French Ban Vegetarian Meals in Schools

[Random User]

French Ban Vegetarian and Vegan Meals « saawinternational

It seems the nightmare stereotyping has become a gruesome reality in France with a new piece of legislation that makes meat eating law, forcing French meals in Schools, hospitals and old peoples homes to always contain meat and animal products.

If you needed any more proof that President of the Republic of France, Nicolas Sarkozy, isTotally Bonkers then here is the icing on the cake. The French President has made it effectively illegal to be vegetarian in France in a move to counteract Paul McCartney’s Meat Free Monday initiative.

Following a law voted last year by the French Parliament, similar decrees will be taken shortly regarding almost all forms of catering from kindergarten to hospital, prisons and retirement homes. Vegetarianism will then have effectively been banned for a large part of the population.

A governmental order issued on October 2, 2011 has determined that all meals served in school canteens in France must contain animal products, and that meat and fish will be served at a certain minimum frequency. This implies that by law from now on no vegetarian can eat at any public or private school in France.

The European Vegetarian Union EVU say

"The Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, which is binding on member states including France, holds that: Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion. This right includes freedom to change religion or belief and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or in private, to manifest religion or belief, in worship, teaching, practice and observance.
The public debate regarding animal rights and the moral status of animals is active in France as in many other countries. Citizens are entitled to choose freely where they stand on these issues, and those who believe that they cannot, in conscience, accept to eat animals must not be discriminated against.
A government cannot settle a philosophical, ethical and political debate by restricting the rights of those who disagree with its own positions. For years, the official policy of the French government has been openly hostile to vegetarianism. The French agriculture minister, Bruno Lemaire, declared in January 2010 that the government’s aim in determining its public nutritional policy was to defend the French agricultural model and specifically to counter initiatives such as those of Paul McCartney calling for a reduced consumption of meat."

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[CaptHayfever]

Can kids still bring lunch from home? Or buy a la carte items?

And remember, "I'm-a Luigi, number one!"

[Random User]

I'm assuming that kids can bring their own vegetables and stuff to school, since it doesn't really say anything on that. Not sure on a la carte.

[Dizzy]

I say we punch him.

[Deku Trii]

Always nice to be reminded that the US doesn't have a monopoly on western industrialized wackiness.

[Valigarmander]

This story is from October.

A law was passed on 3 October which obliges school canteens feeding more than 80 children to adhere to minimum nutritional requirements, setting in stone how much protein, iron, calcium and fresh fruit schoolchildren should be given.

Schools now have to provide meals which include a protein element with accompaniment, such as rice or vegetables, a dairy product (for example cheese or yoghurt) and either a starter or a pudding. The protein can be cheese but a dairy product is also obligatory as a separate element.

So while the new rules do not explicitly ban vegetarian meals, Brigitte Gothière of the vegetarian association L214 says they make it clear that the state believes all sources of protein should come from animal, not vegetable, products. On a 20-meal cycle, a minimum of four meals must include "quality meat" and four "quality fish," and on the other days, egg, cheese or "abats" (offal) should be the main dish. Isabelle Dudouet-Bercegeay, president of the Association Végétarienne de France, says: "It's a case of 'If you don't want your child to eat meat, don't use the canteen.'"

Vegetarian groups in France argue the decree could mean schools offering vegetarian meals are breaking the law, while they effectively make veganism at school impossible. In a statement protesting against the decree, L214 says: "The government has brought the law into school catering, imposing a model based on a high consumption of animal products and banning vegetarianism."

In response to the protests, Matthieu Grégory, food adviser to the minister, told le Parisien the decree fits in with national Nutrition Santé (nutrition and health) plans and offers a "balanced diet." He said: "Menus with a substitution can continue to exist if towns adhere to the decree. We will look at this on a case by case basis."

[Kargath]

It's not a measure to ban vegetarianism, it's to stop government meal suppliers skimping out on important stuff.