Americans United applauds SCOTUS decision blocking St. Isidore, nation’s first religious public school

Americans United for Separation of Church and State President and CEO Rachel Laser issued the following statement in response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s 4-4 per curiam decision that upholds the Oklahoma Supreme Court’s decision to block the creation of the nation’s first religious public charter school, St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School:

St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School cannot operate as a public charter school

“The Supreme Court’s stalemate safeguards public education and upholds the separation of church and state. Charter schools are public schools that must be secular and serve all students. St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School, which planned to discriminate against students, families, and staff and indoctrinate students into one religion, cannot operate as a public charter school. A religious public school would be an abject violation of religious freedom.

“We will continue our efforts to protect inclusive public education. We call on this nation to recommit to church-state separation before this safeguard of democracy and freedom is further attacked.” 

More information about the case is available here.