UK papers incite anti-Muslim prejudice over halal school meals option in London
Categories: Latest News
Friday August 06 2010
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Primary schools in the north London borough of Harrow are being offered the ‘chance to serve only halal meat‘ on their menus, reports the BBC. |
According to the BBC, nine secondary schools in Harrow already provide pupils with halal meat in a scheme that has been running for two years.
The report states:
‘Harrow Council said it had received “no complaints” about serving halal-only meat, with vegetarian and fish options.
‘Now 52 primary schools in the area will have the option of taking part in the same programme.
‘Harrow councillor Brian Gate said it would be the choice of individual schools as to whether or not they chose to use catering firm Harrison Catering Services, which serves halal-only meat.’
Muslim organisations cautiously welcomed the voluntary proposals set out by Harrow Council:
‘Masood Khawaja, president of the Halal Food Authority (HFA), said he welcomed the move but stressed that pupils should not be forced to eat halal meat.
‘”It’s commendable for any local authority to introduce halal meals for Muslim students and pupils, but we also say that it should be properly labelled,” he said.
‘”Non-Muslims should have a choice as well.”
‘The Muslim Council of Britain said parents who wanted their children to eat halal meat “should be given the freedom and choice to do so”.
‘”Local authorities are under a duty to facilitate this,” a spokesman said.
‘”Those who do not wish to consume halal should similarly be afforded the freedom and choice.”‘
As usual, sections of the media seized on the story to whip up anti-Muslim sentiment and ingrain prejudice.
The Daily Star’s front page headline today read: ‘Brit kids forced to eat halal school dinners.’ The paper makes no attempt to mask its prejudice. The wording of the headline for instance suggests that ‘Brit kids’ are not Muslims and that Muslims aren’t really British. Its article states:
‘Pupils will have no option but to eat meat slaughtered following Islamic teachings specifically for Muslims.’
And that:
‘..all high schools in the London borough of Harrow have been told to provide only halal meat on menus.
‘Already two of the borough’s 52 primary schools have chosen halal-only menus. There are fears the other 50 will follow this autumn.’
Using words such as ‘forced‘ and ‘no option‘ the Daily Star’s article gives the false impression that the proposals are compulsory – when in fact they are optional. The paper’s inaccurate coverage feeds into the narrative that Britain is being ‘Islamised‘ and minorities are not only getting special treatment, but are enforcing their way of life on all Britons.
In addition to this story, the Daily Star devoted considerable attention today to Muslims by publishing Yasmin Alibhai-Brown’s piece on the ‘Talibanisation of British childhood’ and a story on the Taxpayer’s Alliance report on FCO’s (mis)allocation of prevent funds on page five and six of the paper with a reader poll asking ‘Is Islam taking over Britain?’
On halal-only menus for schools, the Daily Mail chose to focus on parents’ fury at having not been consulted over the measure, but its article concedes much later:
‘The council says primaries do not have to use its preferred caterer and governors are free to negotiate their own deals if they wish. Only two primaries have so far signed up.’
The Harrow Observer which originally broke the story stated:
‘Primary schools are free to opt in to the programme or look elsewhere for their meals..’
Halal-only school menus is the latest in a string of stories that have been used to incite anti-Muslim hatred and provide disproportionate coverage for local issues, to negatively affect the national sentiment concerning Muslims.
Similar stories have included the recent coverage surrounding Stoke-on-Trent’s Ramadan guidance for schools, the installation of squat toilets in a shopping centre in Rochdale and the covering up of ground-level windows at a leisure centre in Walsall.