Oklahoma Board Denies Funding for Religious School

The Catholic Archdiocese of Oklahoma City's application to open the first publicly funded religious charter school in the US has been denied by the Statewide Virtual Charter School Board. The board cited the need for clarification on several points, including how a taxpayer-sponsored Catholic school would comply with the Constitution. The archdiocese has 30 days to revise the application. The proposal has sparked criticism because of the questions it raises about the Constitution's establishment clause and the state's constitution, which explicitly prohibits public money being used to "benefit or support" any system of religion.