Oklahoma board approves proposed taxpayer-funded Catholic school
By: Journal Record Staff//June 5, 2023
A controversial taxpayer-supported virtual charter school proposed by the Catholic Archdiocese of Oklahoma City received an important approval Monday from the Statewide Virtual Charter School Board.
If the school becomes reality, it likely will be the first taxpayer-funded religious school in the nation. Its proposal has captured national attention and threats of legal challenges from opponents who claim it would represent a clear violation of the doctrine of separation of church and state.
The archdiocese has said that its intention would be for St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School to promote the Catholic faith and to operate according to church doctrine. Its plans are for the online public charter school to open in 2024 and serve students in grades K-12 in all parts of the state.
Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond issued a statement Monday denouncing the board’s endorsement of the school. He said the use of taxpayer dollars to fund such a school would be unconstitutional and agreed that legal challenges would be highly likely.
The board voted 3-2 to approve the application by the Catholic Archdiocese.
“The approval of any publicly funded religious school is contrary to Oklahoma law and not in the best interest of taxpayers,” Drummond said. “It’s extremely disappointing that board members violated their oath in order to fund religious schools with our tax dollars. In doing so, these members have exposed themselves and the state to potential legal action that could be costly.”
The board initially rejected the proposed school in April, but proponents resubmitted an application after revisions were made to address weaknesses.
Organizers looked to the state Legislature for help. A bill they reportedly had a hand in writing, Senate Bill 404, addressed state funding and “religious discrimination.” The measure, passed and eventually signed into law by Gov. Kevin Stitt, would insert into state statute the sentence: “It shall be deemed a substantial burden to exclude any person or entity from participation in or receipt of governmental funds, benefits, programs, or exemptions based solely on the religious character or affiliation of the person or entity.”
According to reporting by The New York Times, the state board’s approval coincides with a broader conservative push to allow taxpayer dollars to go to religious schools, including in the form of universal school vouchers, which have been approved in five states in the last year. The movement has been bolstered by recent rulings by the U.S. Supreme Court, which has increasingly signaled its support for directing taxpayer money to religious schools.
In an earlier statement, Drummond pointed out that the state board, if it approved the St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School, would be compelled to approve applications for schools proposed by organizations representing different – and potentially quite diverse – faiths.
“I doubt most Oklahomans would want their tax dollars to fund a religious school whose tenets are diametrically opposed to their own faith,” he said. “Unfortunately, the approval of a charter school by one faith will compel the approval of charter schools by all faiths, even those most Oklahomans would consider reprehensible and unworthy of public funding.”
