Proposal for first religious charter school in US shot down by Oklahoma education board
A statewide education board in Oklahoma has rejected the application of what would be the nation's first religious charter school pending more information and clarification on various aspects of its operations.
The school's architects will have 30 days to submit a revised application from the date they receive the letter elaborating on the board's decision, per state rules.
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Oklahoma City and the Diocese of Tulsa have pitched St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School as an online program that could reach students in rural communities and other areas across Oklahoma who have few schooling options.
In the meeting Tuesday, members of the Statewide Virtual Charter School Board voted not to approve the school, expressing concerns over aspects ranging from its special education programming to internet access issues. They also continued to debate its constitutionality and whether they would be legally liable in the event it were challenged in court.
The board's decision not to approve the first draft of a school's application wasn't a surprise, said Brett Farley executive director of the Catholic Conference of Oklahoma, which represents both the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City and the Diocese of Tulsa.
"This is fairly normal for their application process," Farley said. "It gives us more time to address their concerns, and so we'll do that and come back and present those and see where we go."
What could it mean for the future of US schooling ?
Charter schools are publicly funded, yet privately run. They face fewer restrictions than traditional public schools, ranging from curricula to personnel. In some cases, states have even approved charter schools affiliated with religious groups.
Charter schools with a direct focus on religion have so far been nonexistent due to controversy in the use of public funding for parochial education.
Parent demand for more school choice has expanded since the tribulations of education during the COVID-19 pandemic. In Oklahoma, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters has said he wants to move forward a universal school voucher program in the state, which would generally allow parents to use public money on private school tuition or other education expenses.
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Why is it happening now?
The school's proponents envision St. Isidore as a potential poster child for the campaign to open up the doors for religious public schools.
It has the endorsement of Oklahoma's Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt, but the state's new attorney general has expressed skepticism.
It's an opportune time legally for efforts to soften the separation between church and state. The Supreme Court now leans conservative and has shown a willingness to take on perennially divisive issues, from abortion to affirmative action.
Attending the meeting as a non-voting member of the board, Walters, the state superintendent, urged board members to approve the application and blamed opposition to the school on anti-Catholic leftists.
"You’ve heard from some radical leftists that their hatred for the Catholic church blinds them in doing what’s best for kids," Walters said to the board. "Their hatred for the Catholic Church has caused them to attack our very foundational religious liberties and attack this school and this application."
Board Chairperson Robert Franklin responded to Walters, saying "no disrespect to you, but I didn't hear a radical position nor did I hear an attack on the Catholic Church."
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Contact Alia Wong at (202) 507-2256 or awong@usatoday.com. Follow her on Twitter at @aliaemily. Contact Kayla Jimenez at kjimenez@usatoday.com. Follow her on Twitter at @kaylajjimenez.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Religious Charter School in Oklahoma blocked by state education board
