Oklahomans celebrated a tremendous victory for religious liberty last summer after a ruling by our state Supreme Court in the case of Drummond v. Oklahoma Statewide Virtual Charter School Board, but the U.S. Supreme Court will have the final say in the matter.
Regardless of one’s political leanings, it is generally accepted that the First Amendment and Oklahoma Constitution preclude religious public schools. As a result, the fundamental question is whether charter schools are public schools.
Proponents of St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School have hitched their legal argument on some highwire linguistic gymnastics, suggesting ― disingenuously, I believe ― that a charter school somehow is not a public one.
The argument is curious. To be clear, a charter school has all the hallmarks of a public school. They are free and open to all. They are established by the state, funded by the state, regulated by the state, and can be closed by the state. They are even protected from being sued by the state’s sovereign immunity. It is no mystery that Oklahoma and 45 other states, as well as federal law, all define charter schools as public schools. With all due respect to those who claim St. Isidore is otherwise, I defer to that time-honored adage about if it walks like a duck, swims like a duck and quacks like a duck ― well, you know the rest.
While many Oklahomans undoubtedly would support charter schools sponsored by various Christian faiths, the precedent created by approval of a Catholic charter school will compel approval of similar applications by all faiths. As a committed Christian, the last thing I want is for my tax dollars to fund the indoctrination of arguably extreme or fringe religions that most Oklahomans and I would find objectionable or even offensive. That scenario is an inevitability, not hyperbole.
And make no mistake: The threat this poses to our religious liberty is grave.
Religious liberty means every citizen is free to worship as he or she believes. Religious liberty does not mean the government should fund religious teachings.
To avoid any confusion, I am very supportive of private religious schools. I sent my own children to a private Christian school for high school. Every family should be free to choose private religious education.
In fact, Oklahoma has made that avenue much easier in recent years by offering a tax credit to families who choose this type of education. This credit belongs to all parents who wish to claim it, and without regard to their religious beliefs. This is an important distinction. Parents, not the government, make the choice and decide for themselves what school is worthy of their own tax dollars.
Religious liberty is among the most fundamental pillars upon which our nation was founded. We may worship however we see fit, or not worship at all, unfettered by any threat of government-backed religious indoctrination.
I swore an oath to uphold the United States Constitution, and I believe our Founding Fathers knew best how to protect religious liberty: by preventing the government from funding any religion at all. I do not want Oklahoma schoolchildren indoctrinated in public schools — I want them educated.
While Oklahoma’s Supreme Court has sided with my efforts to protect religious liberty, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear the St. Isidore case on April 30. I will continue fighting to uphold our constitutional rights and protect religious liberty for all Oklahomans.
Gentner Drummondis attorney general for the state of Oklahoma.
