A Priest Lake church appears to be gearing up for battle with the state once again by refusing to license its ''Bible camp'' as a child-care center, and it's vowing to take its fight to the U.S. Supreme Court.
The Priest Lake Community Baptist Church is under a court order forbidding it from operating the camp — which the state says is really a day care — without a license. The Department of Human Services has given the church through Thursday to get a license.
But a spokesman for the church yesterday said it will continue to teach children the way it thinks is right, no matter what.
''Our membership is prepared to go all the way to the Supreme Court,'' spokesman Charles Bennett said.
Bennett said the church had no intention of getting a license because DHS regulations would force the church to give up some control of its religious teachings.
''They have the ability to change curriculum,'' Bennett said. ''They have the ability to change your director.''
DHS officials have maintained that the state has licensed more than 500 faith-based child-care centers in the state and that it is not interested in interfering with religious teaching, only maintaining safety.
State law says any agency that cares for more than 13 children must be licensed as a child-care center.
Bennett says the church has no problem following the state's safety regulations, but he points to what he says are 22 states that have exemptions for churches that care for children. The church wants DHS to make an exception for them, the spokesman said. The church would be happy to come to an agreement with DHS to maintain safety standards, he said.
The church has been operating a summer camp since May. State law allows summer camps to operate for up to 90 days without getting a license. DHS sent a letter to the camp noting that the 90 days was up on Thursday.
Officials were alarmed last spring when they got word that armed guards were posted outside the church. State law prohibits firearms around children in child-care facilities. The church maintained that the guards were there to provide security, and Bennett said security is no longer armed.
DHS got a restraining order barring the church from operating its child-care facility, but the church defied the order.
In May, Chancellor Claudia Bonnyman issued a temporary injunction forbidding the regular ''Bible camp'' from operating without a license.
DHS plans to inspect the facility this week to see if the church is complying. If it isn't, DHS will take the matter back to court.