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The Kent, Washington school district has changed their food
options and removed all pork products, in order to accommodate Muslim
dietary needs according to a frustrated parent. Dave Brabo, a resident of
Renton, Washington recently expressed his concerns with the new policy to
school officials.
Specifically
Mr. Brabo spoke with the school’s Director of Nutritional Services, Tom
Ogg, who informed him that “he was well aware of the issues (and the
slippery slope) with the changes to menu options due to Muslim religious
beliefs, but he said lots of Muslims had complained and threatened the
school by reporting them to the U.S. Department of Education.”
Mr. Brabo
was told that if the school system doesn’t “accommodate the Muslim
dietary needs that their federal and state funding would be cut or
pulled.”
He was told
that the school system may be doing this in order to better accommodate
incoming refugees.
The
administration also told Mr. Brabo that they were obligated under the
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to "reasonably
accommodate" this religious group’s needs. He was told that it’s for
documented disabilities (physical or cognitive) and not for religious
exceptions.
This school
district is removing pork products from their menu, and labeling all
food, so Muslims can know if any food item has pork in it. This
modification affects no other religious affiliation.
Mr. Brabo
was also told by Mr. Ogg, the school principal, and two nutritional
service employees to “drop it and they were fearful of reprisal from the
School District Administration and that funding would be cut if we didn't
fall in line.”
This is unacceptable. If there is enough backlash to
this ridiculous new policy, the school system will listen. But you
must speak up!
Pertinent
contact information is noted below:
Kent School District
12033 SE 256th St
Kent, WA 98030-6503
Phone (253) 373-7000
Dr. Calvin J. Watts, Superintendent
Tom Ogg, Director of Nutritional Services
This type
of ridiculousness will continue to occur in school districts all across
this country unless we speak up now and do something about it.
Working
together and speaking in unison, we CAN make a difference!
Let them
know that you do not agree with this decision and they should not allow
one group or religion to dictate the food choices for all students. This
is outrageous and completely unacceptable.
Thank you
for all that you do. If each of us does just a little, together we can
accomplish a lot.
Always
devoted,

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