The Denver Catholic Archdiocese along with two of its parishes is suing the state over the Colorado Universal Pre-kindergarten (UPK) program that is rolling out this fall to preschools statewide. It joins Buena Vista-based Darren Patterson Christian Academy, a state-licensed Christian preschool facility known as “Busy Bees”. That local facility filed suit against the state in late June, over the state’s anti-discrimination requirement.
The Archdiocese alleges First Amendment violations because while they want the money, they also want to exclude LGBTQ parents, staff, and kids from Archdiocesan preschools. The claim — “the state’s anti-discrimination laws violate their religious beliefs.”
A student completes a drawing during preschool class at CMC. Photo courtesy of Buena Vista School District.
This is similar to the claim made earlier this summer by “Busy Bees”. It claims that meeting the state’s anti-discrimination standards will require the facility to “surrender their religious character, their [particular brand of ] Christian beliefs, and exercise to participate in Colorado’s universal preschool program just like everyone else.”
The state’s voter-approved program is intended to provide every preschool child 15 hours per week of state-funded preschool in the year before they are eligible for kindergarten. To be eligible, though, schools must meet the state’s non-discrimination requirements.
It should be pointed out that the UPK ballot question approved by state voters did not include any approval allowing the preschools getting student funding from the program, to discriminate against who they treat fairly, and which will be excluded. It did not provide voter approval to pick and choose which people will be treated fairly, which children will be excluded because they or their parents are LGBTQ+, or their parents aren’t Catholic.
The Colorado Department of Regulatory Affairs (CCRD) enforces the Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act (CADA). CADA can be found in parts three (3) through eight (8) of Colorado Revised Statutes (C.R.S.) Title 24, Article 34 starting at section 300. Additionally, CCRD refers to the standards and guidance set out in the State of Colorado Civil Rights Commission Rules and Regulation, found in the Code of Colorado Regulations.
Specific CADA parts:
Part 3 – Colorado Civil Rights Division – Commission – Procedures: C.R.S. § 24-34-301 et seq.
Part 4 – Employment Practices: C.R.S. § 24-34-401 et seq.
Part 5 – Housing Practices: C.R.S. § 24-34-501 et seq.
Part 6 – Discrimination in Places of Public Accommodation: C.R.S. § 24-34-601 et seq.
Part 7 – Discriminatory Advertising: C.R.S. § 24-34-701 et seq.
Part 8 – Persons With Disabilities – Civil Rights: C.R.S. § 24-34-801 et seq.
As Ark Valley Voice pointed out in our June 30 article about the “Busy Bees” lawsuit:
“Some might see this as a case where discriminatory behavior is being presented not just as free speech, but as religious rights; setting up a showdown with the state. But these schools aren’t “just like everyone else; By their own words, they exclude those of whom they don’t approve.
Others point out that this lawsuit, if won, might open the door in Colorado for taxpayer money to flow to private schools, including religious schools, to the detriment of public schools.”
It’s rather twisted to ban LGBTQ and allow GOP who are also a counter-culture and actually endanger lives and learning with continual threats of violence. If you want to indoctrinate children then that is what an exclusive christian preschool would be for, though personally the GOP I see has nothing to do with christianity except using it for lawsuits and discrimination. As a christian school it is discriminatory by nature and as such does not deserve funding that is inclusive and also would need to meet educational requirements so that it’s students could transfer back into the public school system. There is a reason Catholic schools have always been private schools, though where I am from they did not discriminate against parents or children who could pay the bill as long as the child participated in the indoctrination without protest. In my area the education at that school was superior and sought out by parents to give children a better opportunity in life. If they want an exclusive school, they cannot collect such funding. I worked for many years at preschool in a methodist church that was not a christian school. We had to go to great lengths to assure that nothing happened to expose them to any religious propaganda from that church or from those minding the children which was a bit more difficult for instance with a Jehovah’s witness who had difficulty with things like Halloween and had to be reminded to watch her mouth. Church and public school must remain separate. This private school needs to run on private funding and stop wasting court time trying to have what they have intentionally excluded themselves from.
it is a major frustration that people and their religious stuff trample over the rights of everyone else.
If these folks want to discriminate against people, they need to support their own schools, without tax money, the way Jesus intended.