The Oklahoma Supreme Court will consider whether the state can fund a Catholic charter school, testing the constitutional limits of taxpayer funding for religious education. Opponents argue that the proposed school violates state and federal constitutions, while supporters believe it is a matter of religious liberty and school choice. If the school prevails, it could lead to a significant change in funding for religious education, with potential implications beyond Oklahoma.
The Oklahoma Statewide Virtual Charter School Board has approved a plan to create the nation's first religious charter school, St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School, which will be fully government-funded. The decision has sparked backlash and questions about the constitutionality of using taxpayer dollars to fund a religious school. Opponents argue it violates the separation between church and state, and legal action is being prepared. Supporters argue that charter school laws are different in each state and that a religious charter school is allowed under Oklahoma law. The school is not afraid of lawsuits and is preparing for a potential legal battle that may reach the US Supreme Court.
Oklahoma has approved the nation's first religious charter school, St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School, which would offer online, Roman Catholic instruction funded by taxpayers. The decision is expected to face a legal battle over whether taxpayer dollars can directly fund religious schools. The approval comes amid a broader conservative push to allow taxpayer dollars to go toward religious schools, including in the form of universal school vouchers. The move has been bolstered by recent rulings by the U.S. Supreme Court, which has increasingly signaled its support for directing taxpayer money to religious schools.
