Education
BY CHLOE YOUNG
Lake Travis ISD has updated its food allergy management plan for the first time in four years and launched initiatives to raise students’ awareness around food allergies. The efforts come after two Lake Travis High School students placed peanuts in the locker of a student with a peanut allergy in the fall—an incident the district determined was not bullying, a district official told Community Impact . Under the updated plan, every student with a severe food allergy will be referred for a 504 consideration, which provides protections for students with disabilities. Previously, nurses reviewed student information before making the determination, said Tasha Barker, LTISD assistant superintendent of organizational services. LTISD updates allergy plan
2023
How we got here
Nov. 15: Mannon speaks out at board of trustees meeting Nov. 16: District opens an investigation to determine if the incident was bullying Dec. 6: LTISD Police Department closes investigation without pressing charges Dec. 8: District closes investigation and rules the incident was not bullying Oct. 6: Mannon's son finds peanuts in his locker Oct. 17: LTISD Police Department opens an investigation Dec. 20: Mannon files a grievance with the district
LTISD parent Shawna Mannon said two of her son’s LTHS varsity football teammates placed peanuts in his locker and belongings after learning her son had a life-threatening peanut allergy. District officials said they could not legally share how the students were disciplined, but Mannon said she believed the students received minimal consequences from the football department. District investigations determined the incident didn’t warrant criminal charges and wasn’t legally “bullying” under state law, said Marco Alvarado, LTISD executive director of communications and community relations. After Mannon filed a grievance, the district granted her request to educate students on food allergies but denied reevaluating its disciplinary response, she said. Mannon said her son has since transferred to Leander ISD.
2024
Feb. 1: The Texas Education Agency concludes review of the district’s response, finds no wrongdoing Feb. 9: District responds to Mannon's grievance
Going forward
The district also made the following changes to the plan:
Elementary classes with students with severe food allergies will always eat lunch in the cafeteria, even on early release days. A food and nutrition services representative will now serve on a campus’ food allergy management team. Exceptions can no longer be made with principal approval to the district’s elementary school food allergy policy.
The district began showing a food allergy awareness video to secondary school students and is planning assemblies for elementary schools later this spring, Alvarado said. LTISD will post new food allergy awareness posters in campus cafeterias and information about the importance of hand washing at elementary schools, Barker said. Every classroom will also have a document for teachers detailing anaphylaxis signs before the end of this school year.
“I think the more staff we have trained to administer those EpiPens the better… Those moments of crisis are really scary, and that may just strengthen our ability to respond when those seconds matter.” LAUREN WHITE, PLACE 2 BOARD MEMBER
SOURCE: LAKE TRAVIS ISD/COMMUNITY IMPACT
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