My daughter was banned from school lessons for the smallest of reasons

A mother is facing court action and could ultimately lose her job over her refusal to accept a school fine after her teenage daughter was banned from lessons for having her ears pierced.

Last May, Helen Gent was shocked when she arrived home to find her 14-year-old daughter Lucille had been taken out of class and put into isolation.

The teen had arrived back to Magnus Church of England Academy in Newark after half-term wearing 'tiny' stud earrings, but was informed after the fact that they were against the school's uniform policy.

Despite explaining to the school that the earrings needed to be kept in for 6-8 weeks to avoid infection, Ms Gent says that Magnus Academy still refused to allow her daughter back into the classroom.

The 45-year-old took Lucille out of lessons for five days to homeschool her, but she returned the following week wearing plastic studs instead, with no further issues raised by staff.

However, when the next school year started Ms Gent received a letter from the school accusing Lucille of accumulating 'unauthorised absences' and stating she had been fined £60, which would would double to £120 if not paid within 28 days.

Despite the prospect of the fine increasing and possible court action though, Ms Gent is refusing to pay the fine as she claims the absences were enforced by the school and were not her choice.

Having now received a court summons, Ms Gent recalled the incident, arguing: 'I took her to school to register for classes every single day of those five days, and they refused to let her into class.

'It was not a case of me taking her on holiday, I took her in and they refused her. How is that an unauthorised absence'.

Labelling the school's decision to pursue the incident to this degree an 'overreaction', Ms Gent shared how her confusion as to why her 'straight A student' daughter was being treated in such a way.

With the case currently before Nottinghamshire Crown Court, Ms Gent was forced to hire a solicitor.

Discussing the prospect of potentially having a criminal record over her daughter's choice of jewellery, Ms Gent expressed her outrage, saying: 'the result of me having a criminal record could prevent me from getting employment in the future and it could even affect the job I do currently.

'I'm a taxi driver, I work with vulnerable children and adults. I have got a clear DBS check because of working with children and adults.

'But it's required as part of my taxi licence, if I then have a criminal record, I would have to ask permission from Newark and Sherwood District Council to set that aside so that I can continue my work as a taxi driver.

'If they decide not to do that, I would be unemployed - this is absolutely ridiculous.'

Ms Gent has previously branded Magnus Academy's uniform policy as 'sexist, archaic and irrelevant', claiming that the state-run school is subjecting students to a 'Victorian-style authoritarian policy'.

The bewildered mother went on to add that wearing earrings is a part of British culture and 'isn't relevant to a child's learning ability... Even the NHS has revised its policy to allow stud earrings, because they recognise it doesn’t prevent their staff from doing their work and is not a health and safety obstacle'.

Responding to Ms Gent's comments, a Magnus Academy Spokesperson stated that the schools uniform policy was clearly visible on its website and that the guidance has not changed in over six years.

The spokesperson added that the school refrains from exclusion over uniform breaches, instead 'working with families' to resolve issues quickly whilst also providing 'full teacher support for them to complete work elsewhere within the school'.