A deadlocked Supreme Court on Thursday blocked the creation of the nation’s first publicly funded religious charter school, but some lawmakers say this isn’t where the fight ends.
The court was split 4-4, with conservative Justice Amy Coney Barrett recusing, allowing an earlier ruling from the Oklahoma Supreme Court to stand. The case, Oklahoma Statewide Charter School Board v. Drummond, split Republicans over the separation of church and state and religious freedom. It will also likely be a major issue in Oklahoma’s gubernatorial race next year.
Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond — who has announced a run for governor — has been at the forefront of the opposition to the establishment of St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School, suing over it in 2023. Drummond told NOTUS in an interview on Friday he feels “very relieved for our constitutional integrity” and is “pleased” about no further invasion into the boundary between church and state.