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'Bangle' girl case reaches court 'Bangle' girl case heard in court
(about 1 hour later)
The case of a schoolgirl sent home for wearing a Sikh religious bracelet is to be heard by a High Court judge. A bangle at the centre of a row between a Sikh girl and her school is not jewellery but a religious symbol, a High Court judge has heard.
Sarika Singh, 15, is in dispute with Aberdare Girls' School in south Wales, which says its "no jewellery" policy is fair to everyone. Sarika Watkins-Singh was banned from classes at Aberdare Girls' School in south Wales as she would not remove the bangle, which is a symbol of her faith.
Since February she has been attending another school at nearby Mountain Ash, where the kara is permitted. The 14-year-old claims unlawful discrimination.
But Sarika, who is backed by civil rights and Sikh organisations, says the kara is important to her religion. But the school says pupils are banned from wearing most jewellery. The hearing in London continues.
Last week, Sarika and her family took their case to 10 Downing Street, delivering a petition signed by Sikh and non-Sikh organisations. The hearing is looking into whether the decision of the school is justified.
Sarika, the only Sikh pupil at Aberdare Girls' School, was excluded in November after being taught in isolation for two months. The first day of the hearing heard the simple steel bangle is also worn by England cricketer Monty Panesar.
The school bans girls from wearing jewellery other than wristwatches and plain ear studs. Lawyers for the schoolgirl, who was excluded from Aberdare Girls' School last November for not removing the bangle, said the item - known as a Kara - means as much to Sarika as it does to the spin bowler.
The governors rejected her request to wear the bangle after a "significant period of research" examining the uniform policy and human rights legislation in detail. They said it is one of the symbols of their Sikh faith and not a piece of jewellery.
Human rights group Liberty claims the school is violating the Race Relations Act 1976, the Equality Act 2006 and the Human Rights Act 1998. Mr Justice Silber said he would like to see one of the bangles at some point during the hearing, which is scheduled for three days.
Monty Panesar also wears the bangle, which is a symbol of his Sikh faith
In the meantime, Sarika's counsel, Helen Mountfield, referred the judge to a photograph of Panesar wearing the Kara.
Before her exclusion from school, Sarika had been taught in isolation for two months.
The school, at which Sarika was the only Sikh pupil among 600 girls, does not permit jewellery other than wristwatches and plain ear studs.
In February, Sarika enrolled at Mountain Ash Comprehensive School, which allows her to wear the Kara, pending the outcome of her court challenge.
Her mother, Sinita, 38, has said that, although Mountain Ash is a good school, her daughter's education suffered as a result of the move and the stress involved in the run-up to her GCSEs.
Human rights laws
Last Friday, the family travelled to 10 Downing Street to hand in a petition calling on Prime Minister Gordon Brown to intervene in the matter "to show discrimination is totally unacceptable".
The petition gained the backing of 150 Gurdwaras - the main Sikh religious institutions - and over 200 Sikh organisations and 70 non-Sikh organisations.
More than 100 MPs have also offered support.
Human rights group Liberty, which is supporting Sarika's case, claims Aberdare Girls' School breached race, equality and human rights laws by not allowing Sarika to wear the Kara.
The governors of the school rejected her request to wear the bangle after a "significant period of research" examining the uniform policy and human rights legislation in detail.
In January, Rhondda Cynon Taf Council told the school's governors it would no longer give them any more support or financial assistance and confirmed this was continuing for the court case.In January, Rhondda Cynon Taf Council told the school's governors it would no longer give them any more support or financial assistance and confirmed this was continuing for the court case.
In the same month, the Welsh Assembly Government published new guidelines for school governors, saying they should take account of religious views and consider whether uniform policy interfered with the right to manifest a religion or belief.In the same month, the Welsh Assembly Government published new guidelines for school governors, saying they should take account of religious views and consider whether uniform policy interfered with the right to manifest a religion or belief.