How old is he? I would opt for the non food prize. Sometimes you have to pick the battles you can win and I get the impression this event is immenent and pretty much written in stone. Perhaps you can influence future events to be less gluten centric.  Most importantly, your son is going to be in this kind of situation, so it is important for him to understand that avoiding gluten for him is just like the friend who is allergic to bees or peanuts, so he'll continue to make the right choice on his own.

Welcome to the forum. There may be some guidence in this book.

 

[trents]

I think the school's response is realistic and appropriate. We can't expect the world to bend around our needs as those with celiac disease/NCGS when we are such a minority of the population.

[GlutenbusterMama]

28 minutes ago, Wheatwacked said:

How old is he? I would opt for the non food prize. Sometimes you have to pick the battles you can win and I get the impression this event is immenent and pretty much written in stone. Perhaps you can influence future events to be less gluten centric.  Most importantly, your son is going to be in this kind of situation, so it is important for him to understand that avoiding gluten for him is just like the friend who is allergic to bees or peanuts, so he'll continue to make the right choice on his own.

Welcome to the forum. There may be some guidence in this book.

 

Thank you for your reply! He's 10. I was the one who provided a list of what he could have including a non food prize. They were the ones unwilling to bend on providing anything other than the pretzel unless I brought it in for them. 

[Wheatwacked]

That was a rough time for me. Cliques were starting to form that carried on through high school.

[Scott Adams]

Given how many kids have various food allergies, gluten sensitivity, etc., perhaps recommend to the school to stop offering food prizes, and instead offer something else, like a book, pencil, gift card, magazine subscription, etc.

[patty-maguire]

I take the approach that I don’t expect anything of anyone. I ask if my needs can be accommodated.. if so great.  If not I take care of myself. It’s no one else’s responsibility. Perhaps suggest to the school that with all the different dietary needs that they are correct, they can’t accommodate them all so maybe they shouldn’t offer food as a prize. If there is a non food prize go for that. 

[LoSmith]

I am not an ADA expert, but I believe they ARE required to offer a gluten-free alternative. People need to push harder for accommodations from schools and other public services. They ban peanuts from school, they need to respond accordingly for all. Parents have to be the voice for the child. When you speak for your own child, you are also speaking for all Celiac children. 

[Sevans10]

I am a school nurse (Pre-k-8th grade) and a parent of a child diagnosed with celiac disease in 4th grade (6 years ago).  I have gone through this battle many times.  When my daughter was a student here, there were strangely 7 kids with celiac disease out of 500.  (4 in her grade of 50 kids...which is odd...but seemed to help my case). 

In 2009 revision of the ADA (Americans with Disability Act) Celiac Disease was listed as a disability based on any medical diagnosis affecting a major bodily function that "substantially limits activity".  Remember this for college application time!  What this means is that technically the school is required to accommodate your child's needs.  In reality, parents typically choose to bring in their own food, because the celiac disease gluten free diet is so difficulty to master, and it's just easier.  BUT when it comes to school wide or class wide-school sponsored events (PTO sponsored or otherwise) I do ask for that extra gluten-free pizza for our gluten-free kids.  

It's been a long and slow battle but we've come a long way.  Back in the day for the father daughter dance, I used to bring in a few different options of finger foods, and a few different options for desserts for my daughter and the other gluten-free kids, which felt ridiculous to me.  I'm paying for a dance ticket and preparing essentially 4 plates of food in addition.  Now the school always has gluten-free options.  

It's up to you how you want to proceed, which battles you want to face, but I encourage you to pick one battle that seems reasonable and start the awareness towards accommodations for kids with Celiac Disease.  It has to start somewhere and it may as well start with you. 

 

[trents]

1 hour ago, Sevans10 said:

I am a school nurse (Pre-k-8th grade) and a parent of a child diagnosed with celiac disease in 4th grade (6 years ago).  I have gone through this battle many times.  When my daughter was a student here, there were strangely 7 kids with celiac disease out of 500.  (4 in her grade of 50 kids...which is odd...but seemed to help my case). 

In 2009 revision of the ADA (Americans with Disability Act) Celiac Disease was listed as a disability based on any medical diagnosis affecting a major bodily function that "substantially limits activity".  Remember this for college application time!  What this means is that technically the school is required to accommodate your child's needs.  In reality, parents typically choose to bring in their own food, because the celiac disease gluten free diet is so difficulty to master, and it's just easier.  BUT when it comes to school wide or class wide-school sponsored events (PTO sponsored or otherwise) I do ask for that extra gluten-free pizza for our gluten-free kids.  

It's been a long and slow battle but we've come a long way.  Back in the day for the father daughter dance, I used to bring in a few different options of finger foods, and a few different options for desserts for my daughter and the other gluten-free kids, which felt ridiculous to me.  I'm paying for a dance ticket and preparing essentially 4 plates of food in addition.  Now the school always has gluten-free options.  

It's up to you how you want to proceed, which battles you want to face, but I encourage you to pick one battle that seems reasonable and start the awareness towards accommodations for kids with Celiac Disease.  It has to start somewhere and it may as well start with you. 

 

Good information, Sevans10. I had no idea that celiac disease qualified as disability. That might come in handy in a number of other scenarios besides school settings. I've always wondered what provision would be made to accommodate a celiac who, for instance, was incarcerated. Thanks for posting!

Edited March 8, 2023 by trents

[imdoodah331]

I think it never hurts to ask what accommodations the schools might have or make in these circumstances, but ulitmately as a parent I would be prepared to take the responsibility for my child's well-being as my own.  I find that many people still don't really understand Celiac or Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity/Intolerance.  Most people I encounter (I'm NCGI) think being gluten free is a diet choice I'm making.  Most also really don't understand about cross contamination.  However, when I give a brief but clear explanation, those people are generally very responsive in a positive way and then kind of naturally want to be helpful.  Perhaps talking to the school nurse and school counselor/your child's teacher(s) at the beginning of a school year would be helpful.  Having an ally in the school can get you a long way.  Offer ways to be part of the solution rather than just expect or demand accommodation.  Offer to be a classroom presenter for special topics, or at a PTA meeting/Board meeting.  There are a lot of ways to gain support and awareness and ultimately affect change.

[Sevans10]

On 3/8/2023 at 11:39 AM, trents said:

Good information, Sevans10. I had no idea that celiac disease qualified as disability. That might come in handy in a number of other scenarios besides school settings. I've always wondered what provision would be made to accommodate a celiac who, for instance, was incarcerated. Thanks for posting!

Trents: In November 2020 a man imprisoned did file a lawsuit against Clark County Jail in Vancouver, Washington for refusing to give him a gluten free diet despite providing medical records to show he was in fact diagnosed with Celiac Disease.  He lost more than 10% of his body weight while in prison.  Children need to have a 504 plan in place for medical accommodations at most schools, but again, usually parents would rather provide their own lunches etc due to the complexity of the diet. Public schools are obligated to provide those accommodations with the 504 plan in place.  

 

[Rakdan]

To me, the answer is obvious.

On the one hand, the school is right that they cannot possibly accommodate every allergy and religious requirement.

On the other hand, I believe that they have a responsibility to conform to the ADA.

The obvious solution, already mentioned by others, is to have a non-food prize.

 

Now, comes the less obvious part of my answer.

I think that the school should provide the same non-food prize for everyone, unless they choose instead to provide different food prizes to every student with special needs. It is unfair for one child to have to watch everyone else eating while they cannot. Given that it is difficult, even for adults, to watch others eat while they have nothing to eat, I do not think giving individual students non-food prizes would satisfy the requirements of the ADA.

[Scott Adams]

FYI: We thought that the topic of this thread was worth doing an article on:

 

[trents]

On 3/16/2023 at 8:13 AM, Sevans10 said:

Trents: In November 2020 a man imprisoned did file a lawsuit against Clark County Jail in Vancouver, Washington for refusing to give him a gluten free diet despite providing medical records to show he was in fact diagnosed with Celiac Disease.  He lost more than 10% of his body weight while in prison.  Children need to have a 504 plan in place for medical accommodations at most schools, but again, usually parents would rather provide their own lunches etc due to the complexity of the diet. Public schools are obligated to provide those accommodations with the 504 plan in place.  

 

What is a 504 plan?

Edited May 31 by trents

[Scott Adams]

A 504 Plan is a formal plan developed in U.S. schools to provide accommodations and support to students with disabilities, ensuring they have equal access to education. It is named after Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, a civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in programs that receive federal funding.

[Paula McVicker]

Glutenbustermama,

What a dilemma even in today's supposedly informed society.

I would take the stance that all rewards should be non food based.

After all aren't they just leading their children into a world of obesity whereby they're teaching them food will & must be their reward for everything in life!!!

What kind of lesson is that to be teaching children in this day & age!!

Healthy options should always be available to our children regardless of their dietary needs, eg, fruit. To educate them that the only food related reward is a Pretzel then you are teaching them to rely on that food type only & ignoring an opportunity to instill in them a basic nutritious lesson, and better reward systems.

If the school refuses to acknowledge their role in this & continues with gluten rewards then I personally would make the biggest, tastiest treats for my child, & make all the other kids jealous, (& their parents envious) 😆 

Turn it on it's head & see what happens. Quite possibly you'll be expected to stop "showing them up" 😁 

Enjoy spilling that apple cart, but do it gently & demurely as only a Lady Mama bear can.

You know what to do!! 😜 

You've got this - it's all in the planning 😆