Supreme Court takes up religious liberty case over Colorado's preschool program
Summary
The Supreme Court agreed to hear a case involving Catholic preschools in Colorado that say they were excluded from a state-funded preschool program because they want to admit only children from families who follow the church’s teachings on gender and sexual orientation. The case focuses on whether the state's nondiscrimination rules infringe on the preschools’ religious beliefs.Key Facts
- Colorado offers a universal preschool program funded by the state for all 4-year-old children.
- The program requires preschools to admit children regardless of religion, race, sexual orientation, gender identity, or other protected categories.
- Catholic preschools run by the Archdiocese of Denver asked for an exemption to admit only families following Catholic teachings on gender and sexual orientation.
- The state denied the exemption, saying no provider can discriminate under the program’s rules.
- The Archdiocese and others sued, arguing their religious freedom under the First Amendment is violated by the nondiscrimination rule.
- The case is called St. Mary Catholic Parish v. Roy.
- The Supreme Court has a 6-3 conservative majority and has recently sided with religious groups in similar cases.
- The Court will not revisit the 1990 Employment Division v. Smith decision that limits free exercise claims if laws are neutral and generally applicable.
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