Oklahoma Supreme Court rules publicly funded religious charter school is unconstitutional

The Oklahoma Supreme Court has ruled that the approval of the nation's first state-funded Catholic charter school is unconstitutional. The court decided Tuesday that the contract between the state and St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual Charter School must be rescinded. Oklahoma's Attorney General warned the Oklahoma Statewide Virtual Charter School Board last year not to approve the contract. But the board voted 3-2 to approve the Catholic Archdiocese of Oklahoma City's application. In its application, the Archdiocese said its vision would be to evangelize students. A group of parents, faith leaders and a public education nonprofit sued to stop the establishment of the school.