During Lent, the lunch ladies at my kids' public school make sure

[hedgehog]

the Catholic kids don't get meat on Fridays.

I'm going to the kitchen now to make some popcorn.

[babylonsister]

1. ...

:spank: :spank: :spank:

[WindRavenX]

at the dining hall I work at (at a Catholic university)...we always have a fish item

I remember my first year here where on Ash Wednesday I was very confused as to why people were walking around wearing smudges of dirt on their foreheads.

[WindRavenX]

7. btw

does anyone actually have a problem with this...? :shrug:

Seems like a 100% non-issue to me.

[hedgehog]

11. I went to the State University in my home town , Buffalo, which is

about half Catholic. There were a lot of us with Ashes on campus, which was extremely puzzling for the foreign students who'd never heard of any such thing.

[MountainLaurel]

54. I had that same reaction

In undergrad when my coworker came into the library with ash on his forehead. I told him he had something on his head, and he told me they were ashes: I then panicked because I thought his car had caught on fire, and that's why he had ash on his face.

This, despite growing up in a town where 3/4 of the residents were Italian and Catholic.

[Midlodemocrat]

2. I don't have a problem with that.

I'm Catholic, so my kids either buy the pizza or pack on Fridays. They usually pack every day, (well, I do it for them, :eyes:)

They buy when I've run out of bread or don't have cold cuts or chicken salad or something along those lines.

And, FWIW, at my daughter's elementary school, they serve cheese pizza every Friday all year long. This is not a Catholic area, by any means.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

3. I don't have a problem with that.

That's being respectful of people's religions. It doesn't endorse anything.

[Pirate Smile]

4. That's nice of them.

:)

They do at my kid's school too but it is a Catholic School so the surprise would be if they didn't.

[mondo joe]

5. But do they breast feed or circumcise them?

[Atman]

6. No issue.

I always remember fish being served on Fridays all during my school years. With so many Catholics in America, I really don't see a problem with this, since it doesn't hurt anyone. You shouldn't be eating meat every day anyway, especially the fried processed mystery offerings of so many cafeterias. So if you're going to serve fish one day anyone, might as well make it Friday. Everybody is happy.

.

[hedgehog]

15. I should mention that there generally is a meatlike substance on the menu.

I say meatlike becaue our school system relies on a lot of heat and serve items such as chicken fingers. It makes me wonder what ever happened to the surplus canned prunes my school always served when I was a kid.

[orwell]

8. Good for them...

...probably healthier for them anyway.

[Czolgosz]

9. How do the lunch ladies know who's Catholic and who isn't?

[Midlodemocrat]

12. I think it is the menu choice for the day.

At least it is at my daughter's school.

[Czolgosz]

16. So the lunch ladies at your kids' public school make sure no kids get meat on Friday, and they don't

treat the Catholic kids any differently?

[hedgehog]

21. No, I mean they refuse to serve the meat entree to the Catholic kids on Fridays in Lent.

They get the peanut butter or cheese sandwich, not the chicken fingers! We always thought it was a hoot since I never heard of any kid objecting. They took it more as a reminder than anything else.

[Czolgosz]

I think a reminder is fine, but if non-Catholics are getting meat and Catholic kids are requesting

meat but are being denied, that's certainly illegal. Of course, if no one objects, then that some indication that the violation is not one which offends the local sensibilities.

[Midlodemocrat]

28. Well, there aren't a ton of Catholics here in the first place.

My daughter is one of a very few. But, on Fridays, all year long, not just during Lent, the choices are cheese pizza or a chicken filet sandwich on a bun.

To adhere to the no meat thing, a child has to have made their First Eucharist, which is in third grade here, so they are old enough to know to pick the right meal at lunch.

[hedgehog]

13. It's a small town where everybody knows everybody else.

Not to mention that a lot of people are related.

In some words we drop the T, in others we add one, so our catch phrase is

"I'm from Ful'on, this is my cousint."

[Czolgosz]

19. So long as they teach a science in the science course, I'm not gonna fuss about Lenten menu issues

[Warpy]

10. So? I'd also expect them to make sure the Jewish kids don't get pork

and that there are vegetarian alternatives available for Seventh Day Adventists and strict Buddhists.

It's about feeding kids what the can eat, not promoting religion.

[T Wolf]

40. Exactly - sounds like a camel's nose under the tent kind of thing.

I used to have a live-and-let-live attitdue toward things like this. And growing up Jewish in the south, there were lots of opportunities to let-live.

But in the new world order the Christists are trying to establish, I have an automatic negative reaction to anything like this. What would have been a non-issue years ago is now another front in the war against those who do not believe in their god.

These people cannot be trusted. They have shown that their version of tolerance and accomodation is only for themselves.

[Dr.Phool]

14. My wife is Catholic, I'm not.

But she's gonna force me to eat those big king crab legs tonight for dinner.

Next Friday, I'll suffer through lobster tails!

[Bunny]

22. Oh dear god you poor man!

You must divorce her! At once!

:rofl: Wish I was going to be suffering like you. I'm going to my Mom's tonight - I'm afraid I'm in for a sumptuous meal of Mrs. Paul's fish sticks. :scared:

[Dr.Phool]

33. This thread made me hungry

And I picked up these Trident Ultimate Fish Sticks at Costco last week.

They're pretty good. Less breading, more fish.

I just popped a few of them in the toaster oven.

[sinkingfeeling]

45. But, but, you'll be violating the law of God. Leviticus 11:10

"But all in the seas or in the rivers that do not have fins and scales, all that move in the water or any living thing which is in the water, they are an abomination to you."

[hedgehog]

17. I am completely shocked - is there no righteous indignation at this

clear violation of separation of Church and State?

[GreenPartyVoter]

26. Sooo they should serve the Catholic kids meat and violate their beliefs instead?

This is catering to personal beliefs at a personal level, not force feeding Biblical doctrine. I'm not sure I would see a flamefest here over this.

[Goblinmonger]

30. Well

there is the fact that the kids could choose for themselves. Not saying they shouldn't have the option, but forcing it on them seems a little presumptuous on my part. But whatever.

[GreenPartyVoter]

34. I see what you're saying.

[Midlodemocrat]

29. No. At least by me, because no one is being forced to do anything.

The children who aren't Catholic aren't being forced to eat fish sticks or tuna casserole and the kids who are Catholic are just going along with their beliefs.

I don't understand why there would be righteous indignation over something like this. It's just a matter of respect, at least to me.

[nashville_brook]

31. eh, to me it's a polite gesture -- thoughtful, that someone would take the time

to recognize an cultural ritual.

okay -- i'll admit this -- i am FOOD OBSESSED. i believe that food is THE basic way we care for each other. it's a social exchange... a comfort... a means of recognition. learning the culinary habits of other cultures is perhaps one of the biggest joys in life to me.

the catholic traditions aren't what they used to be. they're mostly vestigial. so, imagine this in terms of Kosher rites. you wouldn't serve jewish children cheeseburgers. wouldn't that seem a little yechy -- to disregard someone's culture like that? would you serve hindu children beef stroganoff? vegetarian children pork chops?

this kinda gives me an "awwww" feeling. it's sweet.

[Czolgosz]

35. I'm not so sure this is a violation of the 1st Amendment, which is comprised of both an

anti-establishment clause ("Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion") and a free exercise clause ("or prohibiting the free exercise thereof").

Accommodating a religious menu preference has more to do with allowing for the free exercise of religion than establishing a state religion. If a Catholic kid wished to order meat for lunch, and the lunch ladies forbid him, that would be a different matter. Likewise, if a representative of some other religion asked for some reasonable lunch menu options to accommodate their religious dietary restrictions, and the school district made reasonable accommodations for one religion but not another, that too would be problematic.

[Bjornsdotter]

38. They should

...make all of the kids eat meat, even the vegetarians. :eyes:


To me this is a non-issue.....

Cheers

[DURHAM D]

18. I went through 12 years of public school in the midwest.

Never once had meat on the menu on a Friday even though the number of kids that were Catholic was about 2-3%. Just didn't seem like a big deal. Actually, it was a good way for everyone to learn a little tolerance.

[Critters2]

51. I worked at a Protestant church camp for a summer, in the kitchen

nary a Catholic for miles around. We always had fish on Friday. It was just an easy way to plan the menu.

[GreenPartyVoter]

20. And hopefully they make Kosher meals avilable to the kids who need them.

Very thoughtful of the school to provide for those who need a special diet.

[Tsiyu]

23. Where I grew up - upstate NY - we were always served fish on Friday

to make sure the Catholics were covered. It never bothered me; I like fish.

And this was a public school in the 60's.

As long as Muslim and Jewish kids (and any other faith/non-faith dietary needs) are covered, too, I see nothing wrong with this at all.

[nashville_brook]

24. that's kinda sweet -- but how do the lunch ladies know the catholics from the baptists?

do they also serve fish sticks on friday the rest of the year as my schools did when i was a kid?

[Rabrrrrrr]

49. It's tattooed on the back of their necks

:P

[originalpckelly]

25. Oh, that's sweet. I'm not a Catholic anymore, but that's a very nice thing to do...

because kids don't always know when to do it, and they get busy and forget. Good on them.

[madinmaryland]

27. I'm going to have a steak tonite, while my wife has cold cereal.

I'm not catholic, but my wife is.

:evilgrin:

[Goblinmonger]

32. What bothers me a little

about the lent thing is that we are not Catholic. We are vegetarian. My son (who was Catholic until he was 8--long story, different thread) said he was happy it was lent because now they would finally start serving cheese pizza on Fridays and he could take hot lunch instead of having to brown bag it everyday.

I have no problem with providing a special menu for those that need it, but in a very high percentage catholic town, they only provide the special menu for those that are catholic and nobody else. They can do whatever they want; I'm not arguing that, but it just kinda ticks me off that my kids get no options when there is no special reason to provide a similar option for the Catholics.

[treestar]

36. How do they decide who is Catholic?

Unless this is a request from specific parents it seems rather nosy to me. Some Catholics don't follow the rules.

[hedgehog]

41. They don't "decide", they know who is who either because they

know the family and/or because they've seen these kids at Mass since they were infants in arms.

[JerseygirlCT]

37. Don't get it, or have other choices?

It's not up to them to decide who will and won't partake. But it's good to make sure there are meat-free choices -- frankly good to do that all the time.

[RB TexLa]

39. You won't find any one getting meat on Fridays in Louisiana schools

unless they are allergic to fish and always get something else when it is served.

[htuttle]

42. Since it's Friday, I'm having my usual beef & pork hot dog...in a bun.

:evilgrin:

[Democrat 4 Ever]

43. We always had fish on Fridays in school growing up. All year long.

This was back in the day when Catholics didn't eat meat any Friday and not just during Lent. The thing that is interesting is this was a very Baptist community with an extremely small Catholic church (mostly people who moved into the community with jobs at the factory) with less than 150 parishioners where most of the kids attended a parochial school. I'm betting in my entire high school there wasn't more than 5-6 Catholic students.

Of course, that was back in the day when we also respected each other's beliefs and/or religion without demanding total and complete allegiance to any particular church. It was more live and let live and let's have fish sticks and macaroni on Friday. I wasn't a big fan of fish sticks but that was what was on the menu so bon appetite and chow down.

[htuttle]

44. Friday Fish Fries have become popular far and above just Catholics

In S.E. Wisconsin where I've spent most of my life, going out for a Friday Fish Fry had almost nothing to do with religion. It was something of a social event, plus you got a lot of delicious breaded cod for cheap (and all that yummy butter-soaked bread that always comes with it...).

[Critters2]

52. My parents went out for Friday Fish Fry every Friday since they moved to Wisconsin

The last several years always at the same place. Now that my dad is alone, he still goes, sits at the same table he and my mom always did. Says he still thinks of it as his quiet time with her, as it was when they ended each week this way.

And neither of 'em was Catholic---Friday Fish Fry in Wisconsin, it's not just a good idea. It's the law!!

[LeftyMom]

53. No condiments, right?

:evilgrin:

[alarimer]

46. I made a point to east meat on Fridays

Even though I was nominally a Catholic. My own way of rebelling. I was an atheist before age 10 so I always thought those prohibitions were silly. The only time I ever got in trouble always involved church somehow. I played hooky from CCD (which was after school). During one class on nuclear war (the Church was very anti-nuclear weapons then) I took a very right-wing, pro-nukes position (even though now I am very much anti-nukes) just to be contrary. I am not sure how I passed any of those classes since I never did any of the work they wanted me to do. I lied during Confession too. So I am guessing none of it really took.

[Mad_Dem_X]

47. You sound like a cool person!

My husband was raised Catholic, but no longer practices any type of religion (same as me). But he'll still try to avoid eating meat on Fridays during Lent. I laugh at him, but it doesn't bother me. We have seafood, which I like anyway.

[alarimer]

48. That was the only way I was rebellious in school

If I were still Catholic I would so be going to hell. I might still be, if I believed in hell. I just resented being told what to believe. Funny thing is, I still go to church when I am visiting my family at Christmas. I don't know why I don't just say "No, I am not going". Seems easier to go along somehow. It's only an hour out of my life. We joke about sitting in the back and leaving early though.

[hedgehog]

50. How comes this thread got kicked to the Lounge, but

"
1st Beaver spotted in NYC in 200 years"

is still in Latest news?

I'm not complaining, just mystified.