Colorado Preschool Program Faces Religious Discrimination Claims

Families in Colorado face a dilemma regarding preschool education funding. A mother from Colorado, Erika Nagle, asserts that her children were denied $12,000 in taxpayer-funded preschool benefits due to her decision to enroll them in a Catholic school. She states that the program, marketed as universal, is discriminatory against religious families.

Nagle’s children attend St. Mary Catholic School in Littleton, Colorado. Her family had expected to access the state’s preschool funding. “We are being excluded from this benefit because we are Catholic,” Nagle told Fox News Digital. She feels the program contradicts the state’s stance on inclusion.

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At the heart of the issue is Colorado’s universal preschool initiative, which offers $6,300 per qualifying child for preschool education. Catholic schools involved in the lawsuit argue that state requirements clash with their religious principles. According to Becket, an advocacy group, Colorado’s program, initiated in 2023, intended for public, private, and religious preschool options to be accessible.

The repercussions extend beyond financial hardship for Nagle’s family. “Two preschools in the archdiocese have closed,” she explains, attributing this to reduced Catholic school enrollment. Families committed to religious education face difficult choices.

State incentives may be prompting families to abandon Catholic education, Nagle argues, as depicted by two preschool closures in the archdiocese. She questions why Catholic school admissions criteria face different scrutiny compared to other community-based school requirements, such as prioritizing neighborhood children or those with special needs. “Every school has specific criteria,” Nagle states, noting that St. Mary prioritizes Catholic families but also accepts others respecting its teachings.

Nagle asked, “Why can’t Catholic families receive this benefit?”

The issue stirs debate on religious schools’ involvement in public funding while adhering to their admission policies. As Nagle explains, “Catholics are forced to pay the price… for the choice of Catholic school.” The legal challenge raises concerns about fairness and inclusion in public programs.

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“Colorado shouldn’t force Catholic families to abandon their choice,” Nagle reiterates, questioning whether this encourages secularism. The Supreme Court is set to review the case.

The Colorado Department of Early Childhood declined to comment on ongoing litigation. Attempts to contact Governor Jared Polis’ office for a statement were unsuccessful.