Purity ring ban discriminates against Christians, says pupil

A TEENAGE girl accused a school yesterday of discriminating against her Christian faith by banning her from wearing a “purity ring”.

Lydia Playfoot told the High Court she was unlawfully prevented from wearing the silver ring — her evangelical family is at the centre of the “Silver Ring Thing” movement — symbolising her Christian belief in chastity before marriage.

The Millais School in Horsham, West Sussex, stopped her and several other Christian girls from wearing the rings on the basis that the uniform code did not allow the wearing of jewellery at the school.

But Muslim and Sikh pupils had been allowed to wear headscarfs and religious bracelets.

The 16-year-old said the non-denominational school “does not afford equal rights to Christians”.

In a written statement to the High Court in London, she said: “Many teachers are aware of the ethical and moral crisis among young people who are not given any direction. Sexual problems among the girls are not uncommon.”

The girl, who joined the Millais in 2002 and leaves in a few days’ time, said since she had been at the school other girls had become pregnant and had babies.

The Silver Ring Thing is a movement which educates young people “on the issues of sexual purity”.

Millais school head teacher, Leon Nettley, said there had been no discrimination.

He said the ring “is not a Christian symbol, and not required to be worn by any branch within Christianity”. A Muslim girl had been permitted to wear a headscarf “as it was understood this was considered to be a requirement of her faith” and the school believed to do otherwise would unlawfully breach her human rights. Two Sikh girls had been allowed to wear a Kara bangle on a similar basis.

Judgment was reserved until a later date.