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A legal effort to block the nation's first religious charter school is scheduled for argument in the Oklahoma Supreme Court on April 2. However, the school did not stop enrolling students.
St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School is accepting applications for the 2024-25 school year until the end of March, despite the possibility that it will not overcome legal challenges. According to KOCO, about 200 students have applied to participate so far.
Like other public schools, St. Isidore will receive a per-pupil allocation from the state. However, unlike other public schools, religious teachings feature prominently in the curriculum and administration.
According to the school's handbook, Catholic teachings and Christian values ​​will be part of daily instruction through worship, prayer, religious lessons and the overall atmosphere of the school. Local churches serve as hubs for student meetings, and all-school Masses are held twice a year, once in Oklahoma City and once in Tulsa.
Supporters say they are prepared to take the St. Isidore case to the U.S. Supreme Court to change the court's interpretation of the First Amendment's separation of church and state.
Gov. Kevin Stitt supports schools and continues this week Advertised registration for Xformerly Twitter, elected officials have pledged to uphold the state constitution and state law, both of which prohibit the creation of religious schools with public funds.
The Statewide Virtual Charter Schools Committee approved the school, run by the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City and the Diocese of Tulsa, in a 3-2 vote in October.
Opponents (including some Catholics and other religious leaders) argue that contrary to the state's obligation to provide a school system that is open to all, schools are They claim that they are free to discriminate on the basis of
The legal challenge is being led by Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond, who filed a writ of mandamus with the court in October that essentially authorizes the Statewide Virtual Charter School Commission to・Demanded to force the contract with Isidore to be invalidated.
The board is represented by the Alliance Defending Freedom, which argued the arguments that led to the conclusion of Roe v. Wade, and the school is represented by the Notre Dame Religious Freedom Initiative.
The court last week rejected Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters' third attempt to join the lawsuit. Drummond, St. Isidore and the Statewide Virtual Charter School Committee disagreed, and the court rejected Walters' request.
Arguments are scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. April 2, and the hearing will be livestreamed. He has 30 minutes for each side.
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— Jennifer Palmer