Petition filed to bring St. Isidore case to the U.S. Supreme Court

OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) — The Oklahoma Statewide Charter School Board filed a petition on Monday asking the U.S. Supreme Court to consider the case of St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Charter School.

The Oklahoma Supreme Court ruled that St. Isidore's contract with the SCSB was unconstitutional back in June, preventing the Catholic charter school from becoming the nation's first publicly funded religious charter school.

Now, the SCSB wants to take the case to the federal level with hopes of overturning the State Supreme Court's ruling.

An attorney with the Alliance Defending Freedom, which is representing the SCSB in the case, commented on the filing.

“Oklahoma parents and children are better off with more choices, not fewer. There’s great irony in state officials who claim to be in favor of religious liberty discriminating against St. Isidore because of its Catholic beliefs,” said Phil Sechler, ADF Senior Counsel. “The U.S. Constitution protects St. Isidore’s freedom to operate according to its faith and supports the board’s decision to approve such learning options for Oklahoma families. Protecting the freedom of St. Isidore and other charter schools to operate according to their beliefs bolsters religious freedom across Oklahoma, which is why we are urging the U.S. Supreme Court to take this important case.”

Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond also weighed in on Monday afternoon.

"I will continue to vigorously defend the religious liberty of all four million Oklahomans.," Drummond said. "This unconstitutional scheme to create the nation’s first state-sponsored religious charter school will open the floodgates and force taxpayers to fund all manner of religious indoctrination, including radical Islam or even the Church of Satan. My fellow Oklahomans can rest assured that I will always fight to protect their God-given rights and uphold the law."

The full petition can be read here.