Ramadan "Lunch" Rooms

Submitted by J Ruberry (United States), Nov 25, 2004 at 23:00

In the Palos/Worth area southwest of Chicago, Muslim students in public elementary schools are given their own room to sit in during Ramadan, so they won't become overly stressed by sitting in a room seeing other kids eat. I sympathize with the kids, who wants to be famished AND THEN have to endure watching others eat???

Problem: Does this violate church/state separation? Also, I'm under the impression that pre-puberty Muslims do not have to fast during Ramadan (a wise move) according to Muslim tradition, but I'm hearing younger kids are "voluntarily" following the Ramadan fast.

Physically speaking, fasting cannot possibly be helpful to an elementary school kid. And how much (or little) will a fasting kid in class during the month long Ramadan period?

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