Washington, D.C. — Today, the U.S. Supreme Court deadlocked 4-4 in a dispute over whether to approve the nation’s first publicly funded religious school in Oklahoma. That leaves in place a lower court ruling by the Oklahoma Supreme Court that found the plan was plainly unconstitutional. In response, Weadé James, senior director of K-12 Education Policy at the Center for American Progress, issued the following statement:
Oklahoma’s approval to fund this charter school was a clear violation of the First Amendment separation of church and state, and that understanding fortunately remains the case today. The Constitution is clear that government cannot use its authority or resources to promote the establishment of any religion, which would clearly occur by funding religious public charter schools.
One of the founding generation’s greatest concerns was that government involvement in religion, and religious involvement in government, would corrupt both. So it is extremely concerning that a court dominated by so-called “originalists” could not issue a definitive ruling to make clear that religion and government should not be intertwined, and that state resources should not be used to advance religion of any denomination. The Constitution’s ban on such funding is critical to safeguard public education for students of all religions, or none.
For more information or to speak with an expert, please contact Sam Hananel at [email protected].