US Supreme Court weighs Catholic schools' religious rights in Colorado LGBT discrimination dispute

The US Supreme Court will hear arguments in a case brought by Catholic groups, including the Archdiocese of Denver, challenging Colorado's anti-LGBT discrimination requirement for publicly funded preschools. The case tests religious liberty under the First Amendment's Free Exercise Clause.

The US Supreme Court is set to hear arguments in a case brought by Catholic groups, including the Archdiocese of Denver, challenging Colorado's anti-LGBT discrimination requirement for publicly funded preschools. The case tests whether religious organizations can be exempted from nondiscrimination rules under the First Amendment's Free Exercise Clause. Colorado's universal preschool program, which began in 2023, requires participating schools to give all children equal opportunity to enroll regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. The Archdiocese, which oversees 34 Catholic preschools, admits only students from families who support Catholic teachings on marriage and gender. A federal judge upheld the state's requirement in 2024, and the 10th Circuit affirmed that ruling. The Trump administration supports the Catholic groups. The court's 6-3 conservative majority has recently expanded religious liberty in several cases, including rulings on school funding and LGBT issues. The case also involves a dispute over whether Colorado discriminated against religious schools by allowing exceptions for low-income and disabled students but not for religious objections.