Oklahoma AG calling on OK Supreme Court to put an end to what would be the nation’s first state-funded religious school

OKLAHOMA CITY ( KFOR ) — The Oklahoma Attorney General’s office is calling on the Oklahoma Supreme Court to put a complete end to what would have been the first state-funded religious school.

The filing came just hours after the Statewide Charter School Board voted to bring its case to the US Supreme Court.

With the start of the new school year just around the corner, the future of St. Isidore, and more importantly it’s students, is still in limbo.

Last month, the Oklahoma Supreme Court issued an opinion saying St. Isidore would have violated the state constitution by using tax dollars to fund the religious charter school.

That opinion came with an order to the state’s virtual charter school board; end the contract with St. Isidore.

Since that decision, the Virtual Charter School Board was disbanded, replaced by a new board dropping the word “virtual” from its name.

Today, that board voted not only to ignore that order from the Oklahoma Supreme Court, but to also appeal the decision to the United State’s Supreme Court.

“I think probably the simplest, straightforward way to proceed is to go ahead and file a petition with the United States Supreme Court, and ask them to resolve the legal question,” Charter School Board member said.

The decision to not only appeal, but to ignore an order from the State Supreme Court drew a near immediate response from Attorney General Gentner Drummond.

Just hours later, the AG’s office filed a notice with the Supreme Court, asking justices to require the charter school board to either end the contract with St. Isidore, or face contempt of court charges.

In it, he claims “for nearly a month, the Oklahoma Statewide Charter School Board has ignored this courts patently clear order requiring rescission of the unlawful contract.”

The Charter School Board previously said, ending its contract with St. Isidore before the US Supreme Court weighs in, would cause the school “irreparable harm.”

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