Nuts set apart at school, but what about on the bus?

It’s one thing to try to manage a child’s food allergy at school. But what about on the way to school?

In recent weeks, a small number of parents have raised concerns about food consumption – specifically peanuts and nut products – on the school bus.

“That’s an extremely tricky subject,” said David Cosenze, the manager of Cyr Transportation’s school bus division, which contracts with 15 schools in Greater Bangor. “If a little child is running late, they may run out of the house with a piece of toast with peanut butter. What’s the driver supposed to do – refuse them transportation or refuse to let them take their breakfast on the bus? … I wish it was as simple as, ‘You don’t get on the bus.'”

When contracting with schools that have an allergy-specific action plan, Cosenze says Cyr sends out a blanket notice to parents through the schools, which echoes the school’s policy.

“We’re considered somewhat an extension of the school,” he said. “We have to take reasonable precautions.”

That includes keeping the bus clean and making sure children with severe allergies understand that anyone who sits with them can’t bring their Reese’s peanut butter cups or peanut butter sandwich along. The company pays for employees to take first-aid classes and encourages the training, but the final decision on how to address a medical situation, including whether or not an employee wants to be trained to administer an EpiPen, rests with the individual driver.

“It’s not a cut-and-dried staff-wide policy,” Cosenze said.

Confidentiality rules prohibit schools from sharing health-specific information with the bus company. In other words, drivers don’t know a child has an allergy, epilepsy or any other condition unless someone tells them.

“The biggest help we can expect is from the parents of a child,” Cosenze said.