Headteacher bans eggs at Easter because of health and safety fears

Published on Friday 27 March 2009 21:26

CHILDREN have been banned from taking eggs to a school for Easter because of concerns about potential allergies.

Pupils at Crombie Primary in Westhill, near Aberdeen, had traditionally painted hard-boiled eggs as part of an annual competition.

But the school is facing criticism after replacing them with polystyrene versions because parents of two pupils revealed that their children are allergic to eggs.

The school's headteacher, Kate Hopkins, decided to implement the ban and allow the contest to go ahead on 2 April, the day before classes end for the Easter holidays.

Letters have since been sent to parents, which show a cheerful dancing egg next to a stern warning not to take eggs into school.

A note has been posted on the school website stating: "Due to health and safety concerns for some pupils, a polystyrene egg will be provided for every pupil. No real eggs should be brought into school."

Children are still permitted to bring eggs to school as part of their packed lunches, and they continue to be served in the canteen. It is thought Crombie School is the first in the country to adopt such a stance and the move has sparked disbelief among parents and politicians.

Brenda Cheyne said that her seven-year-old daughter had been disappointed at the decision. "This is bizarre, it's not like they're going to be eating the eggs," she said.

"All they're doing is painting them. I've got no idea what the problem is."

Mike Rumbles, the area's MSP, called for the local council to repeal the ban. "There's been an overreaction here. It's such a pity that people misinterpret regulations and rules to the detriment of our traditions," he said.

"I just hope that the education department at Aberdeenshire Council can get involved and point out that this is not an issue and should never have been."

And Stewart Whyte, of Westhill Community Council, said he was "flabbergasted".

He said: "Are we going to take all the risk out of life? The tradition of painting eggs has been followed by millions of kids for years without any mishaps.

"I can't think of any evidence where a child has come to harm. If proper precautions are followed, there is no risk."

The egg row comes two years after Mrs Hopkins banned pupils from sharing sweets on their birthdays as part of a healthy eating drive. She defended the latest decision and said it only came about because of parents' concerns.

Mrs Hopkins said: "To not make the pupils different from everyone else, we decided to use polystyrene eggs. Even a small accident could be a health risk."

A spokeswoman for the Scottish Parent Teacher Council said that she felt the issue had been poorly handled. She said: "This is a case of over-protection. This allergy is something that these children are going to have to live with.

"Sometimes you have to compromise and try to find a reasonable solution to this sort of issue, such as allowing the two with the allergy to use polystyrene eggs and the others real ones."

An Aberdeenshire Council spokeswoman said: "Two children in the school suffer from severe egg allergies. It was felt appropriate to substitute hard-boiled eggs with polystyrene ones so the children could still get into the spirit of Easter by decorating eggs."