The Council on American-Islamic Relations Sacramento Valley/Central California (CAIR-SV/CC), a chapter of the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today applauded San Juan Unified School District for its halal-certified meal pilot program, calling it a powerful model for inclusive education that other districts should adopt district-wide.
[NOTE: “Halal” in terms of food refers to Islamically-permitted meals following guidelines similar to “kosher” for the Jewish community. Halal guidelines prohibit consumption of foods containing pork or alcohol.]
“When I heard that San Juan Unified is starting the halal burrito piloting program, I felt so good,” 12th-grader Takbirullah at Encina High School told San Juan Unified. “Now Muslim students like me will finally have more options to eat at school.”
The program, which began at Katherine Johnson Middle School last year, now includes halal-certified bean and cheese burritos across all San Juan Unified schools and addresses three critical needs:
Inclusion and Belonging: Students no longer skip meals or eat only bread and vegetables, allowing full participation in the social experience of cafeteria dining. As Nutrition Director Sneh Nair explained, “We want every student to feel comfortable eating in the cafeteria with their peers. Having choices helps students feel like they belong to their school community.”
Economic Relief: Families previously faced the added burden of packing separate lunches or worrying about children going hungry—costs other families don’t bear.
Bullying Reduction: When students share meals without having to explain dietary differences, they face less othering and social exclusion.
“Programs like this minimize bullying,” said Layli Shirani of CAIR-SV/CC. “The more included and visible you are in everyday school experiences, the less likely you are to be targeted based on religious or cultural identity.”
Parent Abdullah Saeed told San Juan Unified the move is “both culturally respectful and economically helpful,” noting it makes children “feel included and supported at school.”
CAIR-SV/CC commends San Juan Unified for piloting this important initiative and supports its continuation and expansion.
“We welcome the opportunity to partner with neighboring districts and the California Dept of Education in overcoming any barriers to the implementation of similar programs aimed at making school meals more inclusive and accessible to all students across the state,” said Reshad Noorzay, Executive Director of CAIR-SV/CC.
CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.
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CONTACT: Layli Shirani, Managing Civil Rights Attorney | CAIR-CA, Sacramento Valley
Phone: (916) 248-4926
Email: lShirani@cair.com
Web: https://ca.cair.com/sacval/contact