The Board of Grievances in the Eastern Province is to look into a complaint brought by a Saudi man against the Girls' Education Administration in Al-Ahsa for attempting to stop his daughters wearing body piercings. The girls were reportedly warned that they would have marks deducted for poor conduct if they continued to wear the piercings. The father of the pupils claims the Education Administration is in violation of Ministry of Education regulations which he says do not ban piercings but only “accessories and excessive ornaments”, adding that if piercings are to be banned then the ban should also apply to wristwatches and ear-rings. Sources at Al-Ahsa Girls' Education Administration said that the school administration has noticed an increase in the popularity of piercings on girls' faces, a fashion they describe as “imitating their counterparts in the West.” School sources added that if one girl was permitted to wear piercings then all the girls would have to be allowed.
