Did This Lady Deserve To Be Sacked?

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2381769/Primary-school-dinner-lady-sacked-negligence-carelessness-idleness-accidentally-served-gammon-Muslim-pupil.html

A dressing down perhaps, it was not as if it was life threatening situation,
but sacked even after giving an apology, a little over the top I think, and I am not on my own apparently.

/// British Muslim groups said Ms Waldock's sacking was 'heavy-handed' and an 'overreaction'. ///

[EcclesCake]

Some, not all AOG.

[hc4361]

It seems there is a list of 40 children with dietary requirements at that school - must be hard to keep track of who can't eat what.

Would it be acceptable for those children to wear a badge, either colour coded, pictogram or word(s)? It would make it a lot easier for the dinner staff, especially for any relief workers.

I can see there would be a lot of objection to it but it could be done sensitively - obviously you couldn't stick a label on a child that boldly states Sikh, Muslim, Jew but No Nuts! Veggie! No pork! No beef! No dairy! No gluten! could be the answer.

[LoftyLottie]

The difference between local paper reporting and such papers as The Daily Mail, Fluffy. Local papers usually stick with facts as much as they are able.

[chrisgel]

I'm afraid this sort of thing is not uncommon. Quite often people get offended on behalf of a group that hasn't in actual fact complained. I realise that in this instance the parents complained but I feel that everyone else i.e. the school and the catering company have fallen over themselves in an effort to appear culturally and politically aware and correct.
The perceived effect of this of course is exactly the opposite of what should have happened and will just confirm the bias of people with a prejudice that Muslims are pushy and always complaining.

[hc4361]

AOG, not all Muslim girls have their hair covered. Some Sikh and Hindu girls might.

[mccfluff]

DM lifted it from cambs news, picked out the bits they wanted

[LoftyLottie]

Exactly Fluffy ;o/

And unfortunately gullible people believe everything they read and make what they will of it. I long ago gave up reading daily papers. Total waste of time and money.

[jim360]

On the face of it she didn't deserve to be sacked. Perhaps there were other incidents that have not been mentioned, and this was a final straw or something like that. Or, perhaps it was a massive over-reaction as sometimes happens when people try too hard not to offend. Either way, it's pleasing to see Muslim groups supportive of the dinner lady.

[sp1814]

This story simply doesn't sound right. There's something wrong here, and I can't put my finger on it. It seems like a massive over-reaction, and...and...it just doesn't ring true.

I'm with EcclesCake on this. I would like to see the story from another source. Immediate sacking after 11 years service?

Incidentally, have a look at the final quote (bizarrely) from Nick Farrage:

"I feel desperately sorry for her. If she'd served gammon to a vegetarian would she have been fired? I think not."

No, Mr Farage, but if she'd served peanut brittle to a kid with a nut allergy she would have.

[sp1814]

mccfluff

Have you got a link to the real story in the Cambs News?

[Mamyalynne]

Bottom of the previous page sp.

[mccfluff]

http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/Cambridge/Cambridge-dinner-lady-sacked-for-accidentally-serving-pork-to-Muslim-pupil-20130731115638.htm

sorry thought i'd uploaded it

[boxtops]

I think it's dreadfully heavy headed - it was a mistake and she admitted it. I am sure the hospital catering staff who served a pork sausage to a youngster in hospital a while back didn't get the sack.

[pusskin]

Sack her? Absolutely not! I feel sorry for the poor woman if the story is correct.

[sp1814]

Interesting...

The Daily Mail has lifted the story almost word for word from the following website:

http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/Cambridge/Cambridge-dinner-lady-sacked-for-accidentally-serving-pork-to-Muslim-pupil-20130731115638.htm

But the Daily Mail has omitted the following part of the story:

[i]It is understood Khadija’s parents Rumana, 33, and Zahid, 36, contacted bosses at caterers Lunchtime UK after hearing of the error at Queen Edith Primary School in Cambridge.

The couple said the school told them Alison wasn’t concerned about the error.

Rumana, 33, said: “The person there said the dinner lady didn’t care or wasn’t that bothered.”

But shocked Alison insisted: “That’s just not true. If I saw the parents today, I would say sorry.”[i]

So I now wonder how apologetic she REALLY was? I wonder whether her side of the story is 100% accurate?

I wonder...I wonder...

Cheers to the Daily Mail for once again proving that you should always check their stories against other sources...

[Barmaid]

I wonder whether there is slightly more to this than meets the eye:- "They continued: “Obviously we cannot provide all of the details surrounding the dismissal. However, as a general note, Lunchtime UK would not seek to dismiss any employee due to just one honest mistake.” "

It will presumably ALL come out at the tribunal hearing.

[jake-the-peg]

And what did the Headmistress who was 'obviously annoyed' say abouth the school 'not wanting her on site' ?

Well we don't know do we because we haven't got a quote there but the Mail has made sure to get one from Nigel Farage

Remind me what his involvement here is again?



Yes it does sound heavy handed doesn't it - rather makes me suspect that there might be some history here - there could be trouble between the catering firm and the school and she was a political casulty in that, there could have been a personal issue.

If there were some decent journalism being done we might have an idea

If we look at another report we see this interesting bit:

http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/Cambridge/Cambridge-dinner-lady-sacked-for-accidentally-serving-pork-to-Muslim-pupil-20130731115638.htm

The couple said the school told them Alison wasn’t concerned about the error.

Rumana, 33, said: “The person there said the dinner lady didn’t care or wasn’t that bothered.”

But shocked Alison insisted: “That’s just not true. If I saw the parents today, I would say sorry.”




Now this makes me think that the problem may have been what happened between the head and the dinner lady

Makes me think there might have been some cross words exchanged on both sides in the heat of the moment and this is what was at the bottom of this story.

[mccfluff]

the daily mail used to own our group. without fail they would cherry pick and uplift our stories, edit out the bits that suit and then run them online first, then into the daily if their was a lot of buzz about the story.

i've listened to a LOT of reporters moan about having their hard work used and edited to shift an entirely diff slant on the story

[boxtops]

Trouble is, some Muslims will eat pork (our friends eat bacon sarnies) - perhaps the child did at home, so wanted the gammon - nightmare for the caterers......

[lozzer50]

No ! its ridiculous. hope she appeals , wins and then tells them where to stick their job. She has been treated appallingly