Supreme Court seems likely to favor Catholic schools in pre-K fight

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According to reporting by CBS News US Politics, The Supreme Court is weighing a case involving Catholic preschools' efforts to participate in Colorado's universal preschool program.

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Washington — The Supreme Court on Tuesday appeared likely to side with Catholic preschools challenging Colorado's refusal to exempt them from a nondiscrimination requirement and let them participate in its universal preschool program.

The nondiscrimination mandate at the center of the dispute, St. Mary Catholic Parish v. Roy, requires participating schools to provide children with an "equal opportunity" to enroll regardless of their race, religion, sexual orientation and gender identity, among other characteristics.

When Colorado was preparing to implement the program, the Archdiocese of Denver, which oversees 34 Catholic preschools, sought an exemption from the nondiscrimination rule, since they only enroll families that align with the Catholic Church's teachings, including on marriage, family and sexual identity.

The state, however, denied the request for an accommodation and said the Catholic schools could not "discriminate against children or families in violation of state statute."

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Information in this article was compiled directly from records provided by CBS News US Politics. Access the primary source document at: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/supreme-court-st-mary-catholic-parish-v-roy-colorado-preschool/. Reporting and editorial review conducted by the USA NOW News Desk.