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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsOklahoma Approves First Religious Charter School in the U.S.
The nations first religious charter school was approved in Oklahoma on Monday, handing a victory to Christian conservatives, but opening the door to a constitutional battle over whether taxpayer dollars can directly fund religious schools.
The online school, St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School, would be run by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Oklahoma City and the Diocese of Tulsa, with religious teachings embedded in the curriculum, including in math and reading. Yet as a charter school a type of public school that is independently managed it would be funded by taxpayer dollars.
After a nearly three-hour meeting, and despite concerns raised by its legal counsel, the Oklahoma Statewide Virtual Charter School Board approved the school in a 3-to-2 vote, including a yes vote from a new member who was appointed on Friday.
The relatively obscure board is made up of appointees by Gov. Kevin Stitt, a Republican who supports religious charter schools, and leaders of the Republican-controlled State Legislature.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/05/us/oklahoma-first-religious-charter-school-in-the-us.html
cloudbase
(6,313 posts)Behind the Aegis
(56,208 posts)More of our tax dollars will be shat down the drain in the inevitable lawsuits to follow.
Runningdawg
(4,664 posts)Initech
(109,251 posts)Rupert Murdoch's plan to shut down public education continues.