London, juke 18 (ANI): Schools in UK have banned pork from school lunches for religious reasons.
Haringey Council, North London, recently adviced all schools to ban pork, which is not eaten by Jews or Muslims, across the country, and to meet the needs of staff and pupils who are not allowed to have contact with it.
The decision has been criticised by lawmakers who said that the ban would cause unnecessary resentment among pupils and religious leaders who have never asked for a ban.
John Benjamin, chief executive of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, said it was simply not an issue, adding that Jews of a certain level would choose not to eat in non-kosher environments.
"Children who are comfortable with using the same cutlery and crockery as everyone else would choose their dishes from the options available. It is live and let live, we are certainly not calling for this," the Daily Mail quoted Benjamin as saying.
Muslim leaders have only asked that halal and non-halal meat be handled separately in an effort to avoid any cross contamination and for clear labelling when serving school dinners.
Figures revealed by school caterer Pabulum, in the south-east England, showed that around 20 of the 48 schools it supplied chose non-pork options.
Conservative MP for Shipley in West Yorkshire, Philip Davies, who has campaigned for clearer labelling on meat products, said the bans were 'misguided political correctness'.
Stewart Houston, chief executive of the National Pig Association, said the decision by schools was disappointing, adding that sausages and roast pork were a staple of British diets. (ANI)
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