POLITICAL CORRECTNESS

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Some parents complained after children at Oakwood School, in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, were told this year's Christmas dinner would be only chicken slaughtered in the halal tradition. It is understood that a handful of parents initially complained to the school, which has 1,070 pupils, of which around 20% are Muslim. Now headteacher Jan Charters has decided to offer a traditional turkey alternative.

Mrs Charters said, "Having listened to the concerns of some of our parents, we have agreed to provide turkey as an alternative along with the halal chicken and the vegetarian option so that we can hopefully cater for everyone. Our aim, as it always was with this event, is to make sure that everyone, regardless of their faith and background, can come together at this time of year and enjoy a traditional celebratory meal in our community." (Source: Mail on Sunday, Nov/06)

The British Red Cross claims a "Naughty Nurse" cake on sale at Asda breaks the Geneva Convention on war crimes and officials want the cake banned because "lives may be lost". Its lawyers noticed the £7.98 cake, shaped like the bust of a nurse in a white uniform, featured the Red Cross logo.

Michael Meyer, the charity's head of international law, wrote to Asda saying, "It has been brought to our attention that a red cross emblem appears on a cake. Those responsible may be unaware that use of the red cross emblem is restricted under the Geneva Conventions for the Protection of War Victims. Unauthorised use of this sign in the United Kingdom is an offence."

He added, "The red cross emblem is an internationally agreed symbol used to safeguard the wounded and sick, and those who seek to help them in a totally neutral and impartial way. If the red cross emblem or similar signs are used for other purposes, no matter how beneficial or inconsequential they may seem, the special significance of the emblem may be diminished and potentially, lives may be lost."

An Asda spokesman responded, rather tongue-in-cheek, "We had no idea the red cross on her uniform could put lives at risk. However, this is a serious issue. Asda will be changing the colour of the cross from red to orange as soon as possible, spurred on by the knowledge we are making the world a safer place." (Source: Sunday People, Oct/06)

Sue Cruickshanks was at work as a volunteer at a stray dogs charity when a 4x4 vehicle struck her dog in the car park of the Dogs Trust kennels at Shoreham, West Sussex. The driver stopped briefly but then drove away, without leaving any contact details, as Mrs Cruickshanks nursed her dying pet. She reported the incident to police but was told that there was little they could do.

She discovered the incident had been captured on CCTV at the kennels and asked for a copy to identify the number plate of the vehicle. She was told she could not have a copy from which she hoped to enhance the film to reveal the registration number - it would breach the Data Protection Act. Mrs Cruickshanks said that when she reported the matter to the police they said they could only investigate if she gave them the registration number because the accident happened on private property. (Source: Daily Telegraph)

Police officers were banned from eating bacon butties by their own bosses at a Muslim festival, for fear of causing offence. Two chief inspectors were worried the bacon and ham content would offend Muslims who do not eat the meat for religious reasons. Caterers had provided the snacks for police at the Islam Expo event at Alexandra Palace in North London but the chief inspectors ordered them to be returned to the station at Tottenham.

Sir Iqbal Sacranie, secretary-general of the Muslim Council of Britain, said, “There is no question of any Muslims being offended by police officers eating bacon sandwiches. People are free to eat whatever they want.” Former Scotland Yard Flying Squad Commander John O’Connor added, “Trivia like this is offensive to Muslims because it portrays them as extremists and intolerant. Stupid decisions like this just put pressure on the Islamic community because it segregates them.”

A Met spokesman said, “It was decided to exclude pork because of concerns visitors might see an officer eating a bacon or ham sandwich.” Commander O’Connor added, “The senior officers who made this decision deserve a kick up the backside.” So who's going to do it, Mr O'Connor? (Source: The Sun, Jul/06)

Bournemouth Council announced plans to fly a rainbow flag for a gay pride festival, days after refusing to raise the Union Jack for the Queen's birthday. Town hall chiefs said no staff were available to hoist the national flag because the Queen's official 80th birthday was on a Saturday. They said they would have had to bring in at least two workers to raise the colours on a flag pole outside the town hall and then take it down again but they confirmed they will be saluting the gay pride event even though that falls over a weekend.

Bournemouth Borough Council claimed it would have breached flag protocol had they left the Union Jack up over the weekend. But according to flag flying experts that is not the case. A spokeswoman for leading flagpole suppliers Harrisons, said, "Historically with military buildings, the etiquette is to raise the Union Flag at dawn and lower it at dusk. But there is no problem on other buildings to leave it flying. We fly the flag 24 hours a day on our office building." A spokeswoman for Bournemouth Borough Council said they hoped to raise the Union Flag for the Queen's next birthday.

She said, "As the Queen's Official birthday fell on Saturday, it was not possible to follow the protocols for flying the Union Flag, however we are seeking advice on the possibility of having these protocols relaxed for non-government buildings such as town halls so that in the future we could raise the flag on a Friday and take it down the following Monday. We are going to be flying the rainbow flag for the Bourne Free Pride Festival. It will go up on Friday and come down on Monday." (Source: Mail on Sunday, Jun/06)

The publisher of Enid Blyton books, Barbara Stoney, backed by the Enid Blyton Society, has condemned changes introduced to make the books more palatable to today’s readers. Dame Slap has become Dame Snap, who now scolds naughty children rather than giving them a smack. Bessie, a black character with a name associated with slavery, is now a white girl called Beth, while in the Far Away Tree stories Fanny and Dick have been changed to Frannie and Rick.

In The Adventurous Four, the characters’ names are changed from Mary and Jill to Zoe and Pippa, supposedly to bring it up to date. Ms Stoney said, “I just wonder where it will stop. Do we start updating Jane Austen next, or Dickens?" The rigid gender divisions in the Famous Five and Secret Seven series have also been swept aside, with both sexes expected to do their fair share of domestic chores.

“I say” has been replaced by “hey”, “queer” with “odd” and “cookies” replaces “biscuits” in an attempt to appeal to the American market. In the 1980s, many of Enid Blyton’s stories, in which Noddy was intimidated by golliwogs, gypsies branded as thieves, and housework the preserve of girls, were banned from libraries and school reading lists amid accusations of sexism and racism. (Source: Times Online, Jun/06)