OKC Charter School Causing Debacle

Oklahoma could be the first state to open a publicly funded religious charter school.

The state's virtual charter school board approved St. Isidore in June. Legal action immediately followed the decision, and lawyers are still working out the official contract four months later.

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In June, the approval drummed up mixed reactions from Oklahoma leaders about the decision.

“Oklahoma has shown itself to be a leader on school choice and on religious liberty,” State Superintendent Ryan Walters said. 

“Yesterday as a state took a stake and drove it in the heart of religious liberty, and that bleeding will result in an ultimate evisceration of religious rights for Oklahomans,” Attorney General Gentner Drummond said.

In July, The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) filed a lawsuit against the state’s Virtual Charter School Board to keep the state from funding the nation's first religious public charter school.

The nine plaintiffs the ACLU represents asked the Oklahoma County District Court to block St. Isidore of Seville from operating as a charter school. They also wanted to keep the state from entering into contracts or funding the school.