Christian pupils in a West Sussex comprehensive have been banned from wearing silver rings that symbolise their beliefs in chastity until marriage.
Millais School has ordered the pupils, in their teens, to stop wearing the purity rings because they are not included in the school’s official uniform policy, reports Daily Mail.Pupils at the all-girls’ school must adhere to the strict ‘no jewellery’ rule that allows small stud earrings as the only exception.
Fifteen-year-old Lydia Playfoot began wearing her ring to the school in June 2004 and her parents have been at war with the school in Horsham ever since, claiming that Lydia and up to a dozen pupils had been subject to punishment for breaking the rules.
Lydia criticised the treatment she had received from the school which led to her recent decision to stop wearing the ring.
She said: "My friends and I have had detentions and been taught in isolation for wearing the ring.
"I feel like I've been treated the same as someone who is caught bringing cannabis into school.
"My ring is a symbol of my religious faith. I think, as a Christian, it says we should keep ourselves pure from sexual sinfulness and wearing the ring is a good way of making a stand.
"I stopped wearing the ring because it was being made really difficult for me.
"I am sitting GCSE modules this year and I missed loads of drama lessons because the teachers would teach us in isolation."Lydia’s parents, 47-year-old housewife Heather and 49-year-old Phil, a minister in a nondenominational church, have defended their daughter’s right to wear the ring which comes from US evangelical movement Silver Ring Thing.
