In May, the U.S. Supreme Court allowed a lower court decision to stand that ruled the potential Catholic charter school’s contract with the Statewide Charter School Board was unconstitutional.
In the lawsuit, brought by Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond, the high court tied 4 to 4, allowing the Oklahoma Supreme Court’s ruling to stand.
St. Isidore would have been the nation’s first publicly funded religious school.
Another lawsuit was brought in July 2023 against the Statewide Charter School Board from the Oklahoma Parent Legislative Advocacy Coalition (OKPLAC), represented by Americans United for Separation of Church and State, the ACLU, the Education Law Center, and Freedom From Religion Foundation.
Plaintiffs filed a notice in the Oklahoma County District Court to voluntarily dismiss the suit without prejudice.
“OKPLAC has been resolved to stand for students, taxpayers and religious freedom from the beginning as the original plaintiff in a lawsuit opposing the state’s use of tax dollars to operate a religious public charter school,” OKPLAC chair Misty Bradley said in a news release.
“We are grateful for the organizations and individuals who stood with us and for Attorney General Gentner Drummond’s successful efforts to uphold Oklahoma’s constitution and protect its taxpayers and public schools.”
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