Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

Latest News

Oklahoma board approves nation’s first taxpayer-funded religious school

A state school board in Oklahoma voted Monday to approve what would be the first publicly funded religious school in the nation, despite a warning from the state’s attorney general that the decision was unconstitutional.

The Statewide Virtual Charter School Board voted 3-2 to approve the application by the Catholic Archdiocese of Oklahoma to establish the St. Isodore of Seville Virtual Charter School. The online public charter school would be open to students across the state in kindergarten through grade 12.

Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond had warned the board that such a decision clearly violated the Oklahoma Constitution.

‘The approval of any publicly funded religious school is contrary to Oklahoma law and not in the best interest of taxpayers,’ Drummond said in a statement shortly after the board’s vote. ‘It’s extremely disappointing that board members violated their oath in order to fund religious schools with our tax dollars. In doing so, these members have exposed themselves and the state to potential legal action that could be costly.’

The Archdiocese of Oklahoma said in the ‘vision and purpose of the organization’ section of its application that: ‘The Catholic school participates in the evangelizing mission of the Church and is the privileged environment in which Christian education is carried out.’

Brett Farley, the executive director of the Catholic Conference of Oklahoma, said: ‘We are elated that the board agreed with our argument and application for the nation’s first religious charter school.’

Americans United for Separation of Church and State denounced the board’s approval.

‘It’s hard to think of a clearer violation of the religious freedom of Oklahoma taxpayers and public-school families than the state establishing the nation’s first religious public charter school,’ the group’s president and CEO Rachel Laser said in a statement. ‘This is a sea change for American democracy. Americans United will work with our Oklahoma and national partners to take all possible legal action to fight this decision and defend the separation of church and state that’s promised in both the Oklahoma and U.S. Constitutions.’

Oklahoma’s Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt, who earlier this year signed a bill that would give parents in the state a tax incentive to send their children to private schools, including religious schools, praised the board’s vote.

‘This is a win for religious liberty and education freedom in our great state, and I am encouraged by these efforts to give parents more options when it comes to their child’s education,’ Stitt said in a statement.

<!–>
This post appeared first on FOX NEWS
–>
Enter Your Information Below To Receive Free Trading Ideas, Latest News And Articles.

    Your information is secure and your privacy is protected. By opting in you agree to receive emails from us. Remember that you can opt-out any time, we hate spam too!

    You May Also Like

    Latest News

    President Biden is asking Congress to approve nearly $100 billion in emergency funding to aid recovery efforts for the recent deadly storms that ravaged...

    Latest News

    Activists on Saturday demanded that the state of California pay millions of dollars to each Black resident in reparations as a way to make...

    Stock

    One hallmark of secular bull markets is rotation. When leading stocks, sectors, and industry groups falter, there needs to be others that grab the...

    Latest News

    Vice President Kamala Harris spent a whopping $1.5 billion during her 15-week campaign that ended in defeat to President-elect Donald Trump, including burning through...



    Disclaimer: Frequencytraders.com, its managers, its employees, and assigns (collectively “The Company”) do not make any guarantee or warranty about what is advertised above. Information provided by this website is for research purposes only and should not be considered as personalized financial advice. The Company is not affiliated with, nor does it receive compensation from, any specific security. The Company is not registered or licensed by any governing body in any jurisdiction to give investing advice or provide investment recommendation. Any investments recommended here should be taken into consideration only after consulting with your investment advisor and after reviewing the prospectus or financial statements of the company.


    Copyright © 2024 Frequencytraders.com