The U.S. Supreme Court can save Colorado’s Catholic education (Opinion)

October 26, 2026 - 18:39

My mother possessed a rare gift: she could teach Nebraska schoolchildren both the thrill of dodgeball and the quiet power of the rosary. At the local Catholic school my nine siblings and I attended, she taught P.E., theology, and filled in wherever she was needed. Her vocation was inseparable from her faith, and the school community understood that. What is happening in Colorado today threatens that same understanding for Catholic educators across the country.

A case now before the U.S. Supreme Court raises fundamental questions about religious liberty in education. At stake is whether Catholic schools can operate according to their deeply held beliefs without government interference. The dispute centers on whether religious institutions retain the freedom to make employment decisions consistent with their mission, or whether state authorities can impose requirements that conflict with church teaching.

For generations, Catholic schools have served families of all backgrounds, offering academic excellence paired with moral formation. These institutions do not merely teach subjects; they form whole persons. Teachers like my mother were not simply employees. They were witnesses to a faith tradition, mentors who modeled a way of life.

The court's decision will determine whether that model can survive. If religious schools lose the ability to hire and retain educators who share and practice their faith, the character of Catholic education changes fundamentally. Parents who choose these schools do so precisely because they want formation, not just instruction.

Colorado's Catholic community, and religious schools nationwide, await a ruling that could either protect their mission or undermine it. The outcome will echo far beyond one state, shaping the future of faith-based education for decades to come.