SCOTUS takes up OK effort to create first public religious charter school in country
The U.S. Supreme Court has officially decided to review an attempt to create a publicly funded religious charter school.
This would be the first school of its kind in the history of America.
The charter school was previously stopped from opening due to a decision made by the Oklahoma Supreme Court.
“Because it is a governmental entity and a state actor, St. Isidore cannot ignore the mandates of the Establishment Clause, yet a central component of St. Isidore’s educational philosophy is to establish and operate the school as a Catholic school,” the court wrote in its decision.
However, the Oklahoma Supreme Court's decision might not end up being the final one.
The U.S. Supreme Court justices have now said they will consider an appeal of the Oklahoma Supreme Court ruling that previously stopped the St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School from opening.
Now, the new order will allow a briefing schedule potentially allowing the case to be heard this term which could result in a decision on the school by early summer of 2025.
The order also indicated that Trump appointee Amy Coney Barrett had recused herself from the case, but did not provide an explanation as to why.
The appeal to the court was made after the Oklahoma charter school board and the school itself said the previous opinion was “riddled with missteps that effectively nullify this Court’s decisions.”
“The decision below poses an existential threat to the charter-school project,” the petition read.
The CEO of the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, Eric Paisner, said back in October of 2024 that “the Oklahoma Supreme Court’s decision reassures all Oklahoma families that their students’ constitutional rights are not sacrificed when they choose to attend a public charter school.”
For now, all anyone can do is wait to see how the United States Supreme Court will proceed on this case.
Do you think the Oklahoma Supreme Court's decision will be overturned by the higher court?