Posted on 12/31/2015 9:21:15 AM PST by Impala64ssa
Proposed legislation was introduced into New York City Council to require that the city’s public schools provide Islamic-compliant food – halal – as an option in the cafeterias. The New York chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) joined forces with council member Rafael L. Espinal, Jr. (Brooklyn) to support Resolution 54 at a press conference on the steps of New York City Hall on Wednesday, March 26.
Fourteen other city councilmembers co-sponsored Espinal’s Resolution.
The Resolution goes into explicit detail about what Islamic-observant students are permitted to eat and what they must avoid eating, as well as stating who made those determinations. To wit:
Whereas, The practice of Islam is determined by the Islamic teachings as guided by the holy book Quran and the Hadith, and sayings of the Prophet Mohammad, which includes observing dietary laws; and Whereas, Islamic dietary laws delineate foods that are halal, meaning lawful or permitted, and those that are haram, meaning not permitted; and Whereas, Haram foods include pork and its by-products, meat and poultry not slaughtered according to the Islamic dietary law, alcohol and foods prepared with and containing alcohol, foods containing blood and blood by-products, and foods containing whey prepared with non-microbial enzyme, rennet, animal shortening, monoglycerides and diglycerides from an animal source, sodium stearoyl lactylate, and L-cysteine.
The proposed Resolution concedes that there is no accurate way to determine how many New York City schoolchildren are Muslim, and of those who are Muslim, how many observe strict halal guidelines. The best estimate they have is that approximately 12 percent of the school system’s children are Muslim.
Undeterred by the lack of hard information, the legislators pointed to the Detroit public school system where 35 percent of the students are estimated to be Muslim. In Detroit, the school district began a halal pilot program in 2001 which has expanded to 35 schools in the district.
In addition to pointing to Detroit as a school district where such a program was implemented, the legislators turned to another argument to bolster their demands.
This angle is the one best characterized as “you don’t want school kids going hungry do you?†You see, unless a halal option is offered, the unknown number of New York City’s schoolchildren who can only eat halal food will suffer eating either the vegetarian option that is already offered in the school system, or they will have to bring their own food from home. If the food is brought from home, it probably won’t still be hot by lunch time.
To shore up this argument, the director of operations for CAIR’s New York district, Sadyia Khalique, spoke at Wednesday’s press conference about the hardship she suffered growing up in the New York City school system without a halal food option.
“Growing up in New York City, I, along with many Muslim students, had to struggle during lunch with not having a proper halal meal for the day. The percentage of Muslim children in public schools is growing, and too many children are denied the nutritional benefits lunch would provide because of religious dietary restrictions. As a community, we have to make sure our children receive the best education in environments in which their religious beliefs and practices are respected. No child should leave a lunchroom or enter a classroom hungry.â€
Of course, there are other students in the New York City public schools who have religious dietary requirements. That would be Jewish observant children. The New York City public schools don’t offer kosher lunches and to date, no Jewish groups have marched themselves into the New York City council chambers demanding that there be a kosher food option.
The proposed legislation, which was introduced into city council on Wednesday, March 26, was referred to the Education Committee. No hearing date has yet been set.
The concluding clauses of the proposed legislation calls for action. Rather than suggesting that a survey be done about the numbers of students who might benefit from such a program, or a feasibility study on how the needs of the students could be met or even, what the costs involved in such a program might be, the city council members cut straight to the demand:
Whereas, New York City’s public schools should be required to offer lunch options that meet Islamic dietary laws, thereby ensuring that Muslim students are meeting religious standards and are not virtually excluded from the school lunch system; now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York calls upon the New York City Department of Education to provide a halal lunch menu option to students at New York City public schools. (emphasis added)
No word yet from the American Civil Liberties Union or any of the other organizations that typically do a quick burn whenever anything that smells like government accommodating religious requirements is announced.
CAIR’S New York office had more news about its recent legislative activities.
Its press release explained that CAIR-NY had already lobbied the New York state legislature to urge the passage of S6834. That proposed law would amend New York state education law to require any city in the state with over one million residents to offer halal food options in public schools during lunch.
Follow the money, die hard Islamists reject all vendors except muslim food wholesalers. can’t be 100% certain it is halal otherwise.
They're front groups for CAIR.
Self Evident Truth: Any immigrant coming here who doesn’t want to become an American and part of American culture is an invader by definition.
Fine. Local government, local decisions. Time to abolish the EPA lest this become national policy.
Bringing food from home that won’t still be hot by lunchtime??? HUH? Since when did sandwiches go out the door?
“Muslims want...”
They should enjoy their influence while it lasts. Because we are one or two muslim atrocities away from it being over.
Why don’t these parasites establish their own Islamic schools instead of mooching off the mostly Christian taxpayers? How many Muslims are eating “free” lunches as their families live on welfare?
Where is PETA?
Details of how halal food is slaughtered, are what is missing in this debate.
It’s also a guaranteed employment program for muslims who are involved in that process.
The story says the figure is 35 percent in Detroit.
Shop the very fact that Muslims refuse all integration means they have to be subsidized? That’s a helluva argument. And no republican can think of a response?
Nonsense.
Religious requirements do not impose a burden on the state. First we’re told we can’t practice Christianity in the name of the 1st Amendment. Now we’re told Islam has to be supported by the state in the name of the 1st Amendment.
This is Rule By Idiocy.
This is the problem we face when the state tries to take over every aspect of our lives. When I was a kid, you packed your lunch or you didn’t eat. There was no cafeteria. It wasn’t the school’s responsibility to feed children.
Now days, children could be educated at home through an Internet school. Let the parent feed them.
The claim is 12% of the students are muslim. Seems high considering this factiod.
Islam is the third largest faith in the United States after Christianity and Judaism.[1] According to a 2014 study, it is followed by 0.9% of the population,
” No child should leave a lunchroom or enter a classroom hungry.”.
I agree !!!!!!!!!
That’s why God made parents.
.
I still think they do meatless meal options during Fridays during Lent. So I don’t mind an option for them but not the entire meal. Give them a quick bite and be done with it.
“Detroit public school system where 35 percent of the students are estimated to be Muslim.”
WOW!!!! 35%??
Once halal food enters the school, it becomes a ancient Isalami holy site.... AllahuhaKabar
Once again, the Obama supported and DOJ-protected CAIR is out in front.
Obama may not have succeeded in making the Muslim Brotherhood the voice of political Islam in Libya, Egypt or Syria - but his efforts are succeeding in the USA.
Such arrogant guests to this country.
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