Mums condemn school's halal meat decision
Monday, January 7, 2008 Mums have criticised an Oxford school for serving halal meat in children's lunches without their knowledge. Parents of pupils at Rose Hill Primary School, in The Oval, were angered by a letter they received from headmistress Sue Mortimer. It informed them the halal meat, which involves slaughtering animals in a special way for consumption by Muslims, had been used in all school meals as part of the school's inclusion policy. The letter said the reason for the decision was that since halal meat was not forbidden by any religion or culture, its use would allow everyone to choose a meat dish for lunch.
Lyndsy Johnson, whose five-year-old son Dane Lovattattends the school, said: "I am angry that the headmistress seems to think she can do anything she wants without informing parents. Our kids do not know what they are eating now. We have got rights as well as everybody else." Miss Johnson, from Radford Close, said she was planning, along with another mum, to stand outside the school gates to collect signatures for a petition. Mum-of-three Sharon Haynes, 35, from Radford Close, said: "Why should we let our kids eat halal meat?"