Oklahoma Supreme Court Blocks Catholic School Funded With Public Dollars

St. Isidore of Seville, which was set to become the first Catholic school in Oklahoma funded with public dollars, has been blocked by the state Supreme Court.

A newly formed charter school board met recently to discuss the next steps for St. Isidore. The 10-person board entered a lengthy executive session and emerged with an agreement not to take immediate action, stating that their legal counsel advised them to wait for further guidance from the state Supreme Court on the latest filing in the case.

Following the approval of St. Isidore's contract last summer, Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond filed a lawsuit, deeming the school unconstitutional. The Oklahoma Supreme Court agreed, ruling that the contract for St. Isidore needed to be canceled. However, during the meeting, board members chose not to cancel the contract due to a recent petition filed by St. Isidore. The petition requests a stay from the state Supreme Court until the U.S. Supreme Court decides whether to take up the case.

Board members emphasized their commitment to making the best decision for students while complying with court rulings. "This board is going to be the tip of the spear of what's going to happen in the state. We are going to bring new ideas and new charter schools that will hopefully improve educational outcomes," said Brian Schellem, chairman of the board.

Regardless of the state Supreme Court's decision, St. Isidore of Seville has agreed not to open for the upcoming school year.