Oklahoma parents, faith leaders and education group sue to stop US’s first public religious school

By SEAN MURPHY
Associated Press

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — A group of parents, faith leaders and a nonprofit public education group are suing to stop Oklahoma from funding what would be the nation’s first religious public charter school. The lawsuit has been filed Monday in Oklahoma County District Court. The group seeks to stop taxpayer funds from going to the St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School. The Statewide Virtual Charter School Board voted 3-2 last month to approve the application by the Catholic Archdiocese of Oklahoma to establish the school. The vote came despite a warning from Oklahoma’s Republican attorney general that such a school would violate both state law and the Oklahoma Constitution.