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High Court fight over no-sex ring school ban
Last updated at 12:17pm on 22.06.07
Chaste: Lydia wearing the ring
A girl of 16 went to the High Court in London today in her battle to wear a Christian "purity" ring at school.
Lydia Playfoot says it is a vital part of her faith - a sign she will abstain from sex until marriage.
She claims her secondary school, which allows Muslim and Sikh students to wear headscarfs and religious bracelets, is breaching her human rights by banning it.
Lydia, who goes to Millais School in Horsham, West Sussex, said: "It says I'm going to stay sexually pure until I'm married. In the Bible it says you should remain sexually pure and I think this is a way I want to express my faith."
Her father Phil, a pastor at Kings Church in Horsham, said: "She's not living out our beliefs or wishes, it's something she wants to do for herself. I think she represents thousands of young people around the world who have made a similar commitment."
Lydia is one of a group of pupils at the school who want to wear the silver ring which is engraved with a biblical inscription.
But the school says it breaks its ban on pupils wearing jewellery. The non-denominational school also argues the ring is not an integral part of her faith. She has not worn the ring in classes since April but is taking the case to court so that they did not "think that they had won". Her legal fight is being funded by friends and individual donors.
Last year BA backed down after banning a member of staff from wearing a crucifix on a chain at Heathrow.
The Appeal Court upheld a ban on Muslim Shabina Begum wearing a jilbab at her London school.
Reader views (16)
I think it is a refreshing change to hear of a young girl who wishes to express herself in such a harmless and simple way. The school wants to back off...
- Jeremy Newman, Leeds, UK, 22/06/2007 17:17
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Personal morality is nothing to do with a bauble on the finger.
If you are a religious person, look to what is in your heart, not the adornments that you wear.
- Angelina, London UK, 22/06/2007 16:03
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It's time we spent less time thhinking about what to ban and more time teaching pupils something useful.
- Paul, London, 22/06/2007 15:49
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When I was at school 50 years ago jewellery was banned for health & safety reasons. Rings can get caught in doors and rip your finger off - don't believe me, wait until it happens to you.
- Janet, London, England, 22/06/2007 15:42
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In a country where teenage pregnancy and abortion rates are sky rocketing, and the government is intent on giving free cervical cancer jabs to twelve year olds because they make the not unreasonable assumption that in today’s climate of moral relativism many of them will be having unprotected sex with several partners during their teens, shouldn’t we – and the school - be supportive of and encourage this girl’s stance, rather than trying to knock her down?
- Ben, London, 22/06/2007 15:31
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As a quoted above I dont really see the harm in wearing a small sliver ring and in fact believe this should acutally be more encoraged, we have one if not the highest teenage preagancy rate in Europe! We seem to caught up in respecting everybodys faiths apart from our own. I think she's a good example of a young person today and I hope she wins her right to express herself whether it be wearing a small ring or else wise.
- Stephen, Plymouth, 22/06/2007 15:19
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It may be P.C gone silly but she has a point, if Muslim and Sikh students can wear headscarfs/religious bracelets and it be allowed for religious reasons why should her religion be discriminated against!
- Lee White, Bristol, 22/06/2007 14:03
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Ban all regilious clothing/jewellery in schools. They can wear what they want outside of school hours but when they're at school there should be no public displays of faith whether it be headscarves or crosses or rings or veils.
- Isabel, Woking, England, 22/06/2007 13:57
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This is outrageous. When I was at school the uniform code was no jewellery and there were no exceptions to that. Nice, simple, no problems. Why do people keep confusing things? Either you don't have a uniform or you do.
- Suzanne, London, 22/06/2007 12:57
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It's a disgrace, court time, column inches and more importantly my time in reading such nonsense!
- Andy, London, 22/06/2007 12:50
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What a load of rubbish. She deserves to be fined for wasting public money - ridiculous this has been allowed to go this far. This country truly is pathetic.
- Struan, London, 22/06/2007 12:32
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Ban it. It's an expression of personal intent not engagement in established religious practice and as such equates with the jilbab decision under UK law. In school uniform terms it shares the same status as visible piercings and youth tribe regalia.
- Elspeth, London, 22/06/2007 12:12
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Rules are rules, and discipline is something that kids need to be taught more of these days. As the ring isn't an essential part for Lydia's faith she doesn't need to wear it. I think she's making a fuss over nothing.
- Helen, London, 22/06/2007 12:04
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It's disgraceful, another example of the PC brigade gone too far the wrong way. If Muslims can wear a veil then why can't this poor girl wear a ring? I don't see how wearing a ring can really do any damage. Good luck in court.
- Tracey, London, 22/06/2007 12:00
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I think the girl should be allowed to wear the ring as it doesn't pose any threat or cause her any difficulty in her education. It's quite harmless really and if that is the girls belief then so be it. I think it's a completely different situation to the veil.
- Mary, Kilburn, 22/06/2007 11:29
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There is no need for the girl to wear ring just as I think there is no need for the a veil to be worn to school. Both of these rules are there for very good reasons and they should not be bent for anyone. Another classic example of PC gone mad.
- Suzie, Wandsworth, 22/06/2007 11:21
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