A Texas family is hitting Lake Travis Independent School District where it hurts – the wallet – slapping them with a $1.5 million lawsuit after the district determined that an incident involving peanuts being placed in their allergic son's locker was not considered bullying. The family of the Lake Travis High School football player alleges that his teammates knew about his severe peanut allergy and put his health at risk anyway, according to KXAN.
The student's locker incident occurred back in October, but it wasn't until his parents brought it up at a November school board meeting that the district launched a bullying investigation. The district eventually concluded that the event didn't meet the legal definition of bullying, and the Texas Education Agency agreed, finding no violations of law or policy, as reported by KXAN. Still, in a searing move, the family also claims the district's lack of prompt action and inadequate investigative report "fell well short of LTISD’s policy standards for appropriateness," as the family's lawsuit states.
In response to the incident, and perhaps in anticipation of the mounting pressure, the Lake Travis ISD has since put muscle behind its food allergy management plan. As per Community Impact, the plan now includes measures like automatic 504 considerations for students with severe allergies, and new rules where elementary classes with allergic students always eat lunch in the cafeteria. This comprehensive plan review is the first in four years and was outlined at a board of trustees meeting on February 21.
Regarding the changes to the food allergy management protocol, Place 1 board member Phillip Davis raised concerns about accountability, querying, "What happens when the plan is not followed or adhered to? What are the possible repercussions of someone not following the plan?" Meanwhile, the district is also bolstering its educational efforts with food allergy awareness posters, informational content, and training for both students and staff on administering epinephrine.
