Many practicing Hindus abide by dietary restrictions informed by their religious beliefs. Because school staff may not be aware of those dietary restrictions and those restrictions can vary, a student (or their parents) may need to request religious accommodation to have those restrictions recognized and respected.
Below, we discuss an example where religious accommodation should be requested and provide a template letter that can be used to request accommodation of dietary restrictions. Our template covers some common dietary restrictions observed by Hindus, but you should edit the final letter to accurately reflect your needs and religious practices. We also have resources that provide an overview of religious accommodations and include detailed guidance on how to request them for students
Example
A student who does not consume beef due to her religious beliefs asks the school cafeteria to prepare her lunch of “walking tacos” without beef. The walking taco lunch tray usually includes tortilla chips and individual serving cups filled with beef, beans, pico de gallo, and cheese. The school cafeteria denies the student’s request to exclude beef because district policy requires that a full lunch meal must include at least one serving of each protein, carbohydrates, and fat. For the walking tacos, beef is considered the protein and beans are considered a carbohydrate.
The student can request religious accommodation for her dietary restrictions. One potential accommodation is for the district to allow the cafeteria to serve the walking tacos without beef and consider that to be a full meal. Since the meal would still include a serving of protein (black beans), carbohydrates (tortilla chips and pico de gallo), and fat (cheese), it meets the district policy requirements. Alternatively, the school district could replace the beef and serve the meal with a different protein, either another meat or plant-based option that fulfills the student’s religious practice of not eating beef.
What’s most important is that the school engages in a discussion about options to ensure that the Hindu student is able to access school lunch just like every other student.
Sample Letter
Please make sure to fill out the form on the side so that the letter is automatically populated with your information.
[Date of Correspondence]
Re: Religious Accommodation Request (Dietary Restrictions)
Dear ,
I am writing to request a religious accommodation for my child, . Our family, including , practices the religion of Hinduism. As part of our religious beliefs and practices, consistent with Hindu Dharmic traditions, observes the following dietary restrictions:
I would therefore like to request religious accommodation of ’s dietary restrictions, as follows:
I would also like to provide additional context to help inform the school about Hinduism and the religious beliefs underlying certain dietary restrictions. As stated in the Hindu religious epic, Mahabharata: “Humans should take from this planet only that which is necessary for our survival.” Hindus who observe dietary restrictions (whether temporary or permanent), frequently do so consistent with religious teachings that although humans must consume organic matter to live, the consumption of certain foods requires harming other living beings (whether animal or plant life) and is therefore unethical. Relatedly, some Hindus follow these diets out of environmental concerns. It is within this religious tradition that our family observes its dietary restrictions.
Please note that additional information on Hinduism and dietary restrictions can be provided by the Hindu American Foundation, a nonprofit education and advocacy organization, which can be contacted at education@hinduamerican.org.
You are very welcome to reach out to me if you would like to further discuss this request. I can be reached at or .
With gratitude,
Signature
