School asking daughter to remove small cross despite religious symbols policy

[FanFckingTastic]

I'm looking for some advice and thoughts!

DD is 15 and at secondary school. She has always worn a small silver cross - at primary school this was never an issue (it was a church school) Up until this point it's not been an issue at secondary school either. The cross is very small and is tucked into her shirt so you would have to be really looking for it in order to see it. She always removes it for PE etc.

Last Monday her head of year saw the cross and asked her to remove it. My daughter replied that it was her cross, and that she didn't want to. She was then approached and asked to remove it every day for the remainder of the week, with increasing threats of sanctions if she didn't comply with the schools 'no jewelry' rule. My daughter kept reiterating that this was her cross, and asked the teacher to speak with me. Finally on Friday I received an email to tell me that my daughter needed to take her cross off.

I completely understand the new jewelry rule but wonder how this sits alongside the responsibility that the school has under the equalities act 2010. In their uniform policy it states that it will 'allow pupils to wear headscarves and other religious or cultural symbols' I would interpret this to include a cross too?

My daughter wears her cross as a sign of her faith and really wants to continue to do this.

Has anyone come across this situation before? If so, what was the solution?

Correct; I don't. I was speaking for myself.

There are some really sneery posters on this thread. As a point of information, wearing a cross is obligatory in some Christian denominations: https://www.lacopts.org/story/wearing-the-cross/
Many devout Catholics wear a scapular at all times.
I’m not in either of those categories but I’ve met people in both, here in the UK.

Thanks for clarifying. The statement wasn't made this way, initially.

This!!!!

No jewelry should mean no jewelry despite religion. If the school is allowing some children to wear jewelry that is connected to their faith, then I would fight it. If they're not, then it's just a blanket rule which should be obeyed. Religion/faith doesn't come in to it.

There is no compulsory requirement for head coverings either, it depends on how strict you are with your faith, just as the ops daughter is strict about wearing a cross

I’m an atheist, I hate religion in schools BUT in this case I think your daughter should be able to wear her discreet cross as a symbol of her personal faith.

tell the school it is symbol of her faith
remind them of their uniform policy with regards to religious symbols
quote the court cases that people have mentioned above

make your letter brief and to the point explaining that you will not be asking her to remove it and that you would appreciate any further communication going through you not your daughter.
you are not just fighting for her you are fighting for everyone to be able to express their faith reasonably.

Which Christians are actually required to wear a cross then?

I'm Catholic and I have never heard of this.

ETA: I've now seen the link upthread.

OP has said its not compulsory her daughter just wants to

Someone has posted a link above re: this, however, it's irrelevant.

Opinions and feelings on this site are immaterial.

Legal precedence has been set (as per another post above) and OP has a right to legal recourse, as a result.

Freedom of religion is a basic human right. As PP have pointed out, the courts have established that wearing a cross is a lawful expression of a person’s Christian faith.

It’s mind boggling how many intolerant, and ignorant, people there are on this thread.

Grow up! Only around 6% of the UK population is Muslim and some of those are white British! Your bigotry is absolutely astounding and you’re clearly being brainwashed by a certain political party!

This isn’t necessarily a solution but she might like one anyway - does she have a holding cross? Mine is made from olive wood by Palestinian Christians, about 7cm long. Makes a lovely little gift for a committed Christian teen, my dd had it sat on her exam desk too

Well she's going to look a right tit if she gets a solicitor involved and still hasn't asked the school for clarification.

If it's a no jewellery for anyone policy, this thread has been a complete waste of time.

Although possibly not for the OP considering the frothing it's caused from some posters.

Come on, re-read the post you’re quoting - the poster is obviously joking.

The world has gone mad. Speak to the Head directly, or write. Copy your MP.

If you'd read the article above, an institution stated "no jewellery" and LOST.

It helps to read everything and not pick and choose before commenting.

I agree that she should definitely approach the school for comment and let them dig themselves a hole or capitulate when they seek legal guidance.

Standing up for rights is not "frothing" but I notice this is the view when it's someone else's rights being infringed and not personal to the person making the frothing accusation.

But it isn’t though.

🤣🤣🤣

I’m a teacher and have worked in quite a few different schools. It’s very normal in my experience for a small, discreet cross to be exempt from the ‘no jewellery’ rule. I’ve never known a student not being allowed to
wear one. I don’t think the school is being reasonable here and as other posters have suggested, I’d ask for clarification on what they mean by ‘religious symbols’ in their policy, and how that applies to Christian students (I am not a Christian myself and have no particular axe to grind). It’s not the end of the world, but it does feel a bit unfair.

Honestly I’d send them something along the lines of the below:

Dear Deputy Head,

Thank you for your email regarding the "no jewelry" rule. I would like to formally clarify that Daughter wears her silver cross as a sincere expression of her Christian faith.

While we respect the school’s uniform standards, the school’s own policy states that it will “allow pupils to wear headscarves and other religious or cultural symbols." As a cross is a primary symbol of Christianity, my understanding is that it falls under this exemption and is protected under the Equality Act 2010.

Daughter wears the cross discreetly and removes it for PE to ensure health and safety requirements are met. If the school believes this specific symbol is excluded from the "religious or cultural symbols" exemption, could you please provide a written explanation as to why? Until then, I have told Daughter she may continue to wear it in line with your published policy.

Kind Regards

FanFckingTastic

Honestly if they allow religious or cultural symbols to be worn then they need to apply the policy consistently. That said decide first if you are happy to be “that parent” a bit over the issue first. If you are and this feels like your hill to die on then you are not unreasonable to push. You could also soften the tone a bit that you are confused why this is an issue given the policy and can they please clarify for you.

There was a nurse a few years ago
who went to court In order to wear a cross necklace. She was claiming religious discrimination or something. But it was t about that at all. Nurses have never been allowed to wear necklaces. The school
are not being unreasonable. Give her a small rosary to keep in her pocket.

These are quite discreet - tiny fish stud earrings. And the fish symbol is, well, symbolic, iykwim. Even if they lasted a day before confiscation, point made.

(Sorry about the massive link.)

www.etsy.com/uk/listing/4470199395/sterling-silver-jesus-christ-fish?ls=s&ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=fish+earrings+studs&ref=sr_gallery-1-12&organic_search_click=1&sts=1&loc=1&local_signal_search=1&content_source=727b1447-ebdb-4b02-b8f4-6efb68c81e13%253ALT0c284a509b6f3cbf004cfb757d535ff9a7200d91&logging_key=727b1447-ebdb-4b02-b8f4-6efb68c81e13%3ALT0c284a509b6f3cbf004cfb757d535ff9a7200d91

This is excellent- very well worded.

Why a rosary? The OP hasn’t said she’s a Catholic. And re: the case of the nurse, this has been covered up thread.