OH GOD: OKLA RELIGIOUS CHARTER SCHOOL IS GETTING SUED BY EVERYBODY
Oklahoma, the state that brought us tornadoes, fracking, and Kevin Durant, has now given us something even more ridiculous: the first religious public charter school in the country. Yes, you read that right. St. Isidore of Seville Virtual Catholic Charter School is set to open in 2024, offering online Catholic instruction funded by taxpayers.
The school's curriculum will reportedly include subjects like reading, math, and science, but with a Catholic twist. Students will learn that God created the world in six days and rested on the seventh, that evolution is a hoax, and that climate change is a myth. They'll also be taught how to pray the rosary, confess their sins, and avoid hell – you know, all the important stuff.
But wait, it gets better. The school's supporters claim that it won't violate the separation of church and state because it will be independently managed by the Catholic Archdiocese of Oklahoma City and the Diocese of Tulsa. Because apparently, having a religious institution manage a publicly-funded school totally doesn't blur the lines between church and state.
Unsurprisingly, the school's approval has sparked outrage from civil rights groups, educators, and lawmakers who plan to challenge it in court. The Oklahoma Attorney General has called the approval "unconstitutional" and said it could lead to costly legal action. Americans United for Separation of Church and State has pledged to "take all possible legal action to fight this decision and defend the separation of church and state."
But hey, let's look on the bright side – at least this opens the door for other religious groups to seek public funding for their own charter schools. Who's excited for the Church of Scientology School of Thetan Studies? Or how about the Mormon School of Multiple Wives? The possibilities are endless!
In all seriousness though, the approval of this school raises important constitutional questions about the role of religion in public education. It also highlights the need for better regulation and accountability in the charter school system. How will St. Isidore measure student performance? Ensure teacher quality? Comply with state and federal laws? These are all valid concerns that need to be addressed.
At the end of the day, it's important to remember that public schools exist to serve all students regardless of their religion. While it's understandable that some families may want a faith-based option for their children, it's not fair to divert public funds away from schools that serve everyone. We need to prioritize the education and well-being of all students, not just those who happen to share a particular religious belief.
So let's hope that this lawsuit is successful in blocking the approval of St. Isidore of Seville Virtual Catholic Charter School. And let's also hope that this serves as a wake-up call for better oversight and regulation in the charter school system. Because if we don't learn from this mistake, who knows what other ridiculous schools we'll be funding with taxpayer dollars in the future? The Jedi School of Lightsaber Combat? The Pastafarian School of Noodle Studies? Only time will tell.
Oklahoma parents, faith leaders and education group sue to stop US's first public religious school https://news.yahoo.com/oklahoma-parents-faith-leaders-education-225523979.html
Big Education Ape: LETTUCE US PRAY: OKLAHOMA APPROVES FIRST RELIGIOUS CHARTER SCHOOL - GOD HELP US https://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2023/06/lettuce-us-pray-oklahoma-approves-first.html
Lawsuit aims to halt opening of St. Isidore, a Catholic charter school - The Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2023/07/31/lawsuit-oklahoma-st-isidore-charter-school/
Big Education Ape: RELIGIOUS CHARTER SCHOOLS - OXYMORON? https://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2023/06/religious-charter-schools-oxymoron.html
THE DEFT DIVE
A lawsuit filed by a group of parents, faith leaders and a public education nonprofit to stop Oklahoma from establishing and funding what would be the nation’s first religious public charter school.
- - The lawsuit was filed on Monday, August 1, 2023, in Oklahoma County District Court by the Oklahoma Parent Legislative Action Committee, a non-partisan public school advocacy group, and nine other plaintiffs, including parents, clergy members, and educators¹².
- - The lawsuit challenges the approval of the St. Isidore of Seville Virtual Catholic Charter School, an online public school that would be administered by the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City and the Diocese of Tulsa¹². The school was approved by the Oklahoma Statewide Virtual Charter School Board in June 2023 and is scheduled to open in 2024¹².
- - The lawsuit claims that the charter school would violate the Oklahoma Constitution, the Oklahoma Charter Schools Act, and the Oklahoma Statewide Virtual Charter School Board regulations by using taxpayer funds to support a religious institution that would discriminate in admissions, discipline, and employment based on religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, and other protected characteristics¹².
- - The lawsuit also argues that the charter school would undermine the principle of separation of church and state, which is implied by the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. The First Amendment states that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof...”³. This clause has been interpreted by the U.S. Supreme Court to mean that the government cannot favor or endorse any religion over another or interfere with the individual’s right to practice their faith³.
- - The plaintiffs are represented by local attorneys and national groups, such as the American Civil Liberties Union, the Freedom from Religion Foundation, and Americans United for Separation of Church and State¹². They are seeking a preliminary injunction to prevent the charter school from opening and receiving state funds until the case is resolved¹².
- - The defendants are the Oklahoma Statewide Virtual Charter School Board, the Oklahoma Board of Education, and the St. Isidore of Seville Virtual Catholic Charter School. They have not yet filed a response to the lawsuit as of August 2, 2023¹².
- - The defendants have previously argued that the charter school is a private school that has the right to receive public funds under recent U.S. Supreme Court rulings that allowed private schools to participate in school voucher programs and government grants¹². They have also claimed that the charter school would provide more educational choices for parents and students and would not impose any religious requirements on them¹².
- - The lawsuit has sparked a debate over the role of religion in public education and the meaning of religious liberty in Oklahoma and across the nation. Some supporters of the charter school have praised it as a victory for religious freedom and diversity, while some opponents have criticized it as a threat to public schools and secular democracy¹².
Bing, 8/1/2023
(1) Oklahoma religious charter school faces lawsuit asking judge to block .... https://www.cnn.com/2023/08/01/us/oklahoma-religious-charter-school-opening-lawsuit/index.html.
(2) Oklahoma's state-funded Catholic charter school hit with lawsuit from parents, religious leaders. https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/oklahomas-state-funded-catholic-charter-school-hit-with-lawsuit-from-parents-religious-leaders/ar-AA1eDH8E.
(3) Oklahoma lawsuit seeks to block opening of first publicly funded religious charter school in the US. https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/oklahoma-lawsuit-seeks-to-block-opening-of-first-publicly-funded-religious-charter-school-in-the-us/ar-AA1eDDzC.
(4) Oklahoma parents, faith leaders and education group sue to stop US's first public religious school. https://news.yahoo.com/oklahoma-parents-faith-leaders-education-225523979.html.
(5) Publicly-funded Catholic school in Oklahoma subject of new lawsuit. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/education/2023/08/01/oklahoma-religious-charter-school-lawsuit/70504163007/.
(6) Charter Schools | Oklahoma State Department of Education. https://sde.ok.gov/charter-schools.
(7) STATE OF OKLAHOMA AS INTRODUCED Chapter 42, O.S.L. 2017 (70 O.S. Supp .... http://oklegislature.gov/cf_pdf/2021-22%20int/sb/SB152%20int.pdf.
(8) Oklahoma Charter Schools Program - Oklahoma State Department of Education. https://sde.ok.gov/faqs/oklahoma-charter-schools-program.
(9) Separation of Church and State | Wex | US Law | LII / Legal Information .... https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/separation_of_church_and_state.
(10) Establishment Clause (Separation of Church and State). https://www.mtsu.edu/first-amendment/article/885/establishment-clause-separation-of-church-and-state.
(11) Separation of church and state in the United States - Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Separation_of_church_and_state_in_the_United_States.
(12) Is Separation of Church and State in the Constitution?. https://constitutionus.com/constitution/is-separation-of-church-and-state-in-the-constitution/.
(13) undefined. https://www.publiccharters.org.
(14) undefined. https://www.opsrc.net.
FROM BARD AI
On August 1, 2023, a group of parents, faith leaders, and a public education nonprofit filed a lawsuit in Oklahoma seeking to block the state's support for the nation's first publicly funded religious charter school. The lawsuit, which was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma, argues that the school, St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School, violates the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment, which prohibits the government from establishing a religion.
The plaintiffs in the lawsuit argue that the school will be funded by taxpayer dollars, and that the curriculum will be explicitly religious. They also argue that the school will have a "chilling effect" on other religious schools, as they will be less likely to receive state funding if they are not affiliated with a major religious denomination.
The state of Oklahoma has not yet responded to the lawsuit. However, the attorney general of Oklahoma, John O'Connor, has said that he believes the school is constitutional.
The lawsuit is the latest in a series of legal challenges to the use of taxpayer dollars to fund religious schools. In 2020, the Supreme Court ruled in Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue that states cannot discriminate against religious schools when providing tuition assistance to students. However, the Court did not rule on whether it is constitutional for states to provide direct funding to religious schools.
The outcome of the lawsuit in Oklahoma could have a significant impact on the future of religious charter schools in the United States. If the court rules in favor of the plaintiffs, it could set a precedent that would make it more difficult for states to fund religious schools. However, if the court rules in favor of the state, it could pave the way for more religious charter schools to be established in the United States.
The lawsuit is still in its early stages, and it is too early to say how it will be resolved. However, it is clear that the issue of religious charter schools is a complex one that raises important constitutional questions. The outcome of the lawsuit could have a significant impact on the future of religious education in the United States.
