Claims of "religiously prohibited food" confuse teacher

A controversy has arisen after a parent reportedly complained to a teacher about the serving of stir-fried sundae (Korean blood sausage) in school meals, asking, "If my child goes to hell, will you take responsibility?"

In response to this incident, citizens have expressed discomfort, stating it was "an excessive complaint," and among teachers, there is self-deprecating commentary questioning whether school meals should adhere to religious standards.

On the 3rd, a post titled "Will you take responsibility if my child goes to hell?" quickly spread across various online communities and social media. The post was reportedly written by an individual identified as A, who claims to be a current teacher.

In the post, A explained, "We served stir-fried sundae in school meals, and the kids really enjoyed it." However, A recounted that after school, a parent entered the teacher's office and firmly lodged a complaint.

"Our church prohibits eating animal blood… Why is it on the school menu?"

According to A, the parent complained, "Our church prohibits consuming animal blood, so why is food with blood, like sundae, served in school meals?" and challenged, "If my child goes to hell, will the teacher take responsibility?"

A stated, "The moment I heard that, the whole teacher's office froze," and expressed, "While we must respect religious freedom, should the school adjust the meal menu to fit a specific religion?" A added, "Now I feel like we need to write responsibility waivers for school meals concerning hell," expressing their exhaustion with what they called excessive complaints.

The story has been rapidly shared, generating both sympathy and criticism.

"Religion is free… but expecting school meals to accommodate that is unreasonable."

After encountering this incident, citizens reacted by saying, "If you won’t eat based on your beliefs, that’s your choice," "If you don't like it, pack a lunch," and "Don’t impose your religion on others." Particularly, there were pointed comments about how such complaints can significantly exhaust teachers, questioning the appropriateness of raising sensitive issues.

Some netizens claiming to be teachers remarked, "School meals are designed based on the nutrition and standards for the majority, rather than specific individual beliefs," and warned that if complaints based on specific religious standards continue, it could jeopardize the entire meal system.

Meanwhile, school meals are operated according to the standard nutritional guidelines and hygiene regulations set by the Ministry of Education, ensuring that the same menu is provided to all students, except in cases of specific allergies or medical conditions.

It is anticipated that this incident will reignite discussions about the boundaries between personal beliefs and public services.

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