The mother of a schoolgirl suspended from class for wearing religious images on her lapel has said that her daughter will still be wearing them on her blazer when she returns on Monday, despite the fact that the action could lead to her expulsion.

Catrina McDermott (15) was suspended from St Eugene's College in Roslea for two days this week after she refused to remove a St Patrick's badge and a guardian angel badge from the lapel of her blazer.

Catrina's mother said the badges had given the 15-year-old strength in the face of alleged school bullying. She said she was now considering taking legal advice.

"She thinks that if she removes them then you would think she was ashamed of religion and what she stands for," Mrs McDermott said.

"It is a Catholic maintained school, there is nobody she is offending, but all I can put it down to is religious discrimination."

She said Catrina had worn the badges for four years before the school had banned all emblems after many pupils began wearing them.

Mrs McDermott claimed her daughter battled borderline anorexia following school taunting and religion gave her comfort.

Dr Martin Knox, Principal of St Eugene's, which is a mixed sex school of 215 pupils, said this was purely a uniform-based matter.

"This is not a faith-based issue," he said. "The parents say she wears these badges to protect her as part of her faith.

"My response to that is that she can still wear them on the inside of her blazer and she will still get the same protection afforded.

(GC)