US EditionSupreme Court heard arguments over public religious charter schools. Here's what they asked
- On April 30, 2025, the United States Supreme Court held a hearing in Washington, D.C., to consider Oklahoma's bid to establish the nation's first religiously affiliated virtual charter school named after St. Isidore of Seville.
- The case arose after the Oklahoma Supreme Court ruled the proposal unconstitutional based on established separation of church and state laws, with disagreement over whether charter schools are public or private entities.
- Proponents argue St. Isidore seeks equal treatment under the Free Exercise Clause and that excluding religious charter schools constitutes religious discrimination, while opponents cite the Establishment Clause and fear government-funded religious indoctrination.
- The oral arguments lasted two hours and 20 minutes before eight justices, with conservative justices showing openness to religious charter schools and liberals expressing skepticism, and a decision expected by June's end.
- A decision supporting St. Isidore could challenge the current understanding of charter schools as public institutions and open the door for government funding of religious schools nationwide, potentially creating significant legal uncertainty and impacting the public charter school system.
98 Articles
98 Articles
John Roberts has one way out of the charter school ruling mess
On April 30, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in a case that could compel states with charter school laws to authorize religious charters. Reporters from the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal and The 74 said the court’s conservative majority bloc appeared “open to” religious charter schools.This story first appeared at The 74, a nonprofit news site covering education. Sign up for free newsletters from The 74 to g…
If Approved, Religious Charter Schools Will Shift Yet More Money from Traditional Public Schools
The U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments on April 30, 2025, in what could be the most consequential case for public education since the court started requiring schools to desegregate in the years following Brown v. Board of Education. If the court allows churches to operate religious charter schools, the public education system, as Americans know it, will take on an entirely new face and set of financial challenges. The post If Approved, Reli…
A Way Out of SCOTUS Charter School Ruling Mess: Focus on Mission, Not Religion
On April 30, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in a case that could compel states with charter school laws to authorize religious charters. Reporters from the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal and The 74 said the court’s conservative majority bloc appeared “open to” religious charter schools. Such a ruling would be bad for the country and deeply disruptive. It could upend the charter school sector, raising questio…
The Billings Gazette
Supreme Court heard arguments over public religious charter schools. Here's what they asked
The religious charter school proposal has been viewed nationally as a possible test case of separation of church and state laws.
Supreme Court seems poised to require state-funded charter schools to include religious schools
The U.S. Supreme Court’s conservative majority seemed on Wednesday to be on the verge of taking a transformative step—a step that would for the first time allow overtly religious schools to be fully funded by the taxpayers.Oklahoma, like 45 other states, has charter schools that allow for more flexibility and innovation in education. But under both the federal charter school law and similar state laws, charter schools are public schools that are…
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