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Divided Supreme Court Rejects Bid for Religious Charter School in Oklahoma In a 4-to-4 decision, the court upheld a ruling by the Oklahoma Supreme Court that blocked the school.
New York Times ^ | May 22, 2025 | Abbie VanSickle

Posted on 05/22/2025 9:00:29 AM PDT by Miami Rebel

A divided Supreme Court rejected a plan on Thursday to allow Oklahoma to use government money to run the nation’s first religious charter school, which would teach a curriculum infused by Catholic doctrine.

The court split 4 to 4 over the Oklahoma plan, with Justice Amy Coney Barrett recusing herself from the case, and the decision provided no reasoning.

That deadlock means that an earlier ruling by the Oklahoma Supreme Court will be allowed to stand. The state court blocked a proposal for the Oklahoma school, St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School, which was to be operated by the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City and the Diocese of Tulsa, and aimed to incorporate Catholic teachings into every aspect of its activities.

Because there was no majority in the case, the court’s decision sets no nationwide precedent on the larger question of whether the First Amendment permits states to sponsor and finance religious charter schools, which are public schools with substantial autonomy.

The brief ruling in one of the most anticipated cases of the term came as a surprise, after oral arguments took place only a few weeks ago in April. At the argument, a majority of the justices had appeared open to allowing Oklahoma to use government money to run the nation’s first religious charter school.

The decision did not include a tally of how each justice voted. It stated only that the lower court ruling was “affirmed by an equally divided court.” It is also unclear why Justice Barrett, the junior member of the court’s conservative supermajority, recused herself, which meant that she did not participate in oral argument or deliberations.

(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...


TOPICS: Miscellaneous
KEYWORDS: charterschool; oklahoma
"While Justice Barrett did not provide an explanation for her recusal, it may be because she is close friends with Nicole Stelle Garnett, a professor at Notre Dame Law School who was an early adviser for St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School, the school involved in the dispute."
1 posted on 05/22/2025 9:00:29 AM PDT by Miami Rebel
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To: Miami Rebel

She liked to stick it to Trump when she can.


2 posted on 05/22/2025 9:02:24 AM PDT by nwrep
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To: Miami Rebel

It’s OK to use taxpayer money to teach perversion.


3 posted on 05/22/2025 9:24:38 AM PDT by dljordan (The Rewards of Tolerance are Treachery and Betrayal)
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To: nwrep; Miami Rebel

Barrett recusing herself is fine, it leaves a 5-3 “conservative” majority. But someone flipped to the leftist side. Unnamed in article but likely Roberts?


4 posted on 05/22/2025 9:36:46 AM PDT by Wayne07
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To: Miami Rebel

Our Father in Heaven, please allow President Trump to replace another Supreme Court judge!


5 posted on 05/22/2025 9:42:44 AM PDT by Sparticus (Primary the Tuesday group!)
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To: Wayne07

There is no conservative majority on the court.

That is a lie.


6 posted on 05/22/2025 10:00:49 AM PDT by cableguymn (Can't cancel all of us)
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To: Wayne07

Her recrusal actually hurts her beliefs.


7 posted on 05/22/2025 10:05:34 AM PDT by Fledermaus ("It turns out all we really needed was a new President!")
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To: nwrep

She would have voted for it. She had no choice but to stay out of it. It’s what responsible judges do.


8 posted on 05/22/2025 10:36:41 AM PDT by napscoordinator (DeSantis is a beast! Florida is the freest state in the country! )
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To: Miami Rebel
Justice Amy Coney Barrett.

Beeotch is "growing" every day. But muh pro life and li'l chilluns.

9 posted on 05/22/2025 10:46:05 AM PDT by Governor Dinwiddie ( O give thanks unto the Lord, for He is gracious, and His mercy endures forever. — Psalm 106)
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To: Fledermaus

There is at least a principle to recusal, no where to hide for whomever switched sides and voted against it.


10 posted on 05/22/2025 3:02:39 PM PDT by Wayne07
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