A deadlocked Supreme Court has halted public funding for a Catholic charter school in Oklahoma, leaving a lower court’s decision intact. The ruling prevents St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School from receiving state funds, raising fresh questions about religion, school choice, and taxpayer dollars.
Key Facts:
- The U.S. Supreme Court issued a 4-4 ruling on May 16, leaving a lower court decision against public funding for a religious school in place.
- Justice Amy Coney Barrett recused herself from the case, leading to the tie vote.
- Oklahoma had approved St. Isidore’s charter in 2023, making it the first religious virtual charter school eligible for public funds.
- The Oklahoma Supreme Court later ruled this funding unconstitutional under the First Amendment.
- Attorney General Gentner Drummond filed the initial lawsuit, arguing that taxpayer money cannot support sectarian education.
The Rest of The Story:
The fight over St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School has been brewing since Oklahoma approved the school’s contract in 2023.
As a religious institution, St. Isidore made clear it would follow Catholic doctrine while complying with general public school laws.
The Oklahoma Supreme Court blocked funding, ruling it violated the Establishment Clause, which bars government sponsorship of religion.
The school appealed, arguing it was being unfairly excluded and that Oklahoma’s refusal to fund it imposed on its rights under the Free Exercise Clause.
At the U.S. Supreme Court, justices were divided on whether religious charter schools should be treated as public or private institutions.
With Justice Barrett recused, the remaining eight justices split evenly, affirming the state court’s decision by default.
BREAKING: A 4-4 Supreme Court rules religious schools *CANNOT*I participate in publicly funded charter school programs.
(Oklahoma Statewide Charter School Board v. Drummond ex rel. Oklahoma, 24-394 & 24-396) #SCOTUS pic.twitter.com/8Nq5yhlZ2R— Katie Buehler (@bykatiebuehler) May 22, 2025
Commentary:
The core issue here isn’t just about religion—it’s about who controls the money and what kind of education taxpayers are forced to support.
Public schools are flush with funds, yet consistently fail to meet basic academic and moral standards.
Meanwhile, religious and private schools often deliver better results with fewer resources.
St. Isidore’s attempt to function as a public charter while staying true to Catholic values shows the growing demand for alternatives to the government-run education system.
Parents across the country are looking for schools that reflect their beliefs and values, not institutions obsessed with social engineering.
New York, for example, spends more than $50,000 per student annually in some districts, with little to show for it.
Compare that to religious or classical private schools that operate on a fraction of that cost—often delivering far superior outcomes.
The outrage shouldn’t be over funding faith-based schools, but over the waste and indoctrination rampant in the status quo.
While we don’t support forcing taxpayers to fund any religion, we do support school choice.
Let parents decide where their education dollars go.
A competitive marketplace—one that includes secular, religious, and homeschooling options—will lead to better outcomes for students and families.
The Bottom Line:
A tied Supreme Court has blocked Oklahoma from funding a Catholic charter school, keeping in place a state ruling that doing so would violate the Constitution.
The case marks a flashpoint in the ongoing battle over school choice, religious liberty, and public funding.
As education costs skyrocket and outcomes decline, more Americans are asking whether their tax dollars are truly serving students—or propping up a broken system.
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