(The Center Square) — The Alliance Defending Freedom recently announced the settlement of a lawsuit filed by Camp IdRaHaJe, a Christian summer camp in Colorado.
Under the settlement, the camp will no longer be forced to allow campers access to bathing, dressing and sleeping facilities designated for the opposite sex.
That rule was a new policy update made by the Colorado Department of Early Childhood in February for all licensed resident camps.
“Government officials should never put a dangerous ideology ahead of kids,” said ADF Legal Counsel Andrea Dill in a press release. “State officials must respect religious ministries and their beliefs about human sexuality; they can’t force a Christian summer camp to violate its convictions.”
Camp IdRaHaJe, which derives its name from the hymn “I’d Rather Have Jesus,” has served children in Bailey, Colorado, since 1948.
It works with children ages 6 to 17 and offers off-site backpacking and camping trips along with numerous on-site activities. Each year, 2,500 to 3,000 students attend the explicitly Christian camp.
“We’re pleased that Camp IdRaHaJe is again free to operate as it has for more than 75 years: as a Christian summer camp that accepts all campers without fear of being punished for its beliefs,” Dill said.
ADF filed a federal lawsuit just one month ago, in May, on behalf of Camp IdRaHaJe. Following the settlement, ADF attorneys filed a voluntary notice of dismissal.
Under the settlement agreement, the state of Colorado agreed not to take any enforcement action against Camp IdRaHaJe for violating gender identity rules required for licensing.
It also agreed to clarify in administrative guides that “churches, synagogues, mosques, or any other place that is principally used for religious purposes” are exempt from the requirements.
That said, the rule still stands for other non-religious and public organizations, like public school-run camps. That is a cause for concern for some parental rights advocates.
“This fight is far from over,” said Erin Lee, executive director at Protect Kids Colorado. “Secular lawsuit must follow. We are going to stop the reign of terror of gender ideology in Colorado.”
Elyse Apel is a reporter for The Center Square covering Colorado and Michigan. A graduate of Hillsdale College, Elyse’s writing has been published in a wide variety of national publications from the Washington Examiner to The American Spectator and The Daily Wire.
