DEARBORN, MICHIGAN, February 24, 2001: In this Detroit suburb where some grade schools are more than 90 percent Muslim, Dearborn schools do not serve food that meets Muslim dietary rules. This policy has prompted thousands of parents to demand cafeteria food that is “halal,” or permitted under Islamic rules. Halal laws are similar to kosher laws. Like kosher Jews, Muslims do not eat pork. Dearborn Public Schools is accepting proposals from halal food distributors to provide food at several of its 28 public schools. The district currently provides meatless lunches for Catholics on Fridays during Lent and eight years ago, they banned pork from lunches so Muslim children would not eat it by mistake. Many of the students eat breakfast and lunch at school.
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