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Question: Every Friday during lent our school won't serve meat because the Christians can't eat it, but we get a choice of a salad or yogurt instead of the main meal. Is that violating the separation from school and state rule?

Answer: There is no reported law in Arizona topic, but this is how a court might rule:

The United States and Arizona Consitutions prohibit the state from entangling state functions with religious functions. In other words, the government cannot promote or interfere with religions.

If the school is a private, non-federally funded school, then the school can engage in religious practices if the school wants to do so. If a school is government run or is federally funded, the school must be sure to follow the law on separation of church and state.

Using federal funds to promote a religious practice in a public school would not be allowed. However, if a specific practice exists for a secular (non-religious) reason, and if it neither promotes nor inhibits a specific religion, it may be okay. An example would be discussing religion in a class on the history of all world religions.

A public school that serves no meat products on Fridays during Lent (a Christian practice) may not be in violation of the law as long as the school doesn't require everyone to eat lunch there and doesn't otherwise promote Christianity as part of that lunch service. The practice doesn't violate any other religion's practices, doesn't force anyone to eat in the cafeteria, and may have a secular purpose. It is possible, for example, that the school chooses to serve meatless meals to prevent waste given that many students choose not to eat meat during Lent.

Keep in mind that, because there is no specific law in this state on this issue, a court might hold otherwise if a lawsuit were filed to stop the practice. Then appellate courts would get involved until a final decision was reached. A court cannot decide the issue unless someone challenges the practice in a court of law.


Comments
1 thru 5 of 8 comments
On 08/07/08
Hannah from AL said:
I'm Christian. I can eat meat.
On 02/13/08
Gary from OH said:
Wow... we have some pretty poor grammar out there. I have a great idea though! Instead of complaining about the food served in school, how about you try paying attention in English 101 and then you might be able to contribute to society without looking like an idiot. Oh, and by the way, separation of church and state was intended to protect religion from government, not government from religion. The government cannot have an official religion but it is perfectly fine for American's to choose a religion. Why wouldn't a school conform to a large number of it's student body?
On 04/05/06
blank from Othr said:
What?! I'm a Christian and I can eat meat on Friday. Thoes who are Catholic can't or shouldn't eat meat on Fridays.
On 03/12/04
Jean-Luc from Othe said:
Lent is only 40 days, which consists of 7 Fridays out of the whole year in which meat is not served at lunch. Get over it! Bring your own lunch on those days. You do not have to observe a meat free day. It would be the same as a jewish kid complaining about "hotdog day" because he/she doesn't eat pork. It's silly.
On 02/27/04
Julius from CA said:
The original post did not suggest that the school was "pushing" a religion on the students. The person wrote (paraphrasing) "...the school serves meatless lunches during Lent." Serving meatless lunches does not equal serving religion. There is a clear difference in the two sentences. There is a cost factor involved here. If the majority of the school is made up of Christians, then economics dictates that it would be foolish serve meat if there's no one to eat it. Just as it foolish to serve hot dogs in a public school with a predominant Jewish student body.
1 thru 5 of 8 comments



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