U.S. Supreme Court Upholds Separation of Church and State in 4-4 Ruling
On May 22, the U.S. Supreme Court, in a 4-4 decision, blocked an effort by two Catholic dioceses to establish St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School, which would have been the first taxpayer-funded religious charter school in the U.S. The ruling upheld a lower court’s decision that the school violated the First Amendment’s establishment clause, prohibiting government endorsement of religion. Justice Amy Coney Barrett recused herself, likely due to ties with Notre Dame Law School, which represented the school’s organizers, resulting in an even split among the justices.
Read More
Supporters, including Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt and the Trump administration, expressed disappointment. James Campbell of the Alliance Defending Freedom stated, “The U.S. Supreme Court has been clear that when the government creates programs and invites groups to participate, it can’t single out religious groups for exclusion.”
Advocates for church-state separation praised the outcome. Rachel Laser, president of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, said, “This outcome safeguards public education and upholds the separation of church and state,” as reported by Reuters. Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond, who sued to block the school, called it “a resounding victory for religious liberty and for the foundational principles that have guided our nation since its founding.”
The proposed school, backed by the Catholic Archdiocese of Oklahoma City and Diocese of Tulsa, planned to integrate religious instruction, prompting concerns about taxpayer-funded indoctrination and discrimination. In response to the ruling, Archbishop Paul Coakley and Bishop David Konderla said they are “exploring other options” and that “Families across the state of Oklahoma deserve the educational opportunities presented by St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School,” signaling ongoing efforts to pursue their mission.
