What A Kara On: Sarika Watkins-Singh Wins
SARIKA Watkins-Singh, aged 14, was reprimanded for breaking the “no jewellery” rule at Aberdare Girls’ School in South Wales. Although, in the interests of consistency, wristwatches and ear studs are permitted.
Sarika is a Sikh, and argued that her wrist bangle is central to her faith. She claimed to be the victim of unlawful discrimination. The matter went to court.
In court, Sarika’s lawyers say wearing the slim steel bracelet is as important to their client as it was to the England cricketer Monty Panesar. Mr Panesar has never attended a girls’ school in Wales, at least to the best of our knowledge.
Mr Justice Silber considers the evidence and rules that the bangle – known as the kara – is a symbol of her Sikh faith and not a piece of jewellery.
He says that the school is guilty of indirect discrimination under race relations and equality laws. There is much smiling and jangling of jewellery.
But what does it mean when God is allowed to encroach on schooling?
There are just six Sikhs at Sarika’s school. And one wonders if they now too must wear the kara to school to show that they are true believers?
Note: Sarika was backed by her family and not by a group of religious nutters.
Sakira is not Shabina Begum, then 16, who wanted to cover up 99 per cent of her body at Denbigh high school. Begum wanted to show commitment to her beliefs, something that would also show the institution’s other female Muslim students that she was more of a believer then them.
Begum was backed by Hizb ut-Tahrir, the organisation founded by mad-mullah, the Tottenham Taliban, the wire-bearded gurning loon called Omar Bakri Mohammed. Begum won her case. Then lost it on appeal.
Sarika can wear her bracelet under her uniform.
Posted: 29th, July 2008 | In: Reviews Comments (7) | TrackBack | Permalink
