Debates Intensify Over Religious Charter Schools in Texas, Oklahoma

The U.S. Supreme Court is set to hear a significant case regarding the nation's first religious charter school, St. Isidore of Seville, approved by an Oklahoma charter school board in June 2023. The debate centers on whether allowing a religious charter school violates the separation of church and state or constitutes religious discrimination against Catholics. This decision has sparked a political rift within Oklahoma's Republican Party, with Governor Kevin Stitt supporting the school while Attorney General Gentner Drummond opposes it on constitutional grounds. In Texas, parents are also resisting a new state-approved public school curriculum that integrates Bible-based lessons into elementary education, fearing it infringes on their rights to determine their children's religious education. The controversies in both states reflect broader national debates over educational policy, religious freedom, and the role of government in schooling. As these issues unfold, they may significantly impact the future of school choice and religious education in the U.S.