Fanatical Meat
Lifer
- Feb 4, 2009
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Again, for Sikhs its a religious issue, and much the same as for Muslims, but the other way round.
I also wonder about the kind of (mostly African-origin) Christians I've encountered who get very peturbed about engaging in anything that seems to them unChristian, whether it's Yoga or Horoscopes or Harry Potter. I wonder if those guys would have issues with their children being fed Halal food. And if they did, would it be unreasonable to accommodate them? Would it be OK to accommodate them but not white Christian Evangelicals who took the same stance?
Ultimately, I think if something that seems meaningless to an atheist like me can be so important to a Muslim, I think one has to allow that it can also be important in reverse. So it's quite right that non-Halal alternatives should be offered for any minority that feels strongly about _not_ consuming Halal. I don't think it's fair to insist that some (seemingly irrational) beliefs have to be catered to while others don't.
I don't agree in any way with the 'concern' from the OP (about an area where it doesn't sound as if _anyone_ has actually complained about Halal in the first place, so I don't get what the OP is bothered about, and in any case it sounds as if alternatives _are_ offered), but I do think _in general principle_ the state should try and accommodate different beliefs if at all practical, even if it's minorities-within-minorities.
This sort of goes down the rabbit hole so let’s agree to keep it vague. To my understanding halal isn’t strictly followed my most Muslims, sort of like the no meat on Friday thing for Catholics or kosher thing for Jews or Christians following Leviticus no dairy and meat together. Likely the vast majority of students whom are classified as needing halal food don’t follow the guidelines too strictly.
However this doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be a local decision. Per a previous poster non halal food can be requested. I’m guessing the decision was made that it is just easier to make all foods halal approved in this specific school and treat all other requests as exceptions.