Who thought this was a good idea? Hazing a peanut allergic girl with peanut butter? Apparently, a group of high school cheerleaders in Utah took their newest team members to a park to celebrate. Instead, the plan was to haze the new girls by blindfolding them, having them do push-ups, sit-ups and then spraying them with condiments including peanut butter-in front of an audience. This brings up more issues than the traditional dangers of hazing-including a criminal investigation.
Thankfully, the peanut allergic girl only experienced a reaction she was able to recover from, but this incident had an extremely dangerous potential. The nine senior cheerleaders involved were suspended. My friend’s son is air-borne allergic to peanut, this little stunt would have killed him. Clearly, this is not amusing.
Where does the real problem lay? In the hazing or the lack of information regarding their peanut nut allergic cheer team-mate??
Here are a few of the articles for you to read yourself about the peanut butter hazing:
US News Police: High school cheerleaders suspended for hazing incident in Utah
Fox News: Cheerleaders suspended after allegedly covering girl with allergy in peanut butter
Although, in all fairness to the cheerleaders, I have some questions:
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- Were the cheerleaders educated regarding what are food allergies and how to manage them?
- Did the cheerleaders understand that some food allergies are potentially fatal?
- Were the cheerleaders informed of their new recruit’s peanut allergy?
Also, I feel we need explore the new recruit’s role as well:
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- Did the peanut allergic cheerleader share with her new team mates information about her peanut allergy?
- Did she educate them on how to identify and respond to an allergic reaction?
- Was peanut allergic cheerleader carrying her epinephrine?
- When she was blind folded did it cross her mind that food might be involved? Did she have the opportunity to stop the hazing?
As the mother of a teenager, the topic of self advocating is heavy on my mind. In a perfect world, all teenagers would be confident, take no crap kids who are never embarrassed or feel awkward. The reality is that few teenagers trying to figure out who they are and how they fit in truly wants to shout out that they have life threatening food allergies and that a simple teeny tiny sesame seed or peanut is equal to a bullet and can you not eat one when I am around. It takes courage and vulnerability to meet a new group of students (let alone seniors when you are a freshman) and gather them around to hear your specific health needs.
I can’t help but wonder if the peanut allergic cheerleader shared with her soon to be cheer team mates that she had a peanut allergy. If she did, was the severity of the food allergy conveyed in terms that teenagers could understand and rally behind?
Did these nine cheerleaders really understand that what they were doing was criminal and would quickly set off a police investigation?
I honestly believe that we need to give some deeper thought on how education and information could have changed the outcome of this event? At least once a year I receive a gift contains peanuts or tree nuts in it. Now, my son has had a peanut and tree nut food allergy for the last 11 years. The gifts arrive from well-meaning friends. When this happens, I never get upset with my friends, but wonder what am I NOT doing to educate them or help them understand my family’s health needs. Some folks will never get it, so I don’t waste my time worrying or spending time with them. I try to think of new ways to effectively educate the folks in my world. Sometimes I tell them straight out that I enjoyed receiving their gift, but I donated it our local fire station to keep my kids safe and to follow my “no nuts on my property policy”. Other times, I work harder on educating them on managing food allergic friends.
I truly believe this incident will bring about positive education and the criminal nature of hazing and using peanut butter on a peanut allergic person will come to light and possible stop others from find this “a good idea”.
Do you feel a criminal investigation of the peanut butter hazing of the peanut butter allergic cheer leaders is called for?
Do you feel the nine cheer leaders should be charged (the victims parents do not want charges brought forth, but the local police are clear; that is not their choice)?
Please share your thoughts with the rest of us!
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One of the hardest things I find about managing both life threatening food allergies and asthma is talking to others. I hate to be the one that might be perceived as demanding, pushing or for asking too much. What I now know, fourteen years later, is that honest, clear information presented with kindness works!..
They absolutely should be charged. If they had used a gun or some other weapon there would be no debate. Peanut butter is as dangerous to her as a gun pointed to the head! And until the rest of the world “gets it” events like this will continue to take place.
I’m incredibly curious to know if the peanut allergic cheerleader shared her food allergy with her new cheerleading team mates.