The policies at The Swan School in Summertown were criticised by a parent, who said her daughter 'came home hungry' after the academy opened on Monday.
In what is thought to be a first for an Oxford state school, the new secondary has a completely vegetarian canteen and pupils have no alternative but to eat the hot meal on offer, although there are a couple of meat or fish options available for snacks during break time.
Commenting on this paper's website, one mother said: "The only thing about this school is the vegetarian food - my daughter came home today very hungry.
"I've heard that a lot of children were very hungry as well - there should be option at dinner time [to] eat meat, I've never known a school to be like this."
However, prominent environmental campaigners and even celebrity chef Jamie Oliver have praised schools for shunning meat.
Speaking to The Herald Scotland last week about his new show, Meat-Free Meals, Mr Oliver said: "The idea of schools going veggie is a brilliant idea - it would save loads of money."
Headteacher Kay Wood said: "We have chosen to serve vegetarian meals at lunchtimes for three main reasons.
"Firstly, it allows us to serve better quality meals for the same money. Secondly, there are huge environmental and sustainability benefits.
"Most importantly, it allows students of all faiths and different dietary requirements to eat together."
She stressed the decision to provide vegetarian meals 'isn't a judgement of people who eat meat or an attempt to make our students vegetarian.'
Ms Wood added: "Packed lunches are not banned because the students might bring in meat - we don't allow them because we want all the children and staff to eat together and engage at lunchtime.
"Everyone is working really hard to make sure the food is delicious and nutritious.
"It goes without saying that we are committed to making sure students are not hungry - we offer free breakfast every day for all students."
Comment: All these narratives essentially amount to 'here's why we're forcing your children to adhere to our ideology'. Vegetarian meals aren't "better quality" than meat containing meals, they aren't better for the environment and having meat-free options for those whose faith or ideology eschew meat is a perfectly acceptable option. Forcing everyone to eat vegetarian because some people might be vegetarian is leftist snowflakery. And the idea that packed lunches somehow lessen students ability to engage with each other or staff is just silly. ...read more>>>...
