This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
Colorado's years-long campaign to discriminate against and suppress Christians has added another chapter.
And it's in court again, in the state's deliberate discrimination against Christian preschools.
In this case, now pending before the U.S. Supreme Court, the Catholic Archdiocese in Denver, a group of Catholic preschools, and a Catholic family are asking for a ruling that stops the state from excluding them from a state program generally available to all others, except them.
It is the state's "universal" preschool program that was set up by Democrats in the legislature and Democrat homosexual Gov. Jared Polis to exclude schools of faith from benefits that otherwise are generally available.
"The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit recently upheld the state's exclusion, punishing faith-based schools and the families they serve for operating according to their religious beliefs," according to Becket, which is representing the Catholics in the case.
"The court even praised Colorado's discriminatory regime as a 'model' and an 'example' for other states to follow. With Becket's help, Catholic parents and preschools are asking the Supreme Court to ensure that Colorado makes good on its promise of universal preschool."
Colorado's long history of anti-Christian activism dates back more than a decade already. Jack Phillips of Masterpiece Cakeshop has been in the courts for that long for refusing to submit his Christian faith to the progressive LGBT agenda in which state officials believe.
That's despite the state losing at the U.S. Supreme Court in the fight.
Same thing happened with the state's demand a web designer give up her Christian faith in order to operate her business. It lost again at the Supreme Court, and taxpayers there were billed millions for state officials to waste in their legal fight.
Right now the Supreme Court is considering whether the allow the state to censor pro-Christian comments by counselors, who are urged to deliver pro-LGBT ideologies to young clients. And the state recently attempted to impose its transgender beliefs on a Christian children's camp.
"Colorado is picking winners and losers based on the content of their religious beliefs," said Nick Reaves, senior counsel at Becket. "That sort of religious discrimination flies in the face of our nation's traditions and decades of Supreme Court rulings. We're asking the Court to step in and make sure 'universal' preschool really is universal."
Becket explained, "Families who send their kids to Catholic preschools in the Archdiocese of Denver expect them to receive a high-quality education and to be part of a faith-centered Catholic community. That's exactly what these preschools offer, supporting parents with the religious and educational upbringing of their children by providing excellent intellectual, moral, and spiritual formation."
However, when the state launched its universal preschool program, offering families 15 hours of free preschool per week at the private or public schools of their choice, the Democrats built in discrimination based on religious belief.
The Catholic schools were targeted because they ask families who enroll children to be supportive of their Catholic faith.
"Our preschools exist to help parents who want an education rooted in the Catholic faith for their children," said archdiocese spokesman Scott Elmer.
"All we ask is for the ability to offer families who choose a Catholic education the same access to free preschool services that's available at thousands of other preschools across Colorado."
Plaintiffs Dan and Lisa Sheley now are forced to pay thousands of dollars out of pocket each year for benefits provided to other families by the state at no cost.
Becket warned, "The state's discriminatory rules have had their predictable effect: Since UPK began, enrollment at Catholic preschools has swiftly declined, while two Catholic preschools have shuttered their doors, including one that predominantly served low-income and minority families."
Becket even pointed out the ill intent from the state: "Colorado admits that it looks the other way when nonreligious schools have admissions policies that violate state law."
Further the 10th Circuit decision "defies the Supreme Court's recent decisions in Carson, Espinoza, and Trinity Lutheran, which held that states cannot exclude religious schools from public benefits because of their religious exercise."
