Supreme Court Hears Cases on Religious Education Rights

The U.S. Supreme Court is set to hear two key cases shaping the intersection of religious freedom, public education, and the separation of church and state. In one case, families from diverse faiths are challenging a Maryland school board's refusal to let them opt their children out of lessons on gender identity, arguing this violates their right to direct their children's religious upbringing. Another case from Oklahoma involves a proposed Catholic virtual charter school; while supporters claim denying it state funding is religious discrimination, opponents warn that public funding for religious schools undermines constitutional requirements for secular public education. The Oklahoma Supreme Court previously ruled that taxpayer dollars could not support the religious charter, citing violations of state law and the Establishment Clause. Both cases highlight broader national debates about the boundaries between inclusion, religious liberty, and public funding in education.