The Supreme Court heard oral arguments on Tuesday, November 3, in a case concerning the exclusion of Catholic preschools from Colorado’s universal preschool programme (UPK).
The case, St. Mary Catholic Parish v. Roy, was brought by St. Mary Catholic Parish in Littleton, Colorado, the Archdiocese of Denver and Catholic parents who must pay out of pocket to send their children to Catholic preschool. St. Mary Catholic Parish operates a preschool that is ineligible for the state’s UPK programme.
“Colorado’s Catholics-need-not-apply rules make a mockery of our nation’s laws and commitment to religious freedom,” said Nicholas Reaves, senior counsel at Becket and lead attorney for the families and preschools, in a statement released after oral arguments.
