The US Supreme Court heard oral arguments in the case of St. Mary Catholic Parish v. Roy, a religious liberty dispute over Colorado's exclusion of a Catholic church from a universal preschool program. The plaintiffs' attorney, Nicholas Reaves, argued that allowing Catholic schools to participate in the program would not take away seats from other schools and would actually create more seats for everyone.
He also stated that if the government excludes someone from a public benefit solely due to their religious exercise, it would trigger strict scrutiny, requiring the government to provide a good reason for the exclusion. Justice Sonia Sotomayor questioned Reaves, asserting that Catholic schools would reject children based on their parents' sexual orientation, but Reaves disagreed, stating that the government has not provided a good reason for excluding Catholic schools from the program.
The case has sparked debate over religious freedom and discrimination, with the plaintiffs arguing that their exclusion from the program violates the First Amendment's protection against religious discrimination.