R (Begum) v. Headteacher and Governors of Denbigh High School

Shabina Begum (plaintiff), a 16-year-old Muslim student at Denbigh High School, sought to wear a jilbab (a loose-fitting gown) instead of the shalwar kameez option offered under the school's dress code, which had been developed with input from local mosques, parents, and community groups to accommodate religious and cultural diversity across three uniform options; school officials (defendants) denied her request, citing the policy's goal of fostering social cohesion while respecting religious differences. Begum sued alleging a violation of rights incorporated from the European Convention on Human Rights; the High Court ruled for the school, the Court of Appeal reversed, and the school appealed to the House of Lords.