“That is the direction we are heading, and it is wrong on every level”: AG Drummond preps argument in pivotal religious liberty case

OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) - Oklahoma's Attorney General Gentner Drummond is set to argue before Oklahoma's highest court in a lawsuit focused on the approval of the nation's first taxpayer-funded religious public charter school.

Drummond opposes any taxpayer-funded religion.

He has said that U.S. Supreme Court precedent requires equal treatment of religions, which means if Oklahoma funds a Catholic charter school like St. Isidore of Seville Virtual Catholic Charter School, then the state would also be forced to fund a radical Islamic charter school. 

“Today, Oklahomans are being compelled to fund Catholicism. Because of the legal precedent created by the Board’s actions, tomorrow we may be forced to fund radical Muslim teachings like Sharia law,” Drummond said upon filing the lawsuit last October.

The Attorney General has taken criticism from Gov. Kevin Stitt on the issue. Unlike Drummond, Gov. Stitt has stated he is supportive of a taxpayer-funded Muslim charter school. 

“The Governor of course is free to support the establishment and funding of a Muslim charter school if he wants, but as a committed Christian, I take deep offense to that position,” said Drummond. “I am doing everything in my power to protect our tax dollars and preserve our religious liberty.”

Despite Drummond warning the proposed St. Isidore of Seville charter school would violate the state constitution, board members voted 3-2 to approve the application by the Catholic Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. The litigation also argues that St. Isidore, which supporters have vowed would be “Catholic in every way,” impinges on religious liberty by violating the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. 

Drummond is set to present his case before all nine justices at 10:00 a.m. Tuesday in the state Capitol building. The hearing will be livestreamed here.