The case is a novelty in Finland.

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The National Equality and Non-Discrimination Court has ordered the city of Hämeenlinna to pay 1,500 euros in damages to a student who was forced to participate in a religious event last year.

“(The concert) turned out to be religious. The worst thing is the loss of trust in the school,” said the mother of the primary school student.

While Yle knows her identity, the mother is quoted anonymously due to the sensitive nature of the story.

According to the school, the event turned out to be different from what the organizers had initially promised.

Following the event, the mother took the matter to the National Non-Discrimination and Equality Tribunal, which declared the school guilty of discrimination and recommended compensation of 1,500 euros.

The board’s decisions are legally binding and can be appealed to the Administrative Court.

The Anti-Discrimination Ombudsman previously suggested compensation in two different discrimination cases related to school and religion. However, these recommendations, unlike those of the court, were not legally binding.

“They consider me a difficult father”

In Finland, schools are legally obliged to offer alternative events as long as they organize activities related to religious practices.

In Hämeenlinna’s case, the mother said she believed the school was trying to circumvent the law through inadequate communication. He claimed parents were not informed that the event was organized by a local congregation.

He told Yle that his decision to escalate the matter was not easy.

“I feel like I’m a difficult parent and the school doesn’t consider all beliefs equal,” she said.

Hämeenlinna Education Director Antti Karrimaa He said that while the school made mistakes, he doesn’t believe they did so intentionally.

The Anti-Discrimination Ombudsman’s office said an increasing number of people have been asking about issues related to religion in schools. Last year the office received 50 such inquiries.

“The number has quintupled in five years,” he said. Matti Jutilasenior specialist of the Ombudsman’s Office against Discrimination.

He said the rising numbers do not necessarily indicate an increase in discrimination, but rather a greater awareness among parents and children about their rights.

While the Hämeenlinna school blamed the organizer, Jutila of the Ombudsman’s Office said it was up to schools to ensure that events intended for all students did not include religious elements.

“Ultimately, the responsibility for events always lies with the education provider,” he explained.

Meanwhile, Karrimaa said the city plans to pay the fine.

“We will learn from this and know what to consider in similar situations in the future,” he said.

Currently, religious education is a mandatory subject in Finnish schools, with Lutheran evangelicalism being the majority faith. Students who do not belong to any religion may choose to study religious or ethics education. At the same time, students can also receive religious education about their own faith, as long as it is registered in Finland.

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