Supreme Court Deadlocks, Blocks Oklahoma Religious Charter School Funding

The U.S. Supreme Court deadlocked 4-4 on whether Oklahoma could establish St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School, the nation's first religious charter school funded with public money, resulting in the lower court ruling blocking the school's creation standing. Justice Amy Coney Barrett recused herself from the case, likely due to her ties to the Notre Dame Law School clinic that supported the school, leaving the Court evenly split and unable to issue a precedent-setting ruling. Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond argued the school’s use of public funds violated the Establishment Clause of the Constitution, while the school claimed exclusion based on its religious character violated the Free Exercise Clause. The case highlights the tension between religious freedom advocates who support taxpayer funding for religious schools and opponents who warn such funding breaches the separation of church and state. With the Supreme Court deadlock, the state's prohibition on funding the religious charter remains, but proponents like Oklahoma's superintendent vow to continue legal efforts, anticipating future cases that could break the tie. The ruling maintains the status quo but leaves unresolved the broader national debate on public funding for religious charter schools.