The parents of a 12-year-old boy say their son has been banned from wearing earrings to school because he is not a girl.

A pupil at Gozo College in Victoria, was told to remove his studs and warned that if he put them on again, they would be confiscated, according to his mother.

The young boy's experience has prompted Education Minister Evarist Bartolo to investigate updating a general school policy on piercings.  

His mother, Cathrin Soiland-Mills, claims that during the first week back at school after the holidays, a teacher told her son to take out his earrings and said that only girls wear them. 

He went home upset and feeling that his gender was being questioned. 

The banned earring.The banned earring.

Ms Soiland-Mills claims that despite a school policy against piercings, girls are allowed to wear earrings, while boys are not.

She has written to the school head Tereza Camilleri to complain that the move breaches Malta's equality laws.

“They can’t teach children all about equality and to embrace everyone for who they are, and then turn around and tell them you can’t wear two diamond studs because you have a penis while those who have a vagina can wear earrings and hoops right up their ear," Ms Soiland-Mills told Times of Malta.

A spokeswoman for the Education Ministry said the issue was "nothing to do with gender discrimination" and was instead about "standards one finds in different areas in society.”

She said there were restrictions across all genders on jewellery in schools because of safety concerns but that each school had the power to "implement this policy in the most effective way it deems appropriate".

However, Education Minister Evarist Bartolo, also contacted by Ms Soiland-Mills on the issue told her: “We’re looking into updating such policies.”

The conversation between Evarist Bartolo and Cathrin Mills on Facebook messenger.The conversation between Evarist Bartolo and Cathrin Mills on Facebook messenger.

The boy's father has written emails to the school head, to try to find out why his son is banned from wearing earrings. 

In one email, he writes: "It clearly states in Maltese law that equal rights are permitted in Malta. Your stance in this matter defies that code by discriminating against boys. This is what I wanted an answer on: why is one sex allowed [to wear earrings] and the other one not?”

However, Ms Camilleri did not answer their question and simply referred the parents back to the policy. She added: "I will not reply again with regard to this topic."

Nobody from Gozo College was available to comment when contacted by Times of Malta.

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