PACT — B.C. Parents Advocating for Legislation to Protect Anaphylactic Students

PACT is an organization of B.C. parents advocating for legislation to protect anaphylactic students.

There are 13,000 children in B.C. schools who are at risk of anaphylaxis, a severe systemic allergic reaction to a range of products such as peanuts and milk. The results of this reaction can prove fatal in its most severe instances.

Legislation to protect anaphylactic students is badly needed in British Columbia. It is a recognizable fact that kids with life-threatening allergies need adult support. Legislation would be a step in supporting kids where they spend several hours a day: in school.

Telephone, write, or send an email to Education Minister Shirley Bond, Premier Gordon Campbell, and your MLA (if you live in B.C.). Let them know you support legislation to protect B.C. students with life-threatening allergies.

Here is a sample e-mail. You are encouraged to write your own text, but you may copy and use this if desired.

To: shirley.bond.mla@leg.bc.ca
Cc: premier@gov.bc.ca
Cc: (Your MLA)
Subject: (Your own subject line)

Attention Ms Bond,

I am writing in support of legislation for the protection of anaphylactic students in B.C. schools.

There are 13,000 children in B.C. schools who are at risk of anaphylaxis, a severe systemic allergic reaction to a range of products such as peanuts and milk. The results of this reaction can prove fatal in its most severe instances.

Legislation would require every school board to establish and maintain an anaphylactic policy setting out risk reduction strategies, a communication plan, and a mandatory regular training program. Legislation would also require every school principal to maintain an individual plan for each anaphylactic student. We need a balanced approach in education, not restriction of any foods which could impeach on others' rights.

This disease requires co-operation from the greater community. Only education and awareness in the non-allergic community will generate a willingness to help create a safer environment, rather than ignore the concerns of others as they do not have reason to be aware of anaphylaxis.

I urge you to support legislation to protect kids with anaphylactic allergies. A death need not happen right in our schools for everyone to know that allergies threaten the lives of 13,000 children in B.C. every single day. There is no cure for life threatening allergies, but one life lost because of ignorance in our highly educated society is unacceptable.

Thank you for your attention in this serious matter. Please do the right thing and support legislation for kids with life-threatening allergies.

(Your name)

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September 13, 2007 — Here are various media responses to the ministerial order:

June 1, 2007 — As the Spring Session of the B.C. Legislature is now over, it is official that Bill M 210 Anaphylactic Student Protect Act has not passed its second reading and has died on the Order Papers.

While this is hugely disappointing, our parent group of Protect Allergic Children Today remains hopeful with what Liberal MLA Joan McIntyre said in the Legislature on May 28th.

"I'd like to reassure those listening to this debate today that this government is committed to having a provincial framework in place by this September at the start of school to support all schools across the province in ensuring that they have the best possible safety practices."

This promise for a provincially organized effort to unify the district policies is very positive, and one that we have not heard before Bill M 210 was presented. The decisions on how this will be determined will happen through an Anaphylactic Advisory Committee, which McIntyre refers to in the following:

"Let me reassure you — all listening today and all in this House — that the Ministry of Education takes this issue very seriously. It has established an anaphylaxis advisory committee to review the current practices and explore mechanisms to ensure a consistent approach across all districts and schools within the district.

"This committee is comprised of a wide variety of education partners. Let me name them. On the committee will be individual parents; parent advisory council reps; medical health officers; ministry officials; health authority officials; reps from associations such as the B.C. Medical Association, the Allergy/Asthma Information Association, Anaphylaxis Canada; and all the related education partners such as the B.C. school superintendents, the school trustees, the principals and vice-principals and of course the B.C. Teachers Federation."

PACT strongly believes that these stakeholders will recommend that the Liberal government should have legislation to protect students with life-threatening allergies.

Our parent group is determined to see that this legislation be presented and passed this fall session. By continuing to advocate through letters, phone calls, and petitions to our MLAs, the government will know this is an issue that won't go away. This need for legislation has support from parents, teachers, administrators, front-office staff, and health professionals and organizations because there is a clear need for concise and consistent anaphylaxis preparedness for the staff in our schools. Legislation to protect anaphylactic children is the way to get this message to everyone; it is simply the right thing to do.

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May 8, 2007 — PACT has added an online petition supporting Bill M 210. This will be presented to Hon. Shirley Bond and Hon. Gordon Campbell. (This has been closed.)

May 7, 2007 — PACT rallied at the B.C. Legislature to garner support for Bill M 210. Mike Shannon and Sara Shannon, parents of Sabrina Shannon, were in attendance.

March 28, 2007 — Legislation called M 210 Anaphylactic Student Protection Act was introduced by the British Columbia government's Opposition. This bill, based on one in Ontario (Sabrina's Law), will provide education, awareness, and built-in preventative measures that will support 13,000 kids who attend public schools in B.C. This legislation does not ask for a ban or restriction of any foods, which might impeach on others' rights. Read it for yourself.