Oklahoma's Highest Court Prohibits Country's First Religiously Affiliated Publicly Funded School
In a 6-2 decision with one recusal, the court ordered the state to revoke its deal with St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School earlier today.
As per Oklahoma law, a charter school is deemed as a public school. Thus, a charter school is expected to be non-denominational. However, St. Isidore intends to propagate the Catholic faith as part of its educational program, which is sponsored by the State.
Last year, a charter contract for St. Isidore was endorsed by a state board.
Charter schools in Oklahoma are privately owned but receive funding from the state under the same terms as publicly-operated schools.
The dispute over the school highlighted a fracture between two of the state’s prominent Republican politicians. Governor Kevin Stitt was an ardent advocate for the school, stating at the time of the contract approval that it was "a victory for religious liberty and educational autonomy in our state."
However, the school's charter status was vehemently opposed by Attorney General Gentner Drummond, who filed a lawsuit against it, forecasting that the state might be compelled to finance various forms of religious instruction if St. Isidore prevailed.
"The authors of the United States Constitution and those who drafted Oklahoma’s Constitution were well aware of how to safeguard religious freedom: by prohibiting the State from advocating for any religion," Drummond stated Tuesday. "Now, Oklahoma residents can be reassured that our tax dollars will not be used to fund the teachings of Islamic Law or even Satanism."
CNN reached out to Stitt’s office for comment on the Supreme Court's decision.
The American Civil Liberties Union commended the decision, stating, "Charter schools are public schools that must be secular and cater to all students. St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School, which intends to discriminate against students, families, and staff, and indoctrinate students into one religion, cannot function as a public charter school."
On the other hand, the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City expressed disappointment with the ruling, stating, “Today’s ruling disregards the requirements of many families in Oklahoma who desire a choice in their child’s education.” They further added, “We will remain steadfast as we strive to overturn this decision and join Oklahoma’s diverse array of charter schools in serving all families in the state.”
St. Isidore is mulling over its legal options, and John Meiser from the University of Notre Dame’s Religious Liberty Clinic, who aided St. Isidore with its charter application to the state, mentioned, “Today’s decision to endorse illegal discrimination against religious educators and the children they serve is one that the school will persistently challenge."
CNN’s Taylor Romine and Elizabeth Joseph contributed to this report.
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In response to the court's decision, Governor Kevin Stitt's office expressed their disappointment, stating, "We are disappointed with the Supreme Court's decision, as it limits the educational choices for Oklahoma families." Additionally, the school, St. Isidore, plans to explore legal options, with John Meiser from the University of Notre Dame's Religious Liberty Clinic mentioning, "We will pursue all available legal remedies to ensure that the religious liberty of our students and educators is protected."
