UK girl Sues Over School Purity Ring Ban

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A TEENAGE GIRL who was banned by her school from wearing a 'purity ring' – which significes her stance on sex before marriage – is taking her case to the high court today.

Lydia Playfoot, 16, is one of several pupils at the Millais School in Horsham, West Sussex, who wear rings engraved with a verse from the Bible as a sign of their belief in abstinence from sex until marriage.

But she was told to remove her ring or face expulsion and now claims her secondary school is breaching her right to express her religious beliefs under article nine of the Human Rights Act. The school allows Muslim and Sikh students to wear headscarves and religious bracelets.

The school denies her claim, saying the purity ring is not an essential part of the Christian faith. Ms Playfoot told the BBC that the jewellery was intended to symbolise 'her Christian commitment to sexual abstinence until marriage'.

The teenager is thought to be part of the Silver Ring Thing, a sexual abstinence programme which originated in the US and uses music events to encourage young adults to remain celibate until marriage. The rings are usually worn on the third finger of the left hand and are tokens of their vows to remain celibate.

Teenager sues school over chastity ring - Marie Claire - news and celebrity photos, fashion and beauty advice, plus horoscopes, travel, food and competitions