Justice Samuel Alito highlighted Colorado’s dismal record at the Supreme Court in the past decade on First Amendment issues when questioning the state’s requirements for its universal preschool program, which the state says must exclude Catholic schools.
The Supreme Court heard oral arguments in St. Mary Catholic Parish v. Roy, a case involving the state’s decision to bar Catholic preschools from its universal preschool programs because they refuse to comply with standards requiring schools to admit any child. Colorado defended its decision because it required the Catholic preschools to accept all families, including those who do not share Catholic beliefs, to be part of the state program. The coalition of Catholic schools argued that asking them to admit families who do not follow Catholic teachings would sacrifice their beliefs, which they say violates their First Amendment rights.
