One of the big problems in accommodating religion in institutions is that anyone can claim anything is their religion, and there is precious little that can be done to probe the sincerity of that professed belief.  The standard joke in prisoner litigation is the inmate who is a member of the Church of the Daily Steak, whose mandatory sacrament is a USDA choice filet mignon, medium rare, with mushroom sauce.  If the prison serves him USDA prime instead, that is a violation of the Constitution of the United States.

Well once again reality overtakes satire. A 14-year-old high school student in North Carolina claims that her nose stud is required by her faith in the Church of Body Modification, exempting her from the school dress code.  A federal judge actually bought it.  Emery Dalesio has this story for AP.