My grandson is allergic to nuts; violently allergic as it turns out and that necessitates being very careful when he’s around. When he comes to visit, everything with which he might come in contact must be sanitized before he arrives in case it came in contact with someone who had eaten a peanut butter sandwich for example. It is a serious allergy but a minor inconvenience for the delight of having him visit.
My grandson’s allergy has made me aware of the need for caution in places like schools and I don’t criticize schools for being careful and even banning peanut butter where there is a possibility of a child going into anaphylactic shock. It can be terminal.
Where I draw the line, however, is when the politically correct step in and decide something like a peanut butter and jam sandwich is a subtle example of white racism in language.
And that is exactly what they did in Portland, Oregon.
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White privilege? It's a statement that takes my breath away. Only a politically correct mind, uncluttered by any semblance of rational thought would think to characterize something that was developed by an Afro-American as a symbol of white privilege. It's stupidity on a scale that threatens to make your head explode.
The idea that the children of some immigrant families to the United States might not eat peanut butter and jam sandwiches, or even sandwiches for that matter, is hardly a racial issue. It’s a simple cultural difference. The problem with wingnuts like these educators (and I use that term loosely) is that they never look beyond their own sanctimonious bias at the bigger picture. They're in too big a hurry to demonstrate their sensitivity and moral superiority.
They have way too much time on their hands!
They have way too much time on their hands!
What’s next, Kraft Dinner? This lunacy ranks right up there with those who accuse as racist, anyone who has the temerity to question President Obama's record before deciding whether or not to vote for him. There is no room for common sense when it comes to accusations of racism these days.
I don’t know what’s happening to education but it is overrun by idiots who shouldn’t be allowed to make decisions, carry scissors while they walk from one classroom to the next lest they hurt themselves and definitely not be allowed to come anywhere near our children.
What I really don't understand is why we continue to allow it to happen.
What I really don't understand is why we continue to allow it to happen.
When they’re not marching in Canadian and American streets demanding outrageous salary increases (but only for the benefit of the children of course), teachers, and the education departments for which they work, are hard at work, developing the most bizarre and contradictory policies and programs possible.
Some schools in Canada have banned Halloween while others have changed the name to Black and Orange Day. Some have banned costumers at Halloween while others have decreed that students can dress up but must wear costumes related to public service or public safety occupations. So much for the true spirit and heritage of Halloween.
Most schools in both countries now ban Christmas concerts, Christmas trees, Christmas cards, even the mention of Christmas although both Christians and non-Christians alike still actually know that the holiday is called Christmas.
In New York City, the Department of Education has banned words like dinosaur, dancing, evolution, divorce and, my particular favourite, bodily functions. Now there was a phrase that was threatening the fabric of society.
In Texas, the State Board of Education has decided to place Senator Joe McCarthy, a man who made witch hunts more than just fashionable, in a more favourable historical light while downplaying the contribution of people like Senator Ted Kennedy. Clearly there is no political bias there, only the best interests of students are being considered.
It is an animal show of stupidity by stupid people and it knows no national borders. It is spreading as easily as peanut butter on a piece of white bread (another symbol of white privilege and racism no doubt).
The educational system seeks to protect children from words like dinosaur but introduce them to adult concepts like sexual knowledge before they’ve learned tie their shoes, or for that matter, discovered the joys of puberty.
In this 21st Century, one would have thought that the ability to think would have been a criterion for teaching and administrating education, or at the very least, there would be a requirement for a modicum of common sense. Apparently not! No idea is too outrageous it seems. In fact, it appears that only the outrageous is even being considered.
Fortunately, the morally superior educators in Portland have overlooked peanut butter cookies and Reeses Pieces.....for now (apparently they aren't racist) but they should be warned. I have drawn a line in the sand. I've had enough of this absurd nonsense and I am prepared to rally the troops and go to the barricades if they try to ban Kraft Dinner.
As for Ben, we’re concerned about his allergy to all nuts when he starts attending school full-time. I appreciate that there are still some good and committed teachers out there (pray God) but considering the growing number of nuts at the front of the classroom these days, Ben's health may be in serious jeopardy.
There is already no doubt that his education will be.
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Home education has never looked better.
ReplyDeleteI don't disagree but I think that instead of being run out of our schools by the political correct and the tragically stupid, we should take back our schools and run them out of town. They do work for us after all.
DeleteExamples such as this should serve as a litmus test for weeding out incompetent educators!
ReplyDeleteThe problem with that, of course, is that the people doing the weeding out are not much better. What we need is a major injection of common sense. Perhaps instead of flouride, we should be putting commons sense into tap water and make everyone drink 8 glasses a day.
DeletePriscilla is on point. Home education never looked better. At least our children wouldn't have to put up with the nanny state and the pc police.
ReplyDeletePersonally I love peanut butter. I always have at least two jars in the cupboard. My grandson loves it but his best friend is alergic to nuts so I find that I must be extra vigilant as to when I allow him a pbj sandwich.
Oh we use multi-grain or whole wheat but not because of pc. My grandson's parents are vegans.
I agree with you and I love peanut butter too. Quite frankly, if we have to pick something to be intolerant about, I don't see why we couldn't have gone for something like asparagus. I hate asparagus.
DeleteI must confess I too love peanut butter, the best grilled cheese sandwich is crunchy peanut butter topped with sweet onions, sliced very thin and very sharp old cheddar.
ReplyDeleteTry It!
Grill it till it's golden, enjoy.
Now to be culturally sensitive Ramen noodles throw away the flavor pack, boil for 3 minutes.
Top with a blend of peanut butter,1 tsp soy sauce, 1 tsp Thai hot sauce and a chopped green onion a dash of sesame oil is good also.
As for the teachers here on Vancouver Island in Parksville they were out picketing for a 15 % over three years for the kids?
Starting wage over 50 k , maximum 155 five and a half hour days a year.
I asked one "You are kidding right"? He got all red in the face and walked away.
They have forgotten who they work for.
The bill to make Union Dues optional is a very good one.
I do know some teachers, they dare not voice contrary opinions in the staff room.
I want to stress I have been a Union member most of my life PPWC and a proud Boilermaker, damn straight.
My boss has to make money!
I have two grandkids, twins, boy and a girl.
We have some interesting conversations.
I tell them straight then give them references to check with google and ask them to draw their own conclusions.
Thank you Bear for providing a forum for this discussion.
Cheers Bubba Brown
I love peanut butter too. I just don't eat it when my grandson is around. I agree with most of what you wrote and am going to try a couple of your recipes. I'm always up for a new food idea.
DeleteFor what it's worth my daughter and step-daughter think I'm a fascist but they still are very nice to me as long as we don't talk politics.
In fact one of them got so upset about something the other day she sent me an email and said I should write something about the issue. That was a first. :-)
Our government has so much money pouring into education now and every year they want more and more. FOR THE CHILDREN...yeah, right. It's so frustrating when every political idiot out there is using this education crap as some kind of weapon against parents. "If you don't vote for me, the other guy is going to destroy your children's future by cutting off all funds to that hallowed system where teachers can't be fired for incompetence and kids still can't read and write...but they do know that the white man is evil because he eats peanut butter and jelly religiously and religion is bad."
ReplyDeleteMy kids are out of school now but this stupidity has been going on for a long time. It's been said that our free society would be destroyed by indoctrination through it's education system. Sadly, we're well on our way.
The entire public sector, of which education is only one part, is totally out of touch with reality. It has come to a breaking point both financially and in terms of policy. People are fed up and hopefully, with a little nudge from people like me, they'll stop fighting over which politician to support and unite to fight the politically correct stupidity which is undermining our society.
Delete"White privilege" - buffalo bagels. George Carver Washington developed peanut butter as a cheap and wholesome protein source. I know we used it as such with our children.
ReplyDeleteSorry your grandson is seriously allergic. That's rough. But reality is he'll have to learn how to deal with the world as it is. A colleague of my husband died after eating a doughnut cooked in peanut oil. Ironically, she would have been okay had she gone to hospital, but chose to go home first and collapsed en route. I applaud your caution, but hope you're also teaching him how to cope in an indifferent world.
He is a rough and tumble little guy. There is always an epipen nearby wherever he is. He is aware that there are some thing he can't have and doesn't make a fuss about it. The only real danger is that, like others with the severest form of his allergy, he can have a violent reaction without coming in direct contact with nuts. If someone has a peanut butter sandwich and touches a doornob that he touches later....he will react. It's tough but you're right, it's how the world is and all you can do is be careful and educate him.
DeleteYes peanuts was Washington Carvers specialties. It's funny that they say it's whites privileged. We did peanut butter sandwiches because we didn't have much and it was cheap when I was growing up. I remember them getting rid of Huckleberry Finn. These people have no common sense.
ReplyDeleteI feel for you child and what he is missing. I have other kinds of allergies so I know how it is.
Don't feel sorry for Ben, he doesn't miss what he's never had and there are still lots of things he can dive into including Smarties and specific brands of ice cream. It's all good as far as Ben is concerned.
DeleteThe idea that common types of food are subtle forms of racism is an idea so bereft of common sense that it is astounding that it didn't get laughed out of the discussion group when it was first raised. The fact that educators wouldn't realize that peanut butter was developed by an Afro-American simply betrays both their ignorance and their stupidity.
These are the same kind of people who move to ban books like Huckleberry Finn which presents life as it really was at a certain time in history or Lord of the Flies which is banned in many schools for its use of the 'N' word. These are people who miss the point of that great novel. It's whole point was how easily a society could degenerate into barbarity and racism without rules and decency.
I have no use for this mindless political correctness pandering masquerading as racial sensitivity. It is stupidity that obscures their own racist bigotry.