Facts
On October 25, 2006, the Tunisian national A. requested the City School Board of the City of Schaffhausen to exempt his two sons X. (born 1995) and Y. (born 1997) from the compulsory swimming lessons at the U. Primary School (5th and 4th grade, respectively). The competent district school authority rejected the request. The Education Council of the Canton of Schaffhausen also dismissed the appeal filed by X. and Y. against this decision. The complaint filed with the High Court of the Canton of Schaffhausen was also unsuccessful.
By way of a public law appeal, X. and Y. request the Federal Supreme Court to set aside the decision of the High Court.
Considerations
The Federal Supreme Court acknowledges that the obligation to participate in co-educational swimming lessons constitutes an interference with the religious freedom of the appellants. However, the public interests in gender equality, the integration of foreigners, and the provision…