A teenage girl lost her legal battle for the right to wear a chastity ring in class after the United Kingdom's High Court ruled the school's ban did not constitute "unlawful interference" with her Christian faith.
Lydia Playfoot, 16, had challenged the ban imposed by Millais School in Horsham, saying the ring was an expression of her Christian faith and commitment to abstain from sex until marriage.
Playfoot was among a dozen other girls that had worn the chastity rings until the school ordered them to remove them saying that it violated the uniform policy.
Deputy High Court Judge Michael Supperstone ruled in favor of Millais School saying it did not breach the Human Rights Act.
"The claimant was under no obligation, by reason of her belief, to wear the ring," Supperstone reasoned.
The High Court judge rejected the arguments of Playfoot's attorneys that wearing the ring was an expression of faith in the same category as head scarves for Muslims or steel bracelets for Sikhs.
In a statement, Playfoot said that she was "very disappointed" by the High Court decision. She stated her belief that 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."
Lydia Playfoot's father, Rev. Philip Playfoot agreed, saying, "This country is tolerant of any views except those of Christians." He added that his daughter's case was a "microcosm" of what is happening to Christians in the UK.
The Playfoots will have to pay £12,000 towards the secondary school's court costs, along with their own, unless they can successfully petition the appeals court to hear the case.
