Oklahoma just approved the first religious charter school in the country
· Jun 7, 2023 · NottheBee.com

In a time of regularly dismal education news, we should thank Oklahoma for delivering us a solid W this week:

The state of Oklahoma approved the country's first-ever religious charter school on Monday. The move will allow public funds to pay the tuition of children attending an online Catholic school run by the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City and the Diocese of Tulsa.

The Statewide Virtual Charter School Board voted 3-2 to approve St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School in a three-hour-long meeting. The "yes" votes included a new member who was appointed by Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt on Friday.

Stitt called the decision "a win for religious liberty and education freedom in our great state," hailing "an increasingly innovative educational system that expands choice."

Notably, state Attorney Genreal Genter Drummon, himself a Republican, has come out against the decision, calling it "contrary to Oklahoma law and not in the best interest of taxpayers."

State Superintendent Ryan Walters, meanwhile, said he had "encouraged the board to approve this monumental decision."

"[N]ow the U.S.'s first religious charter school will be welcomed by my administration," he said.


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