Colorado officials have reached a settlement in a federal lawsuit with a Christian summer camp, allowing the camp to continue operating according to its religious beliefs on biological sex.
The Colorado Department of Early Childhood (CDEC) announced a new regulation early this year requiring resident camps to provide access to restrooms, showers, dressing areas, and sleeping facilities that align with campers’ gender identities rather than their biological sex. The CDEC said the regulation was based on rules from the Colorado Civil Rights Commission implementing the Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act.
The Federalist recently reported the story of IdRaHaJe, a cherished Christian camp in Colorado that has embraced children of all faiths for 77 years. This camp sought a religious exemption from the CDEC to maintain its biblical beliefs about biological sex. Unfortunately, the CDEC not only denied this request but also directed the camp to seek legal assistance, putting IdRaHaJe at risk of losing its license and facing closure due to its refusal to conform to the state’s leftist gender regulations.
In response, Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), serving as IdRaHaJe’s legal counsel, filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado. ADF aimed to protect IdRaHaJe’s right to religious freedom and its mission to operate according to its core beliefs.
Just a month following the lawsuit, ADF announced a significant victory: IdRaHaJe and the state of Colorado reached a favorable settlement. As part of this agreement, Colorado committed not to take any enforcement action against Camp IdRaHaJe for alleged violations of the gender identity requirements. The CDEC clarified on its website that “churches, synagogues, mosques, or any other place that is principally used for religious purposes, including Camp IdRaHaJe,” are exempt from the requirements. This outcome is crucial. It allows IdRaHaJe and other religious organizations to continue their vital work of ministering in alignment with their faith and understanding of biological sex.
The settlement is welcoming news for Cathy, a Colorado mom who has sent her two kids to Camp IdRaHaJe multiple times over the years. She shared that her kids attending IdRaHaJe was “an experience like no other summer camp, helped build on the foundation of faith we have, and encouraged them to make their own choices in their faith journey!”
The response from the CDEC was noteworthy. On its website, it attempted to spin its loss as a win, highlighting that Camp IdRaHaJe voluntarily dismissed its lawsuit. Yet, the CDEC conveniently ignored the crucial fact that the ADF filed a voluntary notice of dismissal as a direct result of the settlement. Furthermore, the CDEC shifted its narrative, asserting that its gender-identity regulation has never targeted or restricted religious organizations like Camp IdRaHaJe.
Regardless of state officials’ narrative, the IdRaHaJe settlement represents a significant victory for the camp and the Colorado families who send their children there. This settlement, however, does not indicate a retreat from leftist gender ideology, which state officials have been trying to impose on Colorado citizens, including children, parents, and institutions.
ADF is currently involved in four ongoing cases (Darren Patterson Christian Academy v. Roy, Wailes v. Jefferson County Public Schools, Chiles v. Salazar, and XX-XY Athletics v. Sullivan) on behalf of Colorado residents, defending their constitutional rights and challenging the state’s new gender laws and regulations.
The same CDEC that settled the Camp IdRaHaJe case is currently entangled in a legal battle with another ADF client, the Darren Patterson Christian Academy (DPCA). The CDEC mandates that, in order for DPCA to join the state-sponsored pre-K program and receive funding, the Christian school “must hire employees who do not share its faith and alter internal policies that are based on the school’s religious beliefs about sexuality and gender — including those that relate to restroom usage, pronouns, dress codes, and student housing during expeditions and field trips,” according to the ADF.
The ADF filed a lawsuit on behalf of DPCA in 2023. Earlier this year, a federal district court in Colorado ruled in favor of DPCA, allowing it to participate in the universal preschool program while upholding its religious convictions. Instead of accepting this ruling, the CDEC filed an appeal with the U.S. Court of Appeals in May.
When will Colorado state officials recognize that the cultural and legal tides surrounding transgender issues are shifting rapidly? In June, the U.S. Supreme Court delivered two pivotal blows to progressive gender ideology. First, the Court upheld Tennessee’s ban on puberty blockers and other medical interventions for minors, setting a precedent for other states to follow suit. In a separate ruling, the Court affirmed that parents have the right to opt their elementary school children out of LGBT curriculum that conflicts with their religious beliefs.
These rulings from the Supreme Court, combined with Camp IdRaHaJe’s recent legal victory, offer hope to Coloradans who are willing to stand up and fight for their faith and constitutional rights against oppressive state gender laws. We must remain steadfast. Truth and courage will ultimately triumph.