USCCB files brief in support of Catholic preschools in Colorado

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops filed an amicus brief with the U.S. Supreme Court to support Catholic preschools challenging Colorado's universal preschool program. The case, St. Mary Catholic Parish v. Roy, involves two parishes in the Archdiocese of Denver: St. Bernadette in Lakewood and St. Mary in Littleton.

The state program provides up to approximately $6,000 to parents to fund preschool enrollment at public or private schools, but Colorado argues the Catholic preschools cannot participate because they would violate a nondiscrimination rule prohibiting schools from refusing admission based on the sexual orientation or gender identity of a child or their family.

In its brief published September 23, the USCCB argued that the government cannot deny religious entities the right to participate in such programs. The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear the case on November 3.