by: Julia Mueller, Lexi Lonas, The Hill
(The Hill) – An Oklahoma school board on Monday voted to approve a bid to open the nation’s first religious charter school, sparking backlash and questions about the constitutionality of the move to use taxpayer dollars to fund a religious school.
Oklahoma’s Statewide Virtual Charter School Board in the meeting approved in a 3-2 vote a plan to create St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School.
“We are elated that the board agreed with our argument and application for the nation’s first religious charter school,” Brett Farley, the executive director of the Catholic Conference of Oklahoma, said after the decision.
“Parents continue to demand more options for their kids, and we are committed to help provide them,” he added.
The journey for this Catholic school is far from over as many disagree with the idea of a charter school, which receives taxpayer dollars along with private donations, run by a religious organization. Opponents argue it violates the separation between church and state.
The nonprofit Americans United for Separation of Church and State on Monday bashed the decision as a violation of religious freedoms.
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