Split U.S. Supreme Court Halts First Religious Charter School in Landmark Decision

This Reuters article examines the U.S. Supreme Court’s 4-4 split decision on May 22, 2025, which effectively blocked the creation of St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School in Oklahoma—the nation’s first proposed taxpayer-funded religious charter school. The tie, resulting from Justice Amy Coney Barrett’s recusal due to potential conflicts of interest, upheld the Oklahoma Supreme Court’s ruling that the proposed school violated the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause by promoting religion through public funding. While advocates for church-state separation celebrated the outcome, supporters of religious charter schools expressed disappointment and indicated plans to continue their legal efforts.