AN eleven-year-old boy has missed five weeks of school - because he had his ear pierced.

Special needs pupil Paul Cowley, of Dove Drive, Bury, was told not to return to St Gabriel's RC School, unless he took his earring out.

The school, which has different dress codes for boys and girls, allows girls to wear earrings, but not the boys.

Mum Julie explained: "Paul asked me at Christmas if he could have his ear pierced. At first I said no, but when I picked him up from school one day, I noticed lots of the other youngsters wearing them, so I let him have it done."

She wrote to the school, explaining that Paul had had his ear pierced, and would need to keep the new gold stud in for a number of weeks.

But during the second week back at school, he was told to take it out.

"I went to see his teacher at the end of January to explain the situation," said Mrs Cowley. "But she told me that Paul would have to leave unless he took his earring out. I said I had seen lots of other children wearing them, but I was told that was none of my business." Refusing to back down, Mrs Cowley kept Paul off school for five weeks. When he returned on Tuesday, still wearing his earring, he was taken out of class and made to continue his work alone in the school hall.

Mrs Cowley's partner Mr James Nixon added: "This is sexual discrimination. If the girls can wear earrings, why can't the boys?

"They are making a mountain out of a molehill."

A spokesman from the school said: "The school does have a high standard of uniform and this has been explained to Mrs Cowley on several occasions.

"The school endeavours to affirm its approach to all pupils to maintain these high standards."

But Mr Nixon said: "We've only got three years to go until the 21st century, but by the sound of things, St Gabriel's haven't reached the 20th century yet."

ZMeanwhile, following the intervention of Bury's education department, Paul has been told he may return to school with a plaster covering his earring. He will be allowed to wear the earring until the healing process is complete, and must then remove it.

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