(The Center Square) – The Oklahoma Statewide Charter School Board voted Tuesday to take a religious charter school case to the U.S. Supreme Court.
The Oklahoma Supreme Court ruled in June that the St. Isidore of Seville Virtual Catholic Charter School approved by the Statewide Virtual Charter School Board in 2023 was unconstitutional.
The authority to approve virtual charter schools now rests with the statewide charter school board after the virtual board was disbanded and merged with the charter school board.
Board Chair Brian Shellem said denying the school a charter is “discrimination.”
“The contract was to education children and they have the skills to do that,” Shellem said.
State Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters, who sits on the charter school board, backed the decision to send the case to the Supreme Court.
“What we have the ability to do here today is to protect religious liberty and protect options for the families of Oklahoma,” Walters said.
Board member Ben Lepak said the issue would likely end up in court even if the board didn’t appeal.