I think that almost every hot button debate that has been going on recently can be answered with a question.

Whether that debate is how far we should go to protect people with allergies or whether people who object to vaccines philosophically should be forced to have their kids vaccinated, the question is the answer.

Who is responsible for your child?

If your child has a health condition, like allergies or immune system problems, is the onus on you, the parent, to protect that child by keeping them away from potential harm and educating them how to protect themselves?

Or is the onus on the rest of the world to change the way they live, the food they eat, or potentially put their own health at risk to protect the health of your child?

There are many people at loggerheads regarding vaccinations today, and the question is the answer.

If you believe that the parent bears the ultimate responsibility for the child, then you might homeschool your peanut-allergic child until he has the skills to read labels, bleach wipe surfaces, and stay out of dangerous situations. You would educate your child on how to protect himself.

Obviously, this doesn't mean that you aren't letting the school in on the fact that your child has anaphylactic allergies. The teacher needs to know what steps to take in the event of a medical emergency.

If you believe that society is obligated to protect your child, you might demand that your child's class be peanut-free. You might even insist that the entire school ban all peanut products. You could be the one lobbying for a peanut free society because of your worry for your child.

You might want to ban all allergens that have the potential to be deadly to people with severe allergies.