A federal court in Colorado ruled Tuesday that the state’s decision to exclude Catholic preschools from receiving funding was unconstitutional.
Becket Law, a non-profit legal group, filed a federal lawsuit against Colorado last August on behalf of two Catholic preschools to protect the ability of families who send their children to Catholic schools to participate in the state’s universal preschool program (UPK).
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Denver’s Department of Early Childhood provides funding for 15 hours per week of free preschool to the more than 40,000 families attending private, public, and faith-based preschools in Colorado.
However, it denied that benefit to families who sent their children to St. Mary Catholic Parish and St. Bernadette’s Catholic preschools because the preschools asked staff and families to share their religious beliefs.
The staff at both schools are required to sign annual contracts that affirm their willingness to uphold Catholic teaching on issues including life, marriage, and sexuality. In addition, families agree that they understand the Catholic church’s stance on such matters.
St. Mary Catholic Parish and St. Bernadette’s Catholic preschools serve low-income families. Nearly 85% of families who attend
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