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Larsen Urges Supreme Court to Protect LGBTQ+ Students from Discrimination 

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Rick Larsen (2nd Congressional District Washington)

This week, U.S. Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02) joined more than 180 House and Senate Democrats in filing an amicus brief at the Supreme Court in the case of St. Mary Catholic Parish v. Roy. In this case, religious preschools are seeking an exemption from the nondiscrimination provision in Colorado’s universal preschool program so they can refuse to admit LGBTQ+ children or the children of LGBTQ+ people while still receiving public funding. 

“It’s not complicated: organizations accepting taxpayer dollars should not be allowed to discriminate against LGBTQ+ children or parents,” said Rep. Larsen. “I urge the Supreme Court to protect LGBTQ+ families from discrimination, and Icontinue to stand with the LGBTQ+ community in Northwest Washington and across the United States.” 

This upcoming term, the Supreme Court will hear arguments in St. Mary Catholic Parish v. Roy, where the court will consider granting religious exemptions from nondiscrimination laws. In 2020, Colorado voters passed a ballot proposition to establish state funding for preschool. In response, the Colorado legislature passed legislation to codify a universal preschool program, which included nondiscrimination protections for students, requiring preschools to give equal enrollment opportunities to all students, regardless of their or their parents sexual orientation or gender identity. Two Catholic parishes that operate preschools sued, claiming that this nondiscrimination policy violates their First Amendment rights and requesting that the court grant a religious exemption to receive public funds while discriminating against LGBTQ+ students and children of LGBTQ+ parents. 
 

The members’ brief urges the Supreme Court to uphold the nondiscrimination provision and not grant a religious exemption. The brief argues that: 

  1. The Supreme Court defers to legislatures and the political process when assessing exemptions from neutral, generally applicable laws; 

  2. Petitioners’ rule would endanger numerous federal nondiscrimination laws that Congress has carefully crafted over decades; and 

  3. The Court should be mindful not to destabilize or undermine that legislative role by effectively legislating ad hoc exemptions to nondiscrimination laws. 

The amicus brief is available to read here. 
Rep. Larsen is a member of the Congressional Equality Caucus and is a longtime champion of LGBTQ+ rights and codifying protections against discrimination into federal law.

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