Religious row erupts as school goes Halal

Angry parents have accused school governors of meddling in meals and denying their children the right to choose. Kingsgate primary school in West Hampstead has decided to only serve up Halal meat for school dinners because around three quarters of the pupils are Muslim.

Monday night’s decision follows consultation with parents in which 77 per cent responded in favour of going Halal. But parent Jacqueline Gomm from West End Lane said she was shocked by the decision. She said: “I’m absolutely furious, I feel that I cannot let this happen. I sent my kids to this school because I don’t want them to be affected by religion.

“We can’t force our culture on someone else because that’s not right so we shouldn’t have someone else’s culture forced on us. The little culture that we have is being lost. I don’t know any other country that would do the same.”

Hampstead & Highgate Express, 2 February 2007