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| Senedd protest for 'bangle' girl | Senedd protest for 'bangle' girl |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| Protesters will voice their support for a teenager excluded from a Cynon Valley school for wearing a Sikh bangle. | Protesters will voice their support for a teenager excluded from a Cynon Valley school for wearing a Sikh bangle. |
| Sarika Singh, who is 14, has not attended Aberdare Girls' School since 5 November and a legal challenge has been filed in the High Court on her behalf. | Sarika Singh, who is 14, has not attended Aberdare Girls' School since 5 November and a legal challenge has been filed in the High Court on her behalf. |
| At Tuesday's cross-party protest AM Leanne Wood will call for revised school uniform guidance to be issued as soon as possible. | At Tuesday's cross-party protest AM Leanne Wood will call for revised school uniform guidance to be issued as soon as possible. |
| The Welsh Assembly Government said fresh guidance will be issued shortly. | The Welsh Assembly Government said fresh guidance will be issued shortly. |
| Aberdare Girls' School bans all jewellery saying the policy ensures equality. | Aberdare Girls' School bans all jewellery saying the policy ensures equality. |
| Before the protest at the Senedd in Cardiff Bay at 1230 GMT, the Plaid Cymru AM said: "I think the school has made a mistake in Sarika's case, which has been partly caused by the absence of clear Welsh guidance on uniform policy. | Before the protest at the Senedd in Cardiff Bay at 1230 GMT, the Plaid Cymru AM said: "I think the school has made a mistake in Sarika's case, which has been partly caused by the absence of clear Welsh guidance on uniform policy. |
| "I don't want to blame the school. I want to find a solution that other pupils and families do not have to go through this distressful process in the future," said Ms Wood the AM for South Wales Central said. | "I don't want to blame the school. I want to find a solution that other pupils and families do not have to go through this distressful process in the future," said Ms Wood the AM for South Wales Central said. |
| Ms Woods is also expected to call for a review of the powers of school governors to reduce the need for recourse to the courts. | Ms Woods is also expected to call for a review of the powers of school governors to reduce the need for recourse to the courts. |
| "In the past year I have dealt with a number of cases where constituents have had serious concerns about the decisions of school governors," she added. | "In the past year I have dealt with a number of cases where constituents have had serious concerns about the decisions of school governors," she added. |
| "I think there needs to be a serious look into the issues." | "I think there needs to be a serious look into the issues." |
| Sarika has been receiving tuition at home since her exclusion in November and is eager to return to school. | Sarika has been receiving tuition at home since her exclusion in November and is eager to return to school. |
| "The protest is for the Welsh assembly (government) guidelines, they've had four years now to look through them," Sarika said. | "The protest is for the Welsh assembly (government) guidelines, they've had four years now to look through them," Sarika said. |
| "They said they were going to issue them at the beginning of 2008, now 2008 is here we want to know where the guidelines are." | "They said they were going to issue them at the beginning of 2008, now 2008 is here we want to know where the guidelines are." |
| Aberdare Girls' School only allows ear studs and a wrist-watch | Aberdare Girls' School only allows ear studs and a wrist-watch |
| An application for judicial review of Sarika's exclusion is awaiting adjudication at the High Court. | An application for judicial review of Sarika's exclusion is awaiting adjudication at the High Court. |
| Campaign group, Liberty, made the challenge, saying the school had breached race relations and human rights laws. | Campaign group, Liberty, made the challenge, saying the school had breached race relations and human rights laws. |
| It said it also breached a decision made by the Lords which allows Sikh children to wear items representing their faith, including turbans to school. | |
| Sarika was excluded three times last term and was taught in isolation for two months before that. | Sarika was excluded three times last term and was taught in isolation for two months before that. |
| School governors rejected her request to wear the bangle after a "significant period of research" examining the uniform policy and human rights legislation in detail. | School governors rejected her request to wear the bangle after a "significant period of research" examining the uniform policy and human rights legislation in detail. |
| A Welsh Assembly Government spokesperson said there was no legislation specifically covering the wearing of school uniform. | A Welsh Assembly Government spokesperson said there was no legislation specifically covering the wearing of school uniform. |
| "Whether or not a school uniform policy unlawfully breaches the Race Relations Act 1976 is a matter for the courts," he added | "Whether or not a school uniform policy unlawfully breaches the Race Relations Act 1976 is a matter for the courts," he added |
| Sarika says the Kara is a symbol of her faith | Sarika says the Kara is a symbol of her faith |
| "School uniform and appearance issues, including the wearing of jewellery, are local matters for individual schools to decide upon. | "School uniform and appearance issues, including the wearing of jewellery, are local matters for individual schools to decide upon. |
| "Governing bodies are obliged to take into account race and sex discrimination legislation when deciding on a school uniform policy," he said. | "Governing bodies are obliged to take into account race and sex discrimination legislation when deciding on a school uniform policy," he said. |
| They are also encouraged to regularly review policies to ensure they are suitable for the needs of all pupils taking cultural differences into account, he said. | They are also encouraged to regularly review policies to ensure they are suitable for the needs of all pupils taking cultural differences into account, he said. |
| The assembly government is shortly to issue guidance on a range of issues associated with school uniform policies including equality, health and safety and discrimination issues, the spokesperson added. | The assembly government is shortly to issue guidance on a range of issues associated with school uniform policies including equality, health and safety and discrimination issues, the spokesperson added. |