“I hadn’t done anything wrong.It just made me feel like a leper with some kind of disease”. - Sarika.

The case of Sarika Singh in South Wales excluded from school for wearing a Kara (steel bracelet worn by Sikhs). Asian Network Report explores whether all religious symbols should be allowed to be worn in schools alongside the school uniform.

Shabina Begum looks into why some some schools have a liberal approach and why others opt for a more rigid approach. She herself made the headlines back in 2005 when she won her appeal against her school - Denbigh High in Luton who refused to allow her to wear a jilbab.

While Sarikas’ family is waiting to go to court to be allowed to wear their religious symbol, Sathnam feels his religious identity was forced down his throat – in the end he rebelled. So too did Jobeda Ali, as far as she’s concerned religious symbols shouldn’t be allowed in the classroom and should remain in temples and mosques.
 
Producer : Perminder Khatkar