The Supreme Court has agreed to hear a case that could potentially weaken the barrier between church and state by approving the nation’s first publicly funded religious charter school in Oklahoma. The proposed St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School would serve students online while promoting the Catholic faith. The Oklahoma Supreme Court had previously ruled the proposal unconstitutional, sparking a legal battle.
Conservative Justice Amy Coney Barrett will not participate in the case due to ties to Notre Dame Law School, which is representing the school. The school’s plan has the support of Governor Kevin Stitt but is opposed by the state’s attorney general, Gentner Drummond, who argues that public money should not support religious institutions. The case raises questions about whether a privately run school that contracts with the state is considered a “state actor” and if the government can fund religious entities.
Recent Supreme Court decisions have chipped away at the separation of church and state, with a focus on protecting free exercise rights. In the past, the court has ruled in favor of individuals and groups seeking to express their religious beliefs in public settings. This case is seen as a potential test of the boundaries between government funding and religious institutions and could have broader implications for the relationship between religious groups and the state.
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