Supreme Court hears Catholic schools’ challenge to Colorado rule

The Supreme Court heard arguments Tuesday in a challenge to Colorado’s requirement that publicly funded preschools offer equal enrollment opportunities regardless of protected characteristics, including sexual orientation and gender identity. The case, brought by Catholic schools, asks whether the state must allow religious providers to receive program funding while following their own admissions policies. The court has not ruled. Colorado’s universal preschool program, launched in 2023, allows public and private providers, including religious schools, to participate. Providers receiving public funds must comply with the state’s nondiscrimination conditions. The Catholic schools say those conditions conflict with their religious beliefs about marriage and sexuality and burden their religious exercise. Colorado argues that it is regulating admissions by funded providers, not religious teaching. The argument in St. Mary Catholic Parish v. Roy exposed opposing views among the justices. Several conservative justices questioned whether Colorado’s conditions effectively exclude religious providers whose beliefs conflict with the requirements. Justice Amy Coney Barrett asked how a...