The U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments on Wednesday in the case of a Catholic charter school in Oklahoma that is seeking the support of public funds.
St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School would be the nation’s first religious charter school, setting a precedent sure to be capitalized on by other religious institutions. Both the Oklahoma Supreme Court and Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond, a Republican, have argued funding the school is unconstitutional.
Oklahoma Gov. Gov. Kevin Stitt, also a Republican, argues the First Amendment allows funding for the school.
For Wednesday’s Supreme Court hearing, the St. Isidore case has been consolidated with the Oklahoma Statewide Charter School Board, another similar case.
Sens. James Lankford, R-Okla., Josh Hawley, R-Mo., Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., Ted Budd, R-N.C., and Ted Cruz, R-Texas, filed an amicus brief to the U.S. Supreme Court supporting the school In the brief, the Republican senators flipped Drummond’s First Amendment argument on the attorney general, arguing Oklahoma violated the First Amendment by denying St. Isidore a charter because it’s a religious school.
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The Supreme Court will hear arguments regarding the establishment of the nation’s first religious charter school on Wednesday. (Anna Moneymaker)
“It’s no secret that parents want to educate their children in line with their values. And a public good shouldn’t be denied to anyone based on their religion. The outcome of this case will be revolutionary for religious liberty and education freedom, and Oklahoma is at the forefront,” Stitt’s office said in a statement.
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The Oklahoma Statewide Virtual Charter School Board approved St. Isidore’s contract request in June 2023, allowing them to receive public funds. Lawsuits soon brought the case up to the…
