Parents angered as every pupil is given halal school meals

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Halal meat is being served to pupils in state schools without their knowledge, even if they believe the religious slaughter is cruel.

Parents have reacted furiously after being sent letters telling them their children's school dinners have been all-halal for 'some time'.

To conform with Jewish and Muslim religious tradition, animals are prepared for halal products by having their throats slit while conscious - a method many people believe is inhumane and which the RSPCA has condemned.

The meat was introduced at four schools in the Reading area with a high proportion of Muslim pupils. But parents of non-Muslim pupils - between 20 and 50 per cent of the schools' roll -say they were not consulted.

Coach driver Andrew Weston, 37, who has a son and daughter at St John's primary school, said: "We received a letter saying only halal meat was being served and had been for some time. I was shocked.

"The way the animals are killed for this meat is barbaric and cruel. Our children should have a choice."

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/arti...in_page_id=1770

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Halal meat is being served to pupils in state schools without their knowledge, even if they believe the religious slaughter is cruel.

Parents have reacted furiously after being sent letters telling them their children's school dinners have been all-halal for 'some time'.

To conform with Jewish and Muslim religious tradition, animals are prepared for halal products by having their throats slit while conscious - a method many people believe is inhumane and which the RSPCA has condemned.

The meat was introduced at four schools in the Reading area with a high proportion of Muslim pupils. But parents of non-Muslim pupils - between 20 and 50 per cent of the schools' roll -say they were not consulted.

Coach driver Andrew Weston, 37, who has a son and daughter at St John's primary school, said: "We received a letter saying only halal meat was being served and had been for some time. I was shocked.

"The way the animals are killed for this meat is barbaric and cruel. Our children should have a choice."

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/arti...in_page_id=1770

Primary school is age 5-11. Do they really think that kids give two hoots about where the meat is coming from?

At a guess, I'd say its the parents who have the issue not the kids.

As long as it is safe (which is the main consumer issue with Halal meat) why should they care?

Edited December 19, 2006 by erekose

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

These people obviously have no clue of what goes on inside a "normal" British slaughterhouse (and an American one, too, for that matter.)

http://www.britishmeat.org/slaught.html

[ceriserose 1]

These people obviously have no clue of what goes on inside a "normal" British slaughterhouse (and an American one, too, for that matter.)

http://www.britishmeat.org/slaught.html

Yeah, that was my first thought. Let's review 'inhumane' practices in meat production across the board.

And no, not going to that site. I prefer to believe my meat comes from fantasy island.

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

These people obviously have no clue of what goes on inside a "normal" British slaughterhouse (and an American one, too, for that matter.)

http://www.britishmeat.org/slaught.html

Yeah, that was my first thought. Let's review 'inhumane' practices in meat production across the board.

And no, not going to that site. I prefer to believe my meat comes from fantasy island.

Wise decision - discretion is always the better part of valor.

That site made me want to hurl (and I don't even eat cow or sheep or pig.)

[ceriserose 1]

These people obviously have no clue of what goes on inside a "normal" British slaughterhouse (and an American one, too, for that matter.)

http://www.britishmeat.org/slaught.html

Yeah, that was my first thought. Let's review 'inhumane' practices in meat production across the board.

And no, not going to that site. I prefer to believe my meat comes from fantasy island.

Wise decision - discretion is always the better part of valor.

That site made me want to hurl (and I don't even eat cow or sheep or pig.)

heh, I don't know about valor...after being sick all day I'd just like to have a chance at keeping my dinner down.

[melly 0]

As a non meat eater, I really don't understand why people complain about the way that animals are killed when all they're going to do is eat them anyways. As far as I'm concerned, when it comes to animals, murder is murder.

That isn't to say I think animals should be treated inhumanely, but I'd guess that a slit to the throat wouldn't be all too bad, all things considered.

[featherB 1]

I take it the parents who are so outraged at the schools serving halal meat make it their business to ensure that their offspring are only fed meat from humanely-reared/-slaughtered animals the rest of the time...? (As others have said - do they have any idea what goes on inside a slaughterhouse?)

Yeah right. Of course they do. Or is it something else that they're really objecting to?

[Fandango 1,439]

If this is a public school, it should not be catering to any religious group whatsoever

[keltic 1]

If this is a public school, it should not be catering to any religious group whatsoever

i would imagine that the muslim and jewish population wouldnt like it much if they found out a few months into the school year that the school had made sure to use a little lard in every meal... and just didnt bother to tell them

Edited December 19, 2006 by keltic

[melly 0]

If this is a public school, it should not be catering to any religious group whatsoever

i would imagine that the muslim and jewish population wouldnt like it much if they found out a few months into the school year that the school had made sure to use a little lard in every meal... and just didnt bother to tell them

But how is eating halal meat harming the kids who aren't Muslim or Jewish? It isn't. And I'm fairly certain it isn't against any other religion to have meat killed in a halal way, whereas feeding non-halal lard or pigfat to those kids whose religions forbid it would be causing harm according to their religion.

[Alex+R 0]

If this is a public school, it should not be catering to any religious group whatsoever

i would imagine that the muslim and jewish population wouldnt like it much if they found out a few months into the school year that the school had made sure to use a little lard in every meal... and just didnt bother to tell them

I have never known someone who thought it was important to follow specific food guidelines to have their kids eat school lunch. Obviously, you've gotta pack your own if you want the guidelines followed.

Lisa, I don't see a problem with the school catering to certain groups as long as it caters to all groups. That's the real issue.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

If this is a public school, it should not be catering to any religious group whatsoever

i would imagine that the muslim and jewish population wouldnt like it much if they found out a few months into the school year that the school had made sure to use a little lard in every meal... and just didnt bother to tell them

I have never known someone who thought it was important to follow specific food guidelines to have their kids eat school lunch. Obviously, you've gotta pack your own if you want the guidelines followed.

Lisa, I don't see a problem with the school catering to certain groups as long as it caters to all groups. That's the real issue.

The article makes reference to "state" schools - which essentially means they are funded with public money, so I'm wondering how much they are paying to get "special meat" compared to the original supplier. Certainly if they are paying more for this its hard to see how it is is really justifiable, or indeed why the choice of meat for school meals should be made solely on religious grounds. It seems like a weird issue to take a religious stand on.

[Alex+R 0]

If this is a public school, it should not be catering to any religious group whatsoever

i would imagine that the muslim and jewish population wouldnt like it much if they found out a few months into the school year that the school had made sure to use a little lard in every meal... and just didnt bother to tell them

I have never known someone who thought it was important to follow specific food guidelines to have their kids eat school lunch. Obviously, you've gotta pack your own if you want the guidelines followed.

Lisa, I don't see a problem with the school catering to certain groups as long as it caters to all groups. That's the real issue.

The article makes reference to "state" schools - which essentially means they are funded with public money, so I'm wondering how much they are paying to get "special meat" compared to the original supplier. Certainly if they are paying more for this its hard to see how it is is really justifiable, or indeed why the choice of meat for school meals should be made solely on religious grounds. It seems like a weird issue to take a religious stand on.

Yeah, it's just complicated since public schools are funded by local property taxes, with the intent of giving local communities maximum control of what goes on in their specific school. But if they are paying more for it at the expense of other programs or something, it's unacceptable.

[Fandango 1,439]

Lisa, I don't see a problem with the school catering to certain groups as long as it caters to all groups. That's the real issue.

Who picks which are the certain groups?

If the school is public, it should have nowt to do with religion or cateriing to anyone's religious practices. The school cannot cater to them all.