His parents have a reason for not wanting him to be socialize with them. In this particular case, since he is a guy, I am guessing that these “friends” exude an attitude of disdain toward adults in general. They either have a reputation for getting in trouble (parents talk to other parents you know) or have been caught doing something illegal. They may be older and have cars which means they can get into trouble faster. I am also guessing (and this is where the experience comes in) that he actually exhibits very similar traits to the negative aspects the parents see in his friends but they either don’t see it, are in denial about it or know it and are trying to see if distancing him from others like him will help him.
A few things to consider.
Much as it may seem that way at times, a parents job is not to make a childs life miserable; they do not get bonus parent points for doing so. Their main concern is that their child grows up a healthy and capable adult and sometimes are a little overprotective in their zeal. But it is up to the child to learn what is required and follow through.
Trust is an important issue between parent and child. It starts out young with small things; “Mom, can I go across the street to Mikes house?” “Yes but we are having lunch at noon, be back by then.” And if the child is back when they need to be then it is easier to increase the freedom each time, both knowing that the child is responsible. If this bond of trust is solid, there are fewer and fewer problems as the child ages.
With rights come responsibilities and exhibiting responsible behavior gains you more rights. Are you where you say you will be when you say you will be? Do you have the wherewithal to walk away from potential trouble? Can you see what potential trouble is around? Can you function on your own or do you need to be told what to do. Is your homework done each night? Are your chores finished? Has the dog been fed? Did you mention you need lunch money in the morning the night before or at the last minute darting out the door? That kind of thing.
Parents have a little more life experience and a lot of that experience comes from making mistakes. A parent would prefer that a child learn from the parents mistakes and not have to repeat them and suffer whatever consequences they did.