Teen Loses Court Fight Over Chastity Ring

(AP)  A teenage girl banned from wearing a chastity ring in class lost a legal challenge Monday against her former school.

Lydia Playfoot had argued that the ban at the Millais School in Horsham, about 40 miles south of London, was an "unlawful interference" with her right to express her Christian faith.

But deputy High Court judge Michael Supperstone disagreed and supported her school's contention that the ring was not an integral part of the Christian faith.

Playfoot, 16, wears a ring as a sign of her commitment to abstinence from sex until marriage. Many Christian teenagers worldwide wear the rings, which were inspired by "The Silver Ring Thing," an abstinence program launched in the United States in 1996.

The ruling "will mean that slowly, over time, people such as school governors, employers, political organizations and others will be allowed to stop Christians from publicly expressing and practicing their faith," Playfoot said in a statement.

The school had said the ring fell outside its uniform policy, which makes exceptions for Muslims wearing head scarves and Sikhs wearing steel bracelets.

Playfoot's lawyer, Paul Diamond, had told the court that secular authorities, including school officials, "lack capacity to rule on the correct manifestation of religious belief" and the ban contravened Playfoot's right to religious expression.

Playfoot said she was considering an appeal.

[redfiveuk]

Typical of the stupidity that goes on in the UK on a daily basis. Moslem girls at the same school ARE ALLOWED to wear headscarf%u2019s and bracelets but a Christian school girl is denied the right to express her religious belief of remaining a virgin until marriage. As always in the UK its the native Brits that are penalised. When oh when will this politically correct rubbish end. We will either be forced to become Moslems or we will become very very right wing.

[gunnerv1]

I can Guarantee that if a Muslim wants to do something of this nature, they would bend over backwards to accommodate her.

[randalds]

If she needs a ring to remind her to stay a virgin then she has more problems then the one of the school letting her wear it.

[michellem99-2009]

I read it on the bbc site. I would not wear it. I felt bad she lost. But her walk with Jesus is personal. I can see the the eeason. It is worse here in Amreica. Even tho we have sep of church and state. I did said grace at table in school but no one heard me. I wore a cross next to my shin. Sinse the girls who are Muslin who wear head coving have all the girls wear uniform scarves with their school uniforms. She can wear it when not at school.

[toldyouso21]

She can't wear her ring but she like many other students can wear $200 designer jeans.
Freakin Liberals double standards.
They are determined to destory any good.
Posted by republic1776 at 06:56 PM : Jul 16, 2007

Try to get a clue. The girl lives in ENGLAND. She more than likely wears a school uniform as this is required in most public schools. That being said, this is not a business of Americans or of Democrats or Republicans. But from just a human perspective, people are trying to take repression and controlling others too far. No doubt the tone of this article did sound as if it was coming from the States but it is not. Looks like some barristers and judges in England are taking their cues from America.

Moslem girls were being denied their headcovers just last year with even Blair opposing them wearing them. But they should be allowed to, as should Sikhs and yes, little Christian girls who want to wear a small symbol of something. Crucifixes are not in the bible either, but they do represent the Christian faith now, for many people. School officials should concentrate on the clothing and leave the other accoutrements to each individual as long as they don't distract or harm anyone. This is about control and it is ugly even when the supposedly 'liberal' side does it.

[SIDNEYWILLIAMSMD]

Wrong: Schools systems err by permitting headdresses, scarves or other signs of religion to one group to the exclusion of others. Put the kids in uniforms and drop the subject. No foot washes, no prayer rooms, no altering the teaching of history, particularly the middle ages to avoid offending the islamics. The came to England and the USA to join the culture not role back history and turn the English and Americans into islamics, or did they? If they came with that attitude, and express dissatisfaction or disloyalty to the country, get the ships out and send the *********** back to the sand dunes from whence they came. Good riddance.

[beasia]

this isn't about her virginity...this is about christinan fundamentalism. so what if she wants to stay a virgin..i think its good, but it doesn't give her the right to break school policies regarding jewelry. It doesn't say in the bible that a girl has to wear that..in the koran, it does say that women must be covered.

[drummer94]

A young person trying to hold on to her values- a rare thing these days- and she gets slammed for it. When did this rock start spinning backwards?

[ladyd1800]

If she want's to wear a ring let her wear the ring. But don't knock the guy who wears a turban, cause that's his thing. Or the Wiccan who wears a pentagram (not satanist) because it's their thing. If it truely pertains to their religon what does it matter? As long as everyone can express their faith peacefully.

[olebd]

I bet she doesn't get asked out on dates :)