A sausage saga: UK publisher bans pork references in children's books
In an attempt to make educational books more friendly to practicing Jews and Muslims, Oxford University Press publishers are banning any mention of pigs, bacon, or sausage in their youth books.
By JPOST.COM STAFFAnimated pig(photo credit: INGIMAGE)
Schoolbooks will not be allowed to publish references to pork, for fear of offending Muslims or Jews.According to a speech made Monday on BBC Radio 4, a leading educational publisher, Oxford University Press, is banning the reference to pigs, sausages, or anything pork-related in their books.The wife of the 'Today' program's presenter, Eleanor Updale received a letter from the publishing company after pitching an idea for an educational series, the Daily Mail reported."Among the things prohibited in the text that was commissioned by OUP [Oxford University Press] was the following: Pigs plus sausages, or anything else which could be perceived as pork," she was quoted as saying.The Jewish Leadership Council said in response that "Jewish law prohibits eating pork, not the mention of the word, or the animal from which it derives."British-Muslim Labor MP Khalid Mahmood was also quoted by the Mail as saying, "I absolutely agree. That’s absolute utter nonsense. And when people go too far, that brings the whole discussion into disrepute."The publishing company defended its decision by claiming that these bans will help make the books accessible to as many people as possible.
