[Iftikhar]

Halal-only Menus
RESIDENTS across Harrow have vented their anger about proposals to have Halal-only menus in primary schools in the borough. Meat is meat. What does it matter how it’s killed? These stupid parents should find other things to whine about. Halal meat is more hygienically processed anyway.The newspaper revealed exclusively how Harrow Council has employed a catering company to only prepare Halal meat – to serve youngsters in Harrow. This is nothing new to my knowledge, Tower Hamlets council been doing Halal meat in schools for at least 3 years or more.

The Halal slaughter method (along with Shechita which is the name for pretty much the same method used by Jews) is not cruel at all. When the animal's throat is slit, it results in a massive drop in blood pressure causing pretty much instantaneous unconsciousness. As long as the cut is performed correctly the animal will feel a mere instant of pain compared to the intense suffering they can go through in abattoir's with the "normal" slaughter method. The link that has been made between this story and Britain becoming an Islamic State is a bit extreme. The majority of British people are atheist. But it doesn't mean we can't try and make life easier and better for people of all faiths and cultures. All children should be offered a choice. That way Muslims can eat what they want and non-Muslims can eat what they want.

The Muslim community has been passing through a phase of fourth Crusades. The battleground is the field of education, where the young generation will be educated properly with the Holly Quran in one hand and Sciences in other hand to serve humanity. A true Muslim is a citizen of the world, which has become a small global village. We are going to prepare our youth to achieve that objective in the long run. A true Muslim believes in Prophet Moses and the Prophet Jesus and without them one cannot be a Muslim. My suggestion is that in all state, independent and Christian based school special attention should be given to the teaching of Comparative Religion and Islam should be taught by qualified Muslim Teachers to make the children aware the closeness of Islam to Christianity and Judaism which will help them to think about Islam, as “A Pragmatic and Modern Way of Life,” during their life time. Those state schools where Muslim children are in majority may be opted out as Muslim Academies.

Bilingual Muslim children need to learn and be well versed in Standard English to follow the National Curriculum and go for higher studies and research to serve humanity. The problem is that they learn English in the streets and in the playgrounds. British schooling does not teach English to migrant children. The teachers let them speak the same accent in the classroom. They have no courage to stop them or correct them. This is one of the main reasons why one third of children have difficulties with reading when they leave primary schools. Majority of such children are bilingual Muslims. They often speak "street" with its own grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation. In other European countries and in the sub-continent argot and slang are not allowed into the classrooms. In Britain primary school teachers do not feel that it's role to interfere with self-expression in any shape or form. They encourage children to read poems and stories written in ethnic dialects.

There are couples of state schools in Harrow where Muslim children are in majority. In my opinion, all such schools may be opted out as Muslim Academies so that non-Muslim children could enjoy their own meals in their own schools.
Iftikhar Ahmad
http://www.londonsch...islamics.org.uk

[EirinnMoChroi]

To be honest, and you can hate me for this, but idk how I feel about expecting an entire school district to cater to one religions food criteria. Instead of saying that all meat needs to be halaal, they should offer a wider range of foods that Muslims CAN eat--fish, veggie entrees, etc. Next to the pepperonni pizza, offer a cheese or veggie pizza option.

If this school district is a public school district and does not have a parochial school for the kids to attend, then theres no reason why Muslim parents should expect a halaal only menu. Its a public school. Anyone can attend. If it were a parochial school meant for Muslim students, then absolutely halaal-only meat. But otherwise, I wouldnt expect it.

In a perfect world, halaal meat would only be served. If the student population in that school was like 80%+ Muslim, then sure, I can see possibly only serving Halaal there. But most schools are connected to an entire school board that decides things for ALL the schools in the area and if they accomodate for one school, they have to make the same accomodations for other schools. Halaal meat is more expensive than other meat. Not a lot of schools want to spend the extra money.

[EirinnMoChroi]

Iftikhar, on 12 September 2010 - 03:09 AM, said:

The Muslim community has been passing through a phase of fourth Crusades. The battleground is the field of education, where the young generation will be educated properly with the Holly Quran in one hand and Sciences in other hand to serve humanity. A true Muslim is a citizen of the world, which has become a small global village. We are going to prepare our youth to achieve that objective in the long run. A true Muslim believes in Prophet Moses and the Prophet Jesus and without them one cannot be a Muslim. My suggestion is that in all state, independent and Christian based school special attention should be given to the teaching of Comparative Religion and Islam should be taught by qualified Muslim Teachers to make the children aware the closeness of Islam to Christianity and Judaism which will help them to think about Islam, as “A Pragmatic and Modern Way of Life,” during their life time. Those state schools where Muslim children are in majority may be opted out as Muslim Academies.

Im trying to understand where you are coming from on this one... a comparative religion class where students learn about Islam, Christianity, and Judaism but it must have a Muslim teacher? Why a Muslim teacher? Why not a Jewish or a Christian teacher? Why not an Athiest teacher? If this is a class where all 3 Abrahamic religions are represented equally, then there should never be a recommendation that the teacher belong to only one of those 3 religions discussed in the class. If the class is aimed more towards Islam with a brief touching on the other two faiths, then that class has no place in public school UNLESS it is an elective and other elective courses on other religions are available as well. Again, for a Muslim school, sure. But not in a public school. How would you feel if you sent your chidlren to a public school and they forced your kid to take a class about Hinduism?

Cultural Anthropology should be introduced to children through schools starting at a very young age. I am 100% supportive of any and all Cultural Anth classes. I also firmly believe that a cultural anthropology class be required before anyone can run for a political position in office or if they join the military. But a cultural anthropology class teaches people to look at all walks of life relatively. It does not favor one walk of life over the other which is why it could fit into a public school setting where students of ALL backgrounds attend. A cultural anthropology class can introduce Islam to all the students and it would not be as in-your-face because it also shares about other faiths as well. I would support that class. But even as a Muslim, I would not support an Islam-only class in a public school.

I am also not familiar with this school district and if this, in fact, is NOT a public school district, then ignore my entire rant. lol. What im arguing about is in opposition only because I assumed it was a public school.

[nooni]

dont mind iftikhar irish, every now and then he comes and posts things without any respect to the other side and expects people to cater to him. then when u respond to him, 99% chance he wont respond back.

[Iftikhar]

All children should be offered a choice. That way Muslims can eat what they want and non-Muslims can eat what they want.

There are couples of state schools in Harrow where Muslim children are in majority. In my opinion, all such schools may be opted out as Muslim Academies so that non-Muslim children could enjoy their own meals in their own schools.

There are hundreds of state and church schools where Muslim children are in majority. In my opinion, all such schools may be opted out as Muslim Academies. This is the solution to all the issues and problems faced by Muslim community and the host community. There is no place for a non-Muslim child or a teacher in a Muslim school.

Multicultural Britain has a relatively large broad trilingual population whose skills are under recognised and understood.Those skills should be used as a bonus, but British schooling has been trying its best to discourage them not to learn and speak their mother tongues. According to an anthropological linguist, when a language dies, its heritage and identity will die with it. There is a positive co-relation between language and culture. Language and culture are interconnected.

A report by the Institute for Community Cohesion found that native parents were deserting some schools after finding their children out numbered by pupils from ethnic minorities. Schools in parts of England are becoming increasingly segregated. The study focused on 13 local authorities. Many of the schools and colleges are segregated and this was generally worsening over recent years. This is RACISM because British society is the home of institutional racism. My statement regarding Muslim schools where there is no place for non-Muslim child or a teacher is based on educational process and not on racism. Muslim children need Muslim teachers during their developmental periods. For higher studies and research, Muslim teacher is not a priority.

[tinee101]

What would be the problem to have halal menus on the school. Halal foods are already accepted by the public and even stores have markings on it. I'll like to be eating halal menus though I'm a christian.

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