🚨 Oklahoma Just Drew a Line — Public Schools Must Remain Secular
Yesterday, the Oklahoma Statewide Charter School Board unanimously rejected an application for a religious virtual charter school submitted by the Ben Gamla Jewish Charter School Foundation.
This decision wasn’t about politics or preference.
It was about the law.
The Board made clear that its hands were tied by a recent ruling from the Oklahoma Supreme Court, which reaffirmed a basic constitutional principle:
👉 Charter schools are public schools — and public schools must be secular.
This follows the failed attempt to approve a Catholic charter school in Oklahoma, a case that reached the U.S. Supreme Court and resulted in a rare 4–4 split, leaving the state court’s ruling in place.
Despite claims that religious charter schools are simply about “more options,” the reality is this:
Public funds cannot be used to operate schools that indoctrinate students in a specific religion or discriminate in admissions, staffing, or instruction.
Let’s be clear:
Religious freedom is protected when the government does not fund or operate religious schools.
This fight isn’t over — supporters have already signaled plans to head back to federal court — but today’s decision matters.
📌 It affirms that public education must serve all students, not advance one belief system.
📌 It reinforces that “choice” does not override the Constitution.
📌 And it sets an important marker as similar efforts spread nationwide.
SEA will continue tracking and responding to these attempts to blur — or erase — the line between church and state in public education.
Read more here – https://kfor.com/news/oklahoma-education/ok-statewide-charter-school-board-rejects-jewish-virtual-charter-school-application/
What people are saying:
- Facebook User: Terrific
- Facebook User: Great for Oklahoma.
- Facebook User: I’m convinced that one of the next test cases will come from Indiana. Look at this online Catholic school created by Marion University in Indianapolis. Run on Stride Inc (fka K 12 Inc.) platforms and enrolling few Indiana students as a voucher school. But approved by Stride to enroll students from throughout the eastern half of the US.
Marion University is all in on K12 privatization, both charter and voucher, runs the Masters program for local Teach for America, and is closely tied in with EdChoice (fka Friedman Foundation) and other state advocacy groups, as well as the far right state legislature. Perfectly primed.
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