Bipat

I still don't think you have seen my point. I didn't say they should be banned but have at least other items available. With 300 children surely they wouldn't have just pork sausages on any day?

With very small children it is even more important that dinner-time is a pleasure not a torment isn't it?

As a part Hindu family we never stopped the children eating beef, youngest's infant school seemed to have frequent beef burgers, many of them came home in the gym bag. Apparently only one boy liked them (also Hindu) so many were passed to him and he ate the lot!!! He was rather obese at that time!!!

jackytoo

An Indian friend's son came home one day and said he had had a beef burger. She tried to explain to him in simple terms that they honoured the Cow and as such did not eat it...he replied that he liked it and didn't care. He was about 5

Bipat

Just a quick correction --Indian people can be Hindu, Muslim, Christian, even a small number of Jewish. India has one of the largest numbers of world Muslims.
In India there doesn't seem to be a problem for guests or schools you just provide what you know they can eat.

jackytoo

Eh

EMR

Not all Indians are hindus, therefore many tens millions happily eat beef.

Bipat

Why confused?

I was going to add, unusually correct in using the word "honoured", when so many wrongly use the word "worship" in regard to cows.

johnnyone

On that basis the obvious answer is for all school food to be vegan, although that may upset the nut allergy brigade.

jackytoo

AFAIK all schools have a veggy option that should cover all options. Why should English people in English schools not be offered a traditional dish such as sausages and mash

Bipat

Why ?deliberately misinterpret my post. I said "not that any food should be banned", but that some other food should also be available. Why is that so terrible?

Actually you have chosen rather an unfortunate example with "nut allergy brigade", nut allergy can kill. Anaphylaxis from a nut allergy is one of the most immediate medical emergencies, but can be excused, as you probably didn't know this.

EMR

Every week tens of thousands of chickens are killed in the modified halal manner. Nothing like that JT suggested.
Electrocuted and then its throat cut while the heart is till beating..
I would rather eat meat prepared in this way than a school sausage probably 90% filler and preservatives.
Pork or otherwise NOT serving them to children is probably the best thing you can do for their health and welfare.

jackytoo

Rubbish, as Jonnyone says why shouldn't English people have choice too. Schools do have choice in the UK. Would like to see a Muslim school in the Middle East catering for British tastes

Bipat

Agree with you, but why should not English children with a particular dietary need not be catered for?
(With a decent vegetarian option possibly, not just the inevitable quiche or something cheese covered a la Delia!!!)

EMR

But as you and many others keep saying we in the UK are better than that , we are above such behaviour. That is one of the better British Standards of behaviour.
Why should we lower our standards !!

johnnyone

I am fully aware that nut allergies can kill. I was just trying to show it's all a matter of proportionality. Where do you draw the line on what to put on a menu? ie You could just have vegan menu but that would also upset some.

I was on a plane once and throughout the flight they would not sell/serve anything with nuts in it as one of the passengers had advised the airline of a nut allergy.
To me that was disproportionate as I have a business partner who can and has been hospitalised if he eats or his food is tainted with shellfish etc. He just works round it and if in doubt does not eat unless absolutely sure.

PS this has probably moved away from the original debate.

rugbymatt

I'd just like to point out that you all eat more Kosher meat than you do Halal.... Jews don't eat the hindquarters of any animal they slaughter and that Kosher meat ends up in your food chain.... Completely unlabelled.... Still... Jews ain't dirty Muslims are they so it doesn't matter right?