Oklahoma charter school board seeks SCOTUS review of religious school case

The Oklahoma Statewide Charter School Board is asking the Supreme Court to review a state court ruling that denied public funding for the nation’s first Catholic charter school. St. Isidore of Seville Virtual Charter School Inc. was founded by the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City and the Diocese of Tulsa in 2022 and was set to open for the 2024 school year this fall.

The state board approved the school's charter application in June 2023, despite its religious affiliation. Oklahoma Attorney General Drummond sued in 2023 to prevent the school’s authorization and to prohibit using public money for religious institutions.

In June, Oklahoma’s Supreme Court ruled that the creation of a public religious school is unconstitutional, citing that it violates the Oklahoma State Constitution and the First Amendment’s establishment clause.

Supporters of the Catholic charter school argue that approval would expand educational choices for Oklahoma families and reinforce religious freedom.

Critics, including Attorney General Drummond, warn that approval could lead to public funding requests from various religious groups, potentially including controversial ideologies.

Each year, the U.S. Supreme Court is asked to review thousands of cases and typically only considers 100 to 150 cases.

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