The Statewide Virtual Charter School Board in Oklahoma City has made a groundbreaking decision by approving the establishment of the St. Isidore of Seville Virtual Charter School. This would be the first publicly funded religious school in the United States. Despite a warning from the state’s attorney general, who deemed the decision unconstitutional, the board voted 3-2 in favor of the application submitted by the Catholic Archdiocese of Oklahoma. The online public charter school will be open to students from kindergarten to grade 12 across the entire state.
Oklahoma Attorney General, Gentner Drummond, expressed concern that approving a publicly funded religious school would directly violate the Oklahoma Constitution. He stated, “The approval of any publicly funded religious school is contrary to Oklahoma law and not in the best interest of taxpayers. It’s extremely disappointing that board members violated their oath in order to fund religious schools with our tax dollars. In doing so, these members have exposed themselves and the state to potential legal action that could be costly.”
The Archdiocese of Oklahoma, in its application, highlighted the “vision and purpose of the organization,” stating that the Catholic school actively participates in the evangelizing mission of the Church and provides a privileged environment for Christian education.
Brett Farley, the executive director of the Catholic Conference of Oklahoma, expressed their elation with the board’s decision, stating, “We are elated that the board agreed with our argument and application for the nation’s first religious charter school.”
However, Americans United for Separation of Church and State condemned the board’s approval, stating, “It’s hard to think of a clearer violation of the religious freedom of Oklahoma taxpayers and public-school families than the state establishing the nation’s first religious public charter school. This is a sea change for American democracy. Americans United will work with our Oklahoma and national partners to take all possible legal action to fight this decision and defend the separation of church and state that’s promised in both the Oklahoma and U.S. Constitutions.”
Governor Kevin Stitt, a Republican, who earlier this year signed a bill that provides a tax incentive for parents in the state to send their children to private schools, including religious schools, commended the board’s vote. He said, “This is a win for religious liberty and education freedom in our great state, and I am encouraged by these efforts to give parents more options when it comes to their child’s education.”
Please note, there was a correction made to the article. The correct name of the virtual charter school is St. Isidore of Seville, not St. Isodore.
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