Okla. Supreme Court Rules State-Funded Religious School Is Unconstitutional

The Catholic charter school would have been the nation's first publicly funded religious school.

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — An Oklahoma board’s approval of what would be the nation’s first publicly funded religious school is unconstitutional and must be rescinded, the state Supreme Court ruled on Tuesday.

The high court determined the Statewide Virtual Charter School Board’s 3-2 vote last year to approve the application by the Catholic Archdiocese of Oklahoma for the St. Isidore of Seville Virtual Charter School violates both the Oklahoma and U.S. constitutions, as well as state law.

“Under Oklahoma law, a charter school is a public school,” the court wrote. “As such, a charter school must be nonsectarian.

“However, St. Isidore will evangelize the Catholic school curriculum while sponsored by the state.”

The online public charter school would have been open to students across the state in kindergarten through grade 12, and part of its mission would have been to evangelize its students in the Catholic faith.