The U.S. Supreme Court is set to hear oral arguments this month regarding the establishment of the first religious public charter school in the country. Republican Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond is challenging the constitutionality of the proposed St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School, while conservatives, including Governor Kevin Stitt, are rallying in support of the school.
Stitt has been championing Oklahoma’s leadership in creating the school, while Drummond argues for the separation of church and state as outlined in the First Amendment. The case has drawn widespread attention, with over 50 elected officials supporting the school, including Senators James Lankford, Josh Hawley, and Ted Cruz.
The debate centers on whether the First Amendment prohibits the Oklahoma Statewide Charter School Board from granting public funding to a religious school. Stitt and Drummond, who have a history of disagreements on policy and politics, continue to clash over the issue.
Drummond, who is campaigning to be the next governor of Oklahoma, has maintained his stance against taxpayer funding for the religious charter school, citing the law and his constitutional duty as the state’s top legal officer. The outcome of the case is expected to have far-reaching implications for religious liberty and education freedom in the United States.
The case began in 2023 when the Statewide Virtual Charter School Board approved St. Isidore’s contract request, prompting Drummond to file a lawsuit that was later affirmed by the Oklahoma Supreme Court. As the case heads to the U.S. Supreme Court, the divide between Stitt and Drummond underscores the broader ideological and legal debates surrounding the intersection of religion and public education in the country.
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