TAYLORS, S.C. -- As students at Brushy Creek Elementary begin the new school year, their parents are being asked to eliminate nut-containing foods from their lunches.

Officials said the move is to protect two kindergarten students who have severe airborne allergies to peanuts and other products containing them.

Brushy Creek Elementary Principal Dee Dee Washington sent a note home with students at the beginning of the school year requesting all nut products be taken out of their children’s lunches.

“Our goal was to make parents aware of the situation,” Washington said. “We want them aware there is a problem and ask for them to work with us to keep kids safe.”

Washington said if a student is caught with a nutty treat, there will be no penalty. She said the school only hopes parents will voluntarily comply with the nut ban.

However, some parents said they are not happy about the ban or the way it has been handled.

“No one made it clear to me this was voluntary,” said one parent named Michael. “My kids tell me their lunchboxes are checked daily to be sure there’s no peanut butter in school. This is rather absurd.”

“I have three kids at Brushy Creek and they’ve gone through their lunchboxes each day,” said another parent named Kim. “They’ve checked their snacks and thrown away the ones that are peanut butter related.”

Upon hearing of the lunch box searches, Washington said there has been some miscommunication about the ban. She said if a teacher has been overzealous in managing the situation, she will work with parents and teachers to correct it.