A 15-year-old complained after teachers stopped him from wearing a colander on his head for a school photo.

A teen's claim that his human rights were breached when his school refused to let him wear a colander on his head for a school picture has failed to hold water.

The 15-year-old, from Auckland's Pakuranga College, claimed he was a Pastafarian and that the colander was religious headwear.

Pastafarianism is a religion created in the USA in 2005 to mock fundamentalist Christians who advocate teaching creationism in schools.

Also known as The Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster, it is legally recognised as a religion in New Zealand and in December was recognised as being able to officiate weddings.

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But the Auckland teen's bid to wear the traditional blue colander on his head as an act of religious piety strained the school rules.

ROSS GIBLIN/STUFF Karen Martyn is the first legal marriage celebrant, or "Ministroni", for the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster in New Zealand.

In a social media post, the teen recounted his attempts to convince a series of teachers to let him wear the colander, eventually ending up in principal Michael Williams' office.

The student said in his post that the school allowed "other students to wear headwear" in their photos.

In the end he was made to remove his colander for the picture.

Williams said the school had been "working with" the teen's family.

"It's all been resolved amicably and happily."

If the teen had decided to push his pasta claims, he could have had a case.

MARK TAYLOR Stuff NZ In 2017, Björn Oback wore a blue colander on his head during a citizenship ceremony at the Hamilton Gardens.

A Human Rights Commission spokeswoman said "people are welcome to complain to the commission if they think they have been discriminated against on the basis of religious or ethical belief".

The commission's website states everyone is entitled to have and express their own personal beliefs, including religious beliefs.

"The New Zealand Bill of Rights Act and Human Rights Act provides for the right to express one's religion or belief."

The student, however, has since commented underneath the original social media post, saying "I retract my statement completely and I apologise to Pakuranga College."

In December 2017, Björn Oback became the first Pastafarian to swear an oath of allegiance to New Zealand on the religion's holy book, 'Map of Treasures'.

The German-born biologist wore a blue colander on his head during a citizenship ceremony at the Hamilton Gardens.

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