Go to this one describing English school systems' decisions to remove hot cross buns from the menu this year:
Officials in the London borough of Tower Hamlets decided to remove the buns from menus this year after criticism over its decision to serve pancakes on Shrove Tuesday. A spokesman for the Labour-run council claimed that there had been "a lot" of complaints but did not have a figure.
The spokesman added: "We are moving away from a religious theme for Easter and will not be doing hot cross buns. We can't risk a similar outcry over Easter like the kind we had on Pancake Day. We will probably be serving naan breads instead."
Naan bread: a traditional Indian bread. From an apparently totally secular Indian culture. Someone over there needs to get busy and find some instance of Naan bread used in a Hindu religious ceremony, don't you think?
In the past, invidivual schools have taken the decision to not serve hot cross buns, but this is the first time local authorities across the country have imposed blanket bans.Liverpool council, which is controlled by the Liberal Democrats, also told The Telegraph that the symbol of the cross had the "potential to offend" and buns will no longer be served to children.
Well.....1 Corinthians 1:17-25. Yup.
Despite this ruling, the council confirmed that it will continue to organise special menus to celebrate events as diverse as the Chinese New Year, Italian National Day and Russian Independence Day.
Other councils not serving hot cross buns include York, where Labour is the largest group, and Wolverhampton, which is Labour-run. Officials in Wakefield, which is also controlled by Labour, have decided it would be more appropriate to tailor the Easter menu to information technology.
Yes. Absolutely the first thing that pops into my mind if I'm looking for an alternative way to think about Easter. INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY. Fits the age, I suppose. But still...how does one "tailor a menu" to INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY? I guess everything we've ever heard about British cooking is true, after all.
"We are not serving hot cross buns at all," said a spokesman. "Each term we try to come up with a menu which encourages children to think about different issues. This Easter term we chose information technology and did not even consider putting hot cross buns on the menu."
Ann Widdecombe, the Conservative MP and former shadow home secretary who is a Roman Catholic convert, described the ban as "appalling and absurd". "These people are silly asses," she said.
Heh.
