Attorneys from Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) filed a lawsuit Monday on behalf of Camp IdRaHaJe, a Christian summer camp in Bailey, Colorado, challenging a recent policy update by the Colorado Department of Early Childhood.
The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado, seeks to protect the camp’s ability to operate according to its religious beliefs regarding biological sex.
Camp IdRaHaJe, whose name is derived from the hymn “I’d Rather Have Jesus,” has been serving children since 1948 and has held a resident camp license in Colorado since 1995.
The camp caters to children aged six to 17, offering both on-site activities and off-site backpacking trips, with an annual attendance of 2,500 to 3,000 students. Its stated mission is to “win souls to Jesus Christ through the spreading of the Gospel,” and it welcomes children of all backgrounds, requiring parents to agree to the camp’s policies upon registration.
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The dispute arises from a recent amendment to the Colorado Department of Early Childhood’s regulations for licensed resident camps. This update mandates that camps allow campers to use private facilities, such as bathrooms, showers, and sleeping quarters, aligning with their gender identity, even if it differs from their biological sex.
Camp IdRaHaJe requested an exemption from this new policy, seeking to maintain its practice of separating facilities based on biological sex, consistent with its religious beliefs. The department denied this request, leaving the camp facing a difficult choice: comply with the new regulations and potentially violate its deeply held religious convictions, or continue operating according to its beliefs and risk losing its state license. Loss of licensure could force the camp to shut down.
Andrea Dill, ADF Legal Counsel, stated, “The government has no place telling religious summer camps that it’s ‘lights out’ for upholding their religious beliefs about human sexuality. Camp IdRaHaJe exists to present the truth of the Gospel to children who are building character and lifelong memories. But the Colorado government is putting its dangerous agenda—that is losing popularity across the globe—ahead of its kids.”
Dill further emphasized the camp’s long-standing history and positive impact, saying, “We are urging the court to allow IdRaHaJe to operate as it has for over 75 years: as a Christian summer camp that accepts all campers without fear of being punished for its beliefs.”
According to the lawsuit, Camp Id-Ra-Ha-Je Association v. Roy, the camp has consistently met all of Colorado’s resident camp licensing requirements until this recent amendment.
The department conducts annual inspections of camps, and any violation of regulations can lead to the revocation of a camp’s license.
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While the department allows for individualized exemptions to its regulations, it refused to grant Camp IdRaHaJe an exemption from the policy concerning access to private facilities based on gender identity.
The lawsuit argues that the new policy infringes upon Camp IdRaHaJe’s religious freedom and seeks to prevent the state from enforcing the amended regulations against the camp.
The outcome of this legal challenge could have significant implications for religious summer camps operating in Colorado and their ability to adhere to their faith-based principles.
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