British Girl Loses Court Battle to Wear "Chastity Ring" In School

A High Court in London has rejected a suit by a 16-year old high schooler who claims that her school's ban on jewelry violates religious freedom protections of the European Convention on Human Rights. Reuters yesterday reported on the decision that rejected Lydia Playfoot's argument that she should be allowed to wear her silver ring that is a symbol of her commitment to sexual abstinence until marriage. Lydia's parents are leaders in Britain of a group that encourages teenage chastity-- the Silver Ring Thing . Her West Sussex school allows exceptions for jewelry that is integral to religions beliefs, but they argue that Playfoot's purity ring in not integral to her Christian faith. (See prior related posting.)