BERLIN, April 20 (UPI) -- The German government has drawn fire for sidelining Jewish and Muslim groups from an agreement with Christian churches focusing on teaching kids values.
The "alliance for upbringing" was called for by Family Minister Ursula von der Leyen, who aims to work with the country's protestant and catholic churches to develop guidelines for family and public institutions on raising children.
"In the interest of the neutrality of the state, it is absolutely imperative that other religions are invited," Ayyub Axel Koehhler, of the German Central Council of Muslims, told the Munich Abendzeitung newspaper.
Von der Leyen, a member of Chancellor Angela Merkel's center-right Christian Democrat Union and a mother of seven, responded by saying the decision to invite the Christian churches was just a first step towards later discussions that would also include other groups.
"We made a first step with the two churches, but it is a start and others are invited to join this alliance," she told public broadcaster WDR, adding that 74 percent of German kindergarten spots are held by the two Christian churches.
Teacher's organizations and union groups have also complained for not being invited to the meeting.
