BERLIN, June 19 (Xinhua) -- Parents of a 13-year-old boy in a northern German town have been called to court for preventing their son from visiting a mosque in a class trip, according to local media reports.
The parents, from Germany's northern town of Rendsburg, made the decision for their son for fear of "religious indoctrination," arguing no one can be compelled to enter a religious building, local newspaper Schleswig-Holsteinische Landeszeitung reported on Sunday.
The mosque lies about 100 meter away from the Kronwerk Gymnasium.
The school first issued a 300 euro fine for them but was rejected and the parents are set to appear in court in August.
The incident stirred wide discussions in the local media.
According to the school administration, the planned geography class trip was meant for the students to learn about "the orient."
Rector of the school Renate Fritzsche explained that "It is an important goal of our education is to awaken the willingness of the children to face foreign cultures and to tolerate them."
