The Swiss and Italian parents of a daughter in Ticino cannot send her to an English-language private school because lessons are not taught in Italian.

The Federal Supreme Court ruled a Ticino cantonal law does not violate the freedom of language when it requires obligatory school years to be taught in Italian.

Exceptions in the law can be made for temporary residents of the canton.

The parents argued their child would benefit from English lessons in the first grade and her Italian would not suffer because they speak the language at home.

The court ruled, in general, the public interest of preserving the Italian language overrules private interests of parents.