Some Samohi Students Nutty For a Peanut Ban

Some classrooms are already peanut free.

Now, some students at Santa Monica High School are considering asking the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District Board of Education for an all-out ban at their school.

In its newest edition published Tuesday, the student newspaper reported that there's a petition calling for the ban being circulated by students who suffer from peanut allergies.

Increasingly common, especially among children, peanut allergies cause skin irritations, shortness of breath, and in some cases, anaphylaxis.

Leading the charge is senior Zach Canning, who told the Samohi, "I want to put a face on the peanut ban so that you know when you bring peanuts to school, you could be killing me."

The report was accompanied by a feature story in the arts and entertainment section chronicling the life of a student with severe peanut allergies. Johanna Turner was home schooled the second-half of her junior year after suffering allergic reactions on campus.

"I used to be alarmed at the crinkling noise of wrapping paper," Turner told the Samohi. "I was kind of afraid to leave my house because I knew that was the only place I could really be safe."

Now in her senior year, Turner wears a hypoallergenic mask during lunch and passing periods.

To read more, visit the Samohi online.

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