May 23, 2025
In a closely divided decision, the U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday blocked the creation of the nation's first religious charter school, delivering a significant setback to those advocating for a stronger presence of religion in public education. The justices were split 4-4 on whether to permit St. Isidore of Seville Virtual Charter School to operate, effectively upholding the Oklahoma Supreme Court’s ruling that a religious charter school would violate the Constitution’s Establishment Clause, which mandates a separation of church and state. Justice Amy Coney Barrett did not participate in the decision, offering no explanation, though she is known to be a close friend of a Notre Dame Law professor who advised the Catholic Church in Oklahoma—an entity behind the proposed school.
The Supreme Court released a brief one-sentence statement three weeks after oral arguments, noting the deadlock without disclosing individual votes. Because the court reached no majority decision, no legal precedent was set. Alliance Defending Freedom, the conservative legal group defending the Oklahoma Statewide Charter School Board’s approval of the school, expressed disappointment in the outcome but highlighted that the issue could still be revisited by the court. “Oklahoma parents and children are better off with more educational choices, not fewer,” said Jim Campbell, the group’s chief legal counsel. Meanwhile, Catholic Church leaders in Oklahoma stated they are exploring other avenues for providing virtual Catholic education to students across the state.
Stay Awake. Keep Watch.
SOURCE: USA Today