Oklahoma Holds The Line Against Christian Nationalism

Today, the Oklahoma Supreme Court ruled that no, the state government of Oklahoma cannot set up religious public schools out of whole cloth just in order to promote one particular brand of Christianity.

The St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School was in violation of the law when it was set up by the Oklahoma state government as a public school controlled by the Catholic Church.

What will happens to freedom of religion, though, if Donald Trump gets elected and appoints more Christian Nationalist judges in seats across America?

The Supreme Court of Oklahoma ruled today that:

“We hold that the St. Isidore Contract violates the Oklahoma Constitution, the Act, and the federal Establishment Clause… We first look to the Oklahoma Constitution. Article 2, Section 5 states: ‘No public money or property shall ever be appropriated, applied, donated, or used, directly or indirectly, for the use, benefit, or support of any sect, church, denomination, or system of religion, or for the use, benefit, or support of any priest, preacher, minister, or other religious teacher or dignitary, or sectarian institution as such.’

…The framers' intent is clear: the State is prohibited from using public money for the "use, benefit or support of a sect or system of religion." Although a public charter school, St. Isidore is an instrument of the Catholic church, operated by the Catholic church, and will further the evangelizing mission of the Catholic church in its educational programs. The expenditure of state funds for St. Isidore's operations constitutes the use of state funds for the benefit and support of the Catholic church. It also constitutes the use of state funds for "the use, benefit, or support of . . . a sectarian institution." The St. Isidore Contract violates the plain terms of Article 2, Section 5 of the Oklahoma Constitution. Enforcing the St. Isidore Contract would create a slippery slope and what the framers' warned against--the destruction of Oklahomans' freedom to practice religion without fear of governmental intervention.

…Under the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment, made binding upon the States through the Fourteenth Amendment, Oklahoma cannot pass laws ‘which aid one religion, aid all religions, or prefer one religion over another.’”