A school in Oklahoma is considering if it should approve the first US religious charter school funded by taxpayer funds. Read to know more on the move following recent SC rulings that expand religious liberties.
First US religious charter in Oklahoma?
Next week, an Oklahoma school board is going to consider the approval of the first American taxpayer-funded religious charter school. The board is a state-run entity considering applications for charter schools that are funded by taxpayer money but run independently. Both critics and supporters of the St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School state the vote could trigger a substantial legal fight over the partition of church and state.
St. Isidore is going to be a joint effort by the Catholic Archdiocese of Oklahoma City and the Diocese of Tulsa. It is going to offer virtual learning from kindergarten to high school. According to the organizers it can enroll as many as 500 students in 2024 and eventually open enrollments for 1,500 students. Additionally, they estimate it to cost Oklahoma taxpayers up to $25.7 million in the first five years of its operation as a charter school. Moreover, any future battle over St. Isidore may test the “establishment clause” mentioned in the US Constitution’s First Amendment. This can restrict government officials from promoting religion over nonreligion or endorsing any particular religion.
More on the separation of church and state
If approved, St. Isidore is going to be the first religious charter school in the United States. “Although some existing U.S. charter schools are affiliated with religious institutions, their curriculum is secular. It would teach religion as the truth of the matter,” stated Nicole Garnett. Garnett is a professor at Notre Dame Law School and has assisted the school’s organizers. Currently, Charter schools in the state are considered public schools and are receiving funding from the government. In the 2020-21 school year, the 31 charter schools in the state received $420 million to support around 12 percent of public school students. However, the pursuit of approval as a religious charter school is dividing top officials in the state.
“That’s kind of been our expectation and, frankly, our hope. In a lot of minds, this is being seen as the next logical step,” stated Brett Farley. Farley is the Executive director of the Catholic Conference of Oklahoma and a welcomer of the change. “Public funding of religious charter schools has serious implications for taxpayers, nonreligious Americans, followers of other religions, and LGBT people,” stated Karen Heineman. Moreover, Heineman is a part of the Freedom From Religion Foundation. It is a secular group opposing the school’s application. “Any minority group out there that is not well represented by Catholic doctrine should be concerned,” added Heineman.