OK Approves Nation’s First Religious Charter School

The New York Times reports:

The nation’s first religious charter school was approved in Oklahoma on Monday, handing a victory to Christian conservatives, but opening the door to a constitutional battle over whether taxpayer dollars can directly fund religious schools.

The online school, St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School, would be run by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Oklahoma City and the Diocese of Tulsa, with religious teachings embedded in the curriculum, including in math and reading. Yet as a charter school — a type of public school that is independently managed — it would be funded by taxpayer dollars.

After a nearly three-hour meeting, and despite concerns raised by its legal counsel, the Oklahoma Statewide Virtual Charter School Board approved the school in a 3-to-2 vote, including a “yes” vote from a new member who was appointed on Friday. The relatively obscure board is made up of appointees by Gov. Kevin Stitt.

Read the full article. As I’ve noted many times, Stitt is a self-avowed Christian nationalist who opposes the separation of church and state. Last year he claimed “every square inch of Oklahoma in the name of Jesus.”

Breaking News: Oklahoma has approved the first religious charter school in the U.S., setting up a battle over whether taxpayers can directly fund religious schools. https://t.co/d1MQ47taoy

— The New York Times (@nytimes) June 5, 2023