Harrow Interfaith Council hits out over halal school meals as hunger strikes are threatened

7:30am Thursday 9th September 2010 in News Photograph of the Author By Jack Royston

PRESSURE is mounting over halal-only menus in schools with a planned hunger strike and threats of parents withdrawing their children.

Harrow Interfaith Council became the latest organisation to criticise the policy as pupils returned from their summer holidays this week.

Chairman Reverend Tim Gosden said some mothers and fathers had discussed the possibility of removing their children from schools in the borough.

Sikh representative Paramjit Singh Kohli said two parents had told him they would go on hunger strike outside one of the borough's secondary schools if there was no change within two weeks.

He said: “I'd say to parents take your kids out of school. But that's the second option, the first option is to make sure there is another meat option on the menu.”

Harrow Council says it will review plans to provide halal-only meat in primary schools, but insists fish and vegetarian dishes are always offered and pupils can bring packed lunches to school if they do not want to eat from the menu provided.

However Mr Kohli said: “Fish and vegetarian dishes are not the alternative, the alternative is non-halal meat. Those dishes are for the people who are vegetarian and vegan.”

Even the Muslim community has not backed the decision.

Ghulam Rabbani, general secretary of Harrow Central Mosque, said: “I welcome the fact they serve halal meat. They should also take account of all the religions, not just Muslims.

“Halal I think is our right, but if it is halal-only people might think they are doing a favour for Muslims.”

Rev Gosden said in a letter to the Harrow Times he feared the policy might attract unwanted attention from anti-Islamic groups like Stop the Islamisication of Europe (SIOE) and lead to racial tensions in the borough.

The group staged two protests outside Harrow Central Mosque against the religious institution's new building last year.

A statement put out by the authority on Friday, August 6, insisted: “The use of halal meat is common practice across London in many schools, public organisations and indeed restaurants, because of the need to provide segregated meat preparation.

“However, there is a choice of menu every day and frequently there is a fish, as well as a vegetarian choice.”

The council declined to add to its statement.

Comments(19)

surfnutt says...
9:24am Thu 9 Sep 10

Another example of the council trying to be politically correct and ending up with egg on its face (providing its a halal egg of course cracked in a way that causes minimal suffering)

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Paramjit Singh says...
9:25am Thu 9 Sep 10

Many thanks to Rachel Sharpe and her team at Harrow Times to bring to the forefront Harrow Council's unlawful and enforced ruling of providing ONLY Halal Meat in Meals for some years to the children of Harrow without the knowledge of parents,staff and children. SIKH parents are very annoyed and upset that their faith specifically forbids to eat HALAL MEAT and that Council and Headteachers have violated their basic Human Rights by not informing them at all. There are no posters in the schools to inform that meat is HALAL ONLY.

I have to say that after dialogues with all other reps of all faiths in Harrow We have come to the conclusion that Harrow Council and Headteachers of Secondary Schools have let down 93% of the Harrow Population and violated the BASIC HUMAN RIGHTS of not only SIKHS but that of compassionate Christians, Hindus, Atheists, Jains, Humanists, Budhists, Jews and others.

The landscape of Harrow is very cosmopolitian and Sikhs and Hindus make 27% of the population yet they are not involved in any consultations on such sensitive matters.

I regret to say that Harrow MP too has let down the communities in this matter so as not to annoy the Muslim Lobby.

I am, indeed, appalled and regret to find out that Harrow Council's officers are saying that the Headteachers and the Governors of Secondary Schools in Harrow made the decisions to provide ONLY HALAL MEAT to the children without any consultation with parents,staff, students' reps.

I would like comments from Headteachers and governers on this.

If this is true then I must ask all Headteachers of Harrow Schools to consult Harrow Interfaith and SACRE for just advice on such sensitive matters instead of relying on Harrow Council and their uneducated in religious matters officers and councillors.

It has become very clear that Councils and other institutions are bending backward to give in to all demands of Muslims in this country at the expense of 97% of the UK population and the simple reason is that the Muslim Lobby Groups are playing very active roles in all decision making. Such rulings can be accepted in Muslim countries but it will not be taken in India too which has 285 million muslims and more mosques than all Europe put together because India believes and practices fairplay in religious matters.

It is,also, hearty to know that the PM's and the Mayor of London's offices are aware of this and watching how Harrowians are resolving this unjustice and violation of Human Rights rulings on their own.

Once again, thanks to Harrow Times for being Champion of Just Causes for Harrowians and we appreciate it wholeheartedily.

Paramjit Singh


I

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surfnutt says...
1:18pm Thu 9 Sep 10

well put mr singh there should be representatives from all faiths on a committee overseeing what the council does that affects everyone not just from one section of the community it makes you realise how much this council has to learn about the community its working for take heed harrow council!

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DimSum says...
8:18pm Thu 9 Sep 10

Harrow Council force whatever they like down our throats, looks like it's now the turn of our kids.

"Catch them early" springs to mind !.

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sonoo malkani says...
2:02am Fri 10 Sep 10

It seems painfully obvious that Harrow Council's decision to introduce halal-only meat to Harrow's Schools has caused much outrage among so many.This cannot be ignored in a democracy like ours.

However,well-meaning or otherwise this decision might be ,it now runs the risk of causing a great deal of unease and suspicion about the motives of those who have passed this policy.

In this,the religiously most diverse borough in the UK,we have to always be extremely sensitive to the feelings of ALL our communities.We cannot afford to take any steps which might promote divisiveness,however unintentional.


The first people who must be consulted are Harrow Inter-Faith Council and SACRE,along with parents and Head-teachers.They are the ones best qualified to spell out what the implications of such a move would be.


Since we all wish to continue living in harmony, it is imperative that we demonstrate a healthy respect for the religious and cultural feelings of EVERYONE in our borough.Only then can we boast that we uphold Equality and Diversity.These are not empty words.They are a way of life which we must ensure is nurtured.


Please would Harrow Council,be big enough to re-consider their unilateral decision to serve halal-only meat in our Schools, having heard ,loud and clear how vehemently so many of our religious groups have objected.

We simply cannot afford to throw away years of excellent community relations and risk allowing outsiders to come in and exploit the huge difference of opinion and outrage caused by this issue.

Let us hope this is resolved very peaceably and quickly,in the true tradition of all Harrovians.

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Paramjit Singh says...
8:48am Fri 10 Sep 10

Sonoo, Very positive comments and good advice to the Council. Hope they heed and consult soon else their image will further tarnish and it proves what kind of autocratic people we elected to govern us.

Still waiting to confirm from Headteachers if they made the decisions on their own.

Parents are advised to contact the Secondary School headteachers and governors to get the facts before taking any irrational actions which could harm their children education.

We ask all to speak to their councillors on this subject and let them know your views and what actions they should be taking on your behalf.

Thanks Harrovians and welcome participation by writing in and airing "YOUR SAY" here.

Paramjit Singh

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jackdaw says...
12:00pm Fri 10 Sep 10

I agree with the well reasoned points made by Paramjit Singh and Sonoo Malkani.

Sonoo's point asking that harmony between Harrovians is maintained is important.

We know from the previous two demonstrations that there are dubious groups of malcontents lurking in the wings ready to rabble rouse in Harrow.

The second demonstration was contained and the Iman offered the hand of peace to the demonstrators.

Harrow Council seem also to be ignoring his views that preferential treatment would cause resentment and give ammunition to trouble-makers.

If the argument is an economic one surely another demonstration would cost more than if Harrow Council provided non-Halal meat dishes for those who require them.

Harrow Council would appear to be playing the role of Pontius Pilot, by saying it is up the headteachers of individuals schools to sort this out, and washing their hands of the problem.

Also the Council leader should step in to resolve this situation as 93% will remember this at the ballot box.

In the interest of a peaceful Borough this decision needs to be rethought.

Perhaps the 7% of pupils eating Halal meat could bring sandwiches to school?

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jackdaw says...
12:15pm Fri 10 Sep 10

Apologies for the incorrect spelling of Pontius Pilate!

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prakshcraja says...
6:23pm Sat 11 Sep 10

Is Harrow Council now changing for the worse? It has been known to have been reasonable for a long time. It had been considerate. It had been thoughtful. It seems that in this day and age of superficial political correctness wrong and unthought through decisions are being made which decisions are harming the fabric of the society. This can lead to nothing else but trouble for the majority of it's residents. Are the people who are given charge to take decisons not know the norms of democracy? Who the hell has been instrumental in serving only halal meet? I am not meat eater neither is my family but it is the principal of unilateral decisions without consultations with all the affected parties that concerns me. It is high time that people of Harrow asserted themselves and establish who govern them and if those who Govern Harrow have the appropriate qualities. The decision on Halal only meet MUST be reversed by the Council. It is only after consultation that a new policy be implemented

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HFlower says...
9:09am Sun 12 Sep 10

As the parent of an omnivorous child currently studying in a school in Harrow, I would like to have had a say in this decision and find it objectionable that I have been denied this. I also find it objectionable the majority should be forced to pander to the whims of a minority even when that minority are in agreement with the majority. Who are our Harrow Councillors attempting to appease with this entirely unnecessary unilateral decision and why?

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Teagle says...
11:23am Sun 12 Sep 10

Everyone can have their say on this matter at the next local election, something these councillors have clearly not taken into consideration. Trying to appease 7% of the local population in the name of political correctness will potentially cost them 93% of the total vote, probably more as it appears that even some of the muslim community are against their chosen course of action.

Vote these clowns out at the first opportunity.

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rajsingh says...
5:47pm Sun 12 Sep 10

Reading this article it makes me wonder what consultation or thought process had gone on.
You would have thought that at a initial proposal stage this should have been dead and buried, what were Harrow council even thinking!!!!

So much to Harrow being a multicultural borough, the lack of respect to other religions in the borough outlines that the committee seemed to have looked at this whole situation with a very blinkered and closed approach.

Interestingly when you look at the Wikipedia link
http://en.wikipedia.
org/wiki/London_Boro
ugh_of_Harrow

The below is what it states about Harrow's demographics.
Harrow is a diverse borough, having 55.2% of its population from the BME (Black and Minority Ethnic) communities, with the largest group being of Indian ethnicity. Since 2005, on the last Sunday in June Harrow Council hosts Under One Sky - Harrow's largest festival, to celebrate and the joint communities of Harrow. This has a programme of dance, world music, sports activity, youth music, spoken word, free children's activity, a carnival parade, information and stalls, health promotion, a world food zone and outside radio broadcast. Harrow is the most religiously diverse local authority area in the UK, with a 62% chance that two random people are from different religions, according to Office of National Statistics, Oct 2006. It has the highest density of Gujarati Hindus in the UK. There are also a lot of Irish and Polish people living in the borough. A large number of Jewish people live in Stanmore and Hatch End. The Stanmore and Canons Park Synagogue boasts the largest membership of any single synagogue in the whole of Europe.

On one side Harrow is promoting Under One Sky, and on the other it may be seen as fuelling a rift within communities who at present are living in harmony with each other.

Where is the logic in Halal only meat school meals in this or any borough, I would hope that this whole situation is investigated thoroughly, and a in depth report brought too light with all the findings and motives

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JSPinner says...
8:33pm Sun 12 Sep 10

I would like to thank Mr Paramjit Singh and many other for drawing attention of Harrow Council's thinking that only one section of the community matters, lack of consulation with the wider community of Harrow. The council talks of other options available for non-Muslims and ignoring basic Human Rights by not informing them before embarking on community dividing policy. Harrow Politician take note when you want our vote, letting down the diverse community of this borough, there will be payback.
I like to thanks Harrow Times for bring this issue to the attension of People of Harrow.

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Paramjit Singh says...
10:21pm Sun 12 Sep 10

Received today from our well known Jewish Writer of London which I want to share with you all:
"I think that I managed to send a very short letter to the Harrow Times.
The letter went something like this:
‘Why halal meat? Why change the status quo? We all live in a democratic country with Christian cultural norms. I, as a Jewish person, choose to eat according to my religious dietary requirements without expecting anybody else to do the same. Jenny N."

Thanks Jenny for your positive words. Council is shirking to acknowledge their error and passing the buck to Headteachers. I wonder why the Headteachers are not responding with actual facts. Are they going to be role-models for the children or just earn their fat purses? Questions are being asked by parents - so why the silence?
Just heard from our MP and he is now prepared to speak to all Headteachers on our behalf. Pen is finally becoming mighter and May God Bless the Council with some wisdom too.

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maddog66 says...
5:24pm Tue 14 Sep 10

As one of many annoyed Harrow voters, this issue of offering only Halal meat in schools and then having comments made saying that it affects no-one else,others can have fish or go veggie shows the ignorance of someone who does not care about anyone apart from themselves.This goes beyond a joke, when decisions are made which affects someones religious beliefs and those people do not have the guts to admit they are wrong and reverse such decisions. I have just been informed that Nower Hill High school's menu has only Halal meat(is this correct) but nowhere on its website is this mentioned.Even students are not told when buying from the canteen. The best option for this is to have a choice of non halal/halal meat. This school has prided itself as being a school for all regardless of what someone believes in. This issue of only offering halal meat restricts pupils of other faiths from eating meat at this school.So please do the right thing by considering everyone and not just a few.

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David_Pinner says...
12:44am Fri 17 Sep 10

My grandchildren are now spending their pocket money in the chipshop rather than eat the halal food on the table. They found out this week that all the food on the table was not only halal but had been for two years!!

Who are these muslims that their presence in harrow means the massive majority must eat their food and go without non-halal meat?
we are British we (and Polish, Chinese, Germans etc) eat pork. Pork is the most consumed meat in the UK.
I won't stand for the muslim community causing us to go without the meat the British have always eaten.

If the school authorities think they can do this to our children and nothing will happen they are very wrong.
sort this out now or have a bloody war on your hands.
No muslim community should be used to remove non-halal meat from our schools & our children.
Dave in Rayners Lane.

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David_Pinner says...
10:21am Fri 17 Sep 10

One final angry point.
Talking to some of the young teenagers who attend these schools, and they say muslim parents have been happy to send their children to school meals for the last few years now. So clearly the MUSLIM PARENTS KNEW IT WAS HALAL ONLY, even if no other parents did.
There has clearly been a deliberate behind the doors approach to all of this.
Both the school authorities and the muslim community knowing, but keeping it all very, very, quiet.
This needs to be looked into by central government. This has to be illegal.
Muslims I will never trust you or Harrow council/School authorities again, both parties have deliberatlly stabbed the majority in the back and kept quiet on this.

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jaidharma says...
6:49pm Sat 18 Sep 10

Can I please request the Council to reconsider this decision?

The decision limits choice by not offering a non-halal meat option to students who may not be comfortable eating halal meat.

The issue is not that "The use of halal meat is common practice across London.." (as mentioned by the council spokesperson) but that there is no choice for those who wish to eat chicken, pork or beef cooked using non-Halal methods. To clarify what I mean, would the Council consider a vegetarian-only lunch in schools along the lines of (paraphrased) "...there is a choice of menu every day and frequently there is a fish, as well as a meat choice”?

I do hope that the feelings and concerns of Harrow residents and students are taken into account. Thanks.

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richylondon says...
5:22pm Fri 24 Sep 10

Regarding Religiously slaughtered meat in Harrow schools - please see the RSPCA fact sheet here:
http://www.rspca.org
.uk/ImageLocator/Loc
ateAsset?asset=docum
ent&assetId=12327196
11043&mode=prd

A minority of the UK population (2.7% at the last census) are required by their religion to eat meat slaughtered this way and are granted an exemption to the UK Slaughter laws. This does not mean that the majority of the population should eat this meat.

Aside from the animal welfare concerns, are the religious sensibilities – many people of other faiths would not be happy knowing they are consuming this meat.

The third concern is from the food labelling/trading standards perspective. The lack of clear signage on menus and at the point of sale indicating the Halal origins of the meat could be considered a “misleading omission” under Regulation 6 of the Unfair Trading Regulations 2008.

http://www.opsi.gov.
uk/si/si2008/draft/u
kdsi_9780110811574_e
n_1

I would encourage those affected/concerned to raise a case with Trading Standards via Consumer Direct:

http://www.consumerd
irect.gov.uk/contact
?action=complain

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