Priory Integrated College rules stipulate that students may only wear ONE pair of plain earrings in each lobe. No other jewellery is allowed. Many students already have more than one ear piercing and some have other body piercings not limited to ears also.   Piercings are more popular than ever, so naturally young people are going to want them to help express their individuality, style and artistic nature, particularly when there is a strict school uniform code in place. I am not asking for special treatment or exceptions to rules, I am asking for the school to be reasonable on this issue and allow students to keep their jewellery intact providing it is covered with surgical tape, in order to comply with the schools policy on the matter; and I urge parents of Priory College pupils to support me and their children in appealing to the Head and the Board of Governors to exercise some leniency on this issue for the happiness and well-being of those students affected.I do not feel that an earring should be causing such a fuss in school, it doesn’t affect a students ability to learn or engage and if left alone in situ poses no risk to health. However the constant harassment, embarrassment and threats from teachers over this can be upsetting to pupils and cause damage to relationships with teachers, dislike school, withdraw and feel isolated from the school community as a whole. Now, whilst I respect that the school rules specify one set of earrings only, it is obviously not a health and safety issue but a purely aesthetic issue subject to taste. To suggest the removal of any further piercings is from a Health & Safety standpoint is thus farcical. Guidelines as disclosed by the Dept of Education NI does not specify any requirement for pupils to remove jewellery, neither does it suggest that jewellery will impair a students learning or impinge upon the schools identity. It does however suggest schools act reasonably and sensibly and consider the well-being of all students providing they do not pose a threat to security, safety or learning and urges schools to promote belonging, harmony and equality amongst all pupils. Furthermore teachers should be careful not to not give out false and dangerous information regarding piercings, removing jewellery and aggravating the site of piercing unnecessarily will lead to infection, jewellery left in undisturbed poses no threat to the health of the piercing and will reduce likelihood of infection. Forcing students to remove jewellery in unsanitary/unhygienic conditions is hugely irresponsible and dangerous, and could lead to serious infection or injury, this is a completely irresponsible way to deal with students particularly regarding piercings that should only be removed with the proper equipment in a sterile environment. Tampering with jewellery by anyone other than a trained professional is itself jeopardising the health and safety of that individual. Piercings themselves, by nature are not a health or infection risk, as they should always be carried out by a trained professional. The jewellery itself is made from sanitary metals and materials designed specifically to minimise any risk of infection. If jewellery is to be removed or changed (with parents consent) it is recommended an appointment be made with a professional to conduct any such operation. Recommending this be done by pupils themselves, in unsanitary toilets without supervision is highly irresponsible. Clearly Health & Safety is not the primary concern if this is a suggested solution. Any infections in piercings is normally as a direct result of jewellery being removed and re-inserted in unsanitary conditions. The jewellery itself is a sterile barrier within the skin that the skin heals around, removing this runs the risk of infection flaring up within the piercing itself and closing over, with the infection inside. To reiterate, I am not asking for special treatment or exceptions to rules, I am asking for the school to be reasonable on this issue and allow students to keep their jewellery intact providing it is covered with surgical tape, in order to comply with the schools policy on the matter, and I urge parents of Priory College pupils to support me and their children in appealing to the Head and the Board of Governors to exercise some leniency on this issue for the happiness and well-being of those students affected. Thank you for your support on this matter.