The U.K. High Court has ruled that a girl cannot wear her 'purity ring' on Monday, with the defendant saying she was disappointed with the court decision.
In a public statement Lydia Playfoot, who took her school to court for refusing to let her wear the ring, said the decision will mean people would be allowed to stop Christians from publicly expressing and practicing their faith.
"I believe that Mr. Justice Supperstone's decision will mean that slowly, over time, people such as school governors, employers, political organisations and others will be allowed to stop Christians from publicly expressing and practising their faith," she said.
Michael Supperstone, QC, sitting as a deputy High Court judge told the Times that the
Millais School was 'fully justified' in ordering her not to wear the ring since it did not breach her human right and thus the ban was not unlawful.
The 16-year-old defendant was resolute in saying why she needed to wear the ring where she outlined the current situation facing a teenage girl.
Playfoot said that over two years she was concerned at the number of teenagers who were catching sexually transmitted disease, getting pregnant and/or having abortions.
She continued saying that the government's sex education program is not working and the pressure from the media and her peers mean that more young people are 'giving in' to sex.
That is why she and another 11 Christian school girls decided to wear it to demonstrate their Christian faith and make a commitment to God and their future husband not to have sex before marriage, the statement said.
Playfoot told AP that she was considering an appeal.