The Oklahoma Supreme Court has halted the establishment of what would have been the first publicly funded religious charter school in the United States, rejecting the application from the Catholic Archdiocese of Oklahoma for the St. Isidore of Seville Virtual Charter School.
This decision handed down on Tuesday overturns the 3-2 vote by the Statewide Virtual Charter School Board to approve the application.
“This decision is a tremendous victory for religious liberty,” Oklahoma State Attorney Genter Drummond said in a statement. “Now Oklahomans can be assured that our tax dollars will not fund the teachings of Sharia Law or even Satanism. While I understand that the Governor and other politicians are disappointed with this outcome, I hope that the people of Oklahoma can rejoice that they will not be compelled to fund radical religious schools that violate their faith.”
Meanwhile, Gov. Kevin Stitt expressed disappointment in the ruling.
“I’m concerned we’ve sent a troubling message that religious groups are second-class participants in our education system. Charter schools are incredibly popular in Oklahoma — and all we’re saying is: We can’t choose who gets state dollars based on a private entity’s religious status,” Stitt said. “Religious freedom is foundational to our values, and today’s decision undermines that freedom and restricts the choices available to Oklahomans. I’m disappointed by AG Drummond’s attack on religious liberty and the school choice movement, but I remain hopeful the U.S. Supreme Court will hear the case and grant St. Isidore the right to establish their school.”
The court ruled that the board’s decision violated the Establishment Clause, which prevents the government from enacting laws that establish religion. This ruling aligns with both the Oklahoma and U.S. constitutions, as well as state law, affirming that charter schools, being public schools, must remain nonsectarian.
The court’s decision was 7-1, with one member concurring in part and another, Chief Justice John Kane IV, recusing himself.
According to the Associated Press, this decision comes amid broader efforts in conservative-led states to integrate religious principles into public education, with some states mandating the posting of the Ten Commandments in classrooms and pushing to teach the Bible and exclude certain topics from curriculums.
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