“Brentson’s Story” October 27, 2005 and the Attempt on His Life!

This is another example of why I was so determined to get legislation put in place to protect children with an anaphylactic reactions due to food allergies, this is where “Brentson’s Law” will come in hand. However, I am still going to fight, with a friend of mine in Pennsylvania, “Lara” to make sure there will be severe consequences for people who knowingly cause, try to induce or induce anaphylaxis in anyone! This is Brentson’s Story on October 27, 2005 the night the Principal made an attempt on his life and the other 5 children that attend that school too!

Taylor Stratton Elementary had a “Family Night Meeting” on Thursday, 10/27/05. Mr. Mitchell coordinated this event that included a hot dog dinner, Halloween treat bags for the children, and door prizes. Brentson and I didn’t make it to the meeting Thursday night at Stratton due to the way Mr. Mitchell, the Principal, and Assistant Principal handled this event. Brentson brought home a letter telling about this event on Friday, 10/21/05. I was concerned over the Halloween treat bags that were to be given out to the children due to Brentson’s peanut allergy. I spoke with Mr. Mitchell on Monday, 10/24/05 and advised him about Brentson and the other children at Stratton that have peanut allergies. (Mr. Mitchell just started working part-time at Stratton a few weeks ago.) He told me that since they did not request that parents bring candy without peanuts or peanut butter products in them, (even though Stratton is supposed to be “peanut free”), Mr. Mitchell said they would just give out the candy at the end of the program. Also, Mr. Mitchell said that Brentson and I could get him a sack of candy and leave before they started the door prizes. This still concerned me greatly, and I advised him of this. He said that they would tell the children not to open the candy until they got home. I advised Mr. Mitchell that telling a child not to open and eat candy is like telling a child not to open a present at Christmas. It isn’t going to work! Therefore, I spoke with the Assistant Principal, on Monday, 10/24/05 also. I advised her that Brentson and I would not be coming to the meeting on Thursday due to the fact they would more than likely have some candy with peanuts or peanut butter in it, and it would not be a safe environment for Brentson. I advised the Assistant Principal that the other parents of children with the peanut allergies need to be aware that there will possibly be candy at Stratton with some form of peanut butter product in it. Therefore, it wouldn’t be safe for their child either. The Assistant Principal assured me that they had already talked about this and that they would remove any candy with peanuts, peanut butter or anything that possibly could have been crossed contaminated with peanuts. Brentson wanted to go Thursday night, but we were running late. I received a call as we were about to walk out the door at 6:20 p.m. that they were handing out candy with peanuts and peanut butter products in them. Snickers and Peanut M & M’s, Reese’s, etc. I called the Assistant Principal on Friday morning, 10/28/05 and asked her what happened on Thursday night. She had told me that any candy with peanuts or peanut butter would be removed and not handed out. Mr. Mitchell said that it wouldn’t be handed out until the end of the meeting right before everyone left. Neither one of those things happened! The Assistant Principal said that the Principal of Stratton and Mr. Mitchell decided to give the children their candy with their hot dog. The Assistant Principal said that she didn’t see anyone eating candy. The parent that called me Thursday night advised there were adults and children eating candy. This was verified by more than one adult. I told the Assistant Principal that I didn’t have a problem not bringing Brentson–that isn’t the issue. However, I do have a problem with her and Mr. Mitchell telling me that they were going to handle it one way and then not doing what they said they were going to do. They compromised my child’s life by not doing what they said and at the very least I should have gotten a phone call after they changed their plans. If they were going to give out candy early and if they were going to give out candy with peanuts and peanut butter products that is fine, but don’t tell me one thing and do another! The Assistant Principal assured me that she was not going to let any of this candy be handed out and that I should bring Brentson. They are playing with my child’s life and they are acting like it’s no big deal! Well it is a big deal, a very big deal and you don’t play with a child’s life like that! If you invited a child to a school function and he/she was in a wheelchair and the parent comes to you tells you her concerns. You assure this parent that everything will be safe for her child to come to this school function. However, when they (mother and child) arrived at the event, the Principal has taken down the wheelchair ramp. The Principal didn’t bother to call to tell this parent that the wheelchair ramp was removed. This is called DISCRIMINATION!

Brentson and some other children that attend Taylor Stratton Elementary have a severe anaphylactic reaction to peanuts. The Principal and all of the staff know this because Brentson almost died at Taylor Stratton Elementary on 09/12/05, due to an anaphylactic reaction by him unknowingly coming into contact with peanuts or peanut butter in music class. I went to the Assistant Principal and the person over the event and advise them of my concerns. I was assured by both of them that it would be safe for my child at this school function and I should bring him. However, they decided not to do what they said to make it a safe environment for my child or the other children with anaphylactic reactions to peanuts to attend this school function. They don’t bother to call and advise me of the changed plans. Therefore, not showing any RESPECT for my child or the other children’s lives with anaphylactic reactions to peanuts! The USDA clearly states that a food allergy that results in an anaphylactic reaction is a “disability.” Therefore, they would have to accommodate Brentson and the other children with deadly food allergies. What they did on Thursday night, 10/27/05 was DISCRIMINATION! 

The Principal at Taylor Stratton Elementary knew that her actions on 10/27/05 could have hurt or killed Brentson and the other 5 children that attend Taylor Stratton with anaphylaxis allergies to peanuts, peanut butter, and nuts. What she did that night is called “ATTEMPTED VOLUNTARY MANSLAUGHTER!” 

This is where “Lara’s Law” will come into effect to hold people accountable for knowingly putting other people with anaphylaxis food allergies in harms way by knowingly inducing or trying to induce anaphylaxis!

Sincerely,

Laura & Brentson Duke

This message is intended for where the writer posted it. Any distribution of this message in any way is prohibited without the written consent of Laura Duke. I reserve the right to pursue all legal means at my disposal to enforce my son’s and my privacy!

“Brentson’s Story” September 12, 2005 The Day We Will Never Forget!

My son, Brentson Duke attends Taylor Stratton Elementary and is in the 4^th grade. Over the summer Brentson developed a severe allergic reaction to peanuts and peanut butter. His throat started to close up on him and he couldn’t breathe. At the beginning of the school year everyone was advised about Brentson’s allergy to peanuts and peanut butter products. Mrs. Tina in the Cafeteria, Nurse Cathy and Nurse Clare, F.N.P., and Brentson’s homeroom teacher, Mrs. Greene. On September 12, 2005 he went to school like every other day. However, when his class went to music that morning, Brent started having a severe headache. Brent thought he was just getting a headache, but actually he was starting to have an allergic anaphylactic reaction to something he unknowingly came in contact with in music. The music teacher advised Brent that he could put his head down, because he felt too bad to walk directly across the hall to the School Health Clinic. When he put his head down his throat started close up. (Evidently there was some peanut butter or peanut butter product on the desk or in the air in the music room.) When he was finally able to lift his head and looked up a little while later, the entire class had left music and he was the only person in the room. He walked out of the room and found the music teacher. The music teacher took Brentson to his homeroom teacher, who was still in the hall escorting her students back to the classroom. When Brentson’s teacher Mrs. Greene saw his face she immediately knew something was terribly wrong, and took him straight to the clinic. The School Nurse Cathy immediately thought Brentson was having an allergic reaction. Nurse Cathy asked Brent if “he had eaten anything with peanuts or peanut butter?” He advised, “NO”. I received a call around 10:30 a.m. on Monday 09/12/2005 from Nurse Cathy at the School Health Clinic. Nurse Cathy advised, that she thought Brentson might be having an “allergic reaction”. However, he had a severe headache and she wasn’t 100% certain. I told her that I was on my way to the school right then. When I arrived, Brentson looked bad! He told me he felt like his throat was closing up, like it did when he ate the peanut butter and had to go to the Emergency Room. I signed him out of school and called his pediatricians office immediately and told them I was bringing Brentson into the office. My son lost consciousness on the way to the doctor due to the loss of oxygen he was receiving due to the severe allergic reaction he had at school.After the doctors released Brentson, I contacted Nurse Cathy to advise her that Brent was having a severe allergic reaction and that he went into anaphylactic shock and almost died. I told her what the doctor stated that people with allergies to peanuts and peanut butter products can just breathe the smell of any peanut or peanut butter products and have an anaphylactic reaction.On that same day, Monday 09/12/2005 I tried to contact the principal of Taylor Stratton Elementary, but she was unavailable to speak with me. Therefore, I spoke to the Guidance Counselor at Taylor Stratton Elementary. I advised her of the situation and that I desperately needed her help, that my child almost died from being exposed to some form of peanuts or peanut butter products at school. Mrs. Sullivan advised that she would have to get back with me, due to she did not know how they would deal with this issue. I waited, waited and wait… I did not receive a call from the Principal or the Guidance Councilor. Therefore, on Thursday September 15, 2005 I wrote and then faxed them both a letter expressing my concerns and some suggestions. I still heard nothing… On Friday, September 16, 2005 I went to the school to pick up some more of my son’s assignments, and asked to speak to the Principal. When I did have a chance to speak to the Principal she stated, she did receive my letter, however, they could not restrict peanuts and peanut butter products from the school just because one child has an allergic reaction. I advised her that it was a severe anaphylactic reaction and he could have died! I advised her that if they cannot restrict it from the entire school, then I would like to have it restricted from his classroom. Nurse Sullivan, F.N.P. had drafted a letter with help from someone at the Metro School Board, requesting the children in Brentson’s classroom try not to bring peanuts or peanut butter products due to a child is severe allergy to them and it is life threatening. Nurse Clare, F.N.P. gave the letter to the Principal to ask her to approve it to be sent out to Brentson’s classmates. However, the Principal stated that she contacted the School Board Lawyers and they advised her that they cannot ask the parents not to send peanut butter or peanut butter products because one child has a severe allergic reaction. Mrs. Hayes stated that they would have complaints. So, I guess the Metro Nashville Board of Education and this Principal would rather have a dead child than a complaint…? I advised this Principal that I will not allow her or the

Metro Nashville
School Board to play “RUSSIAN ROULETTE” with my child. The Principal said, “he can eat in the clinic”. It wouldn’t matter because he would still be around children who could have eaten it at lunch or at break time.

The Metro School Board banned “hand sanitize” because “one child” had an allergic reaction. NOT A SEVERE ANAPHYLACTIC REACTION, JUST A REACTION. But my child almost dies, and MNPS and this Principal will not let a letter be sent out “requesting” that they not pack peanut butter products for their children due to this because there might be complaints! This infuriated me and I contacted the

Metro
School Board and the Media. Only after Brentson and I did a story with News Channel 2, with Heather Orne was anything done about this matter. Then this Principal agreed to send out letters to the children and parents requesting that they not pack peanut butter or peanut butter products. The school had educational classes to inform the teachers and children about deadly food allergies. Through my research with the School Nursing Program I have found out that there are a lot of children in Stratton and other Metro Nashville schools with peanut and other food allergies that are deadly, anaphylactic allergies. There wasn’t anything in place to protect children with anaphylaxis food allergies in the state of Tennessee. However, now there is “Brentson’s Law.” To help protect all children with all anaphylaxis food allergies through out the state.

Sincerely,

Laura & Brentson Duke

This message is intended for where the writer posted it. Any distribution of this message in any way is prohibited without the written consent of Laura Duke. I reserve the right to pursue all legal means at my disposal to enforce my son’s and my privacy!

Non-Foods Not Having Allergy Warnings On Them…?

I received an email from another Mother who has a child with a peanut allergy. This parent was telling me about Aquafresh Kids Toothpaste having trace amounts of peanuts in it. What alarmed me the most is what she told me next. That GlaxoSmithKline does not have to put any kind of “ALLERGY WARNING” on any product that isn’t food…? I called GlaxoSmithKline this morning, Thursday 08/03/2006 and advised them of my concerns regarding the allegation of Aquafresh Kids Toothpaste being contaminated with some form of peanut or nut oil and this product not being properly labeled with an “Allergy Warning!” I was told that GlaxoSmithKline has received numerous phone calls regarding this issue and I was told that they tested all of the Aquafresh Toothpaste products and everything came out fine and did not show any trace amounts or contamination from peanuts. However, the lady I spoke with couldn’t give me a positive answer that the Aquafresh Kids Toothpaste wasn’t contaminated with some form of nuts and she told me that they aren’t promising that Aquafresh Kids is Peanut FREE either. This is scary and if there is a chance that a product could be contaminated with peanuts, nuts or other known allergens it should have an “ALLERGY WARNING” label! There should not be any exceptions for any companies regardless if the product is food or not!  Companies should want to label their product especially if it could make someone extremely sick or kill them…?  Brentson and I both are allergic to peanuts and nuts! What concerned me the most is that these companies aren’t regulated to put an “Allergy Warning” label on their products due to these products are not food. There has got to be something done to make all companies put ”Allergy Warning” labels on all products that might contain any and all known allergens. Regardless if the product is shampoo, toothpaste, mouthwash, hair spray, make-up, eye liner, lotion, etc. The key to living with a severe anaphylaxis allergy is strict avoidance, but if these companies are not informing the consumers that their product could contain known allergens someone may die. There has got to be legislation preposed to inform and protect everyone who is having to live with severe anaphylaxis food allergies about products that are non-foods too!

Sincerely,

Laura & Brentson Duke

This message is intended for where the writer posted it. Any distribution of this message in any way is prohibited without the written consent of Laura Duke. I reserve the right to pursue all legal means at my disposal to enforce my son’s and my privacy!