Sikh Girl Wins Kara Court Case

[WILDSINGH]

http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/UK-News/S...s%2527%2BSchool

[Anonymous_kaur]

:D

[republicofkhalistan]

Thats ok

finally people will stop screaming about this :D

[cool water]

:D ye

[Harmeet_Singh]

No suprise. Common sense prevails, however i imagine newspapers like teh express and mail wont be covering it to favourably tommorow.

[rupinder singh]

And now that she can wear the "bangle", I hope she finds it easier to keep the kes too.

[JarnailS]

wjkk wjkf

nice one...

little surprissed to see that every comment is full of racisms by the gorey.

wjkk wjkf

[humkire]

And now that she can wear the "bangle", I hope she finds it easier to keep the kes too.

can some of you quickly go to the sky news website website and post some positive comments about this judgement . u scroll down'' http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/UK-News/S...7%2BSchool'

if u scroll down there ,you will find some non sikh people are passing negative comments against this judgement that has just been passed down .so go on there and add some comments to enlighten people about the central importance of the kara to sikhs .

i meant go the sky news website ,then to breaking news ,then to this particular story ,and scroll down till u reach the comments section and there add some comments about the sikh kara

[Mike Singh]

A Sikh teenager has won her High Court discrimination claim against her school which excluded her for breaking its "no jewellery" rule.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/7529694.stm

Sarika Singh, 14, from Cwmbach, south Wales was excluded in November 2007 from Aberdare Girls School for refusing to take off a religious bangle.

The school claimed its no jewellery policy was fair to all.

A High Court judge in London ruled on the controversial matter after reserving judgement last month.

Sarika says the Kara bangle - a slim steel bracelet - is important to her as it is a symbol of her Sikh faith.

As a result of the judgment, Sarika is allowed to return to Aberdare Girls School in September, wearing the Kara.

Her lawyers had told Mr Justice Stephen Silber that the Kara was as important to her as it was to England spin bowler Monty Panesar, who has been pictured wearing the bangle.

I'm so happy to know that no-one else will go through what me and my family have gone through.

Sarika Singh The judge declared the school was guilty of indirect discrimination under race relations and equality laws.

After the judgement, Sarika said: "I am overwhelmed by the outcome and it's marvellous to know that the long journey I've been on has finally come to an end.

"I'm so happy to know that no-one else will go through what me and my family have gone through and no other pupil will ever get banned from wearing their Kara again.

"I just want to say that I am a proud Welsh and Punjabi Sikh girl."

Sarika's mother, Sinita, 38, added: "We are over the moon. It is just such a relief."

Mr Justice Silber said he had been told the Kara bangle was regarded as vital to the Sikh religion.

It denoted the "God's infinity" he said and was effectively a "handcuff to God."

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.

The school banned Sarika Singh from wearing the Kara He commented: "In this case there is very clear evidence it was not a piece of jewellery but to Sarika was, and remains, one of the defining focal symbols of being a Sikh."

He said his decision had already been made known to the school authorities who had agreed to Sarika returning at the start of the next term in September when she will begin preparing for her GCSEs.

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 very common sense judgement that makes clear that you must have a very good reason before you interfere with someone's religious freedom and ethnic identity.

"No such reason was forthcoming in this case.

"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.

"The courts made clear that schools should protect pupils from being bullied and not ostracise them for expressing their beliefs."

A spokesperson from Rhondda Cynon Taf council said it had been informed of the High Court's judgement in the case and it would "be working with the school's governing body to ensure Sarika Singh's continued education."

[cool water]

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.

The very fact that law lords decision was made 25year's ago regarding similar case should have made this case a non-starter and the school libel for prosecution for breaching race and equality laws a long time ago.