A 14-year-old Sikh girl, Sarika Singh, from Cwmbach, south Wales, has won a High Court discrimination claim against her school after it excluded her for breaking its "no jewellery" rule.

The Aberdare Girls' School taught Sarika in isolation and then suspended her for refusing to remove her Kara. She lost nine months education.
She'll be allowed to return to the school in September wearing her Kara ... if she chooses to do so.

The Kara is made of iron and is plain and is clearly worn for religious reasons rather than as fashion.

The judge rejected claims by the school that the bangle, which he said was less obtrusive than some watches, could be seen as a "symbol of affluence."

He said many watches which were allowed at the school were more expensive than than the simple plain steel Kara.

Liberty, which backed Sarika, argued the school had breached race relations, equality and human rights laws

They said it also contravened a 25-year-old law lords' decision which allows Sikh children to wear items representing their faith, including turbans, to school.

Anna Fairclough, the Singh family's solicitor, said: "It's a shame that each generation has to fight the same battles. This battle was already fought 25 years ago and Sarika shouldn't have had to go through that again.

"Our great British traditions of religious tolerance and race equality have been rightly upheld today."

Background:

The Sikhs were commanded by Guru Gobind Singh at the Baisakhi Amrit Sanchar in 1699 to wear a steel slave bangle called a Kara at all times.

This was one of five articles of faith, collectively called Kakars that form the external visible symbols to clearly and outwardly display ones commitment and dedication to the order (Hukam) of the tenth master and become a member of Khalsa.

The Kara is a constant reminder of the Sikh's mission on this earth. The Kara is usually worn on the right hand.

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