An epic battle is raging in our nation that points back to my state of Oklahoma that at the root appears to be an attack against religious schools which can have far-reaching implications or complications.
On May 1, the final day of session, the Supreme Court heard arguments for St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School v. Drummond. In short the Attorney General of Oklahoma (a Democrat who ran and won as a Republican) sued the Oklahoma Statewide Charter School Board to stop the establishment of St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual Charter School in 2023. Drummond argued that the religious school violated Oklahoma law as well as the state and U.S. Constitutions. The ultra liberal Oklahoma Supreme Court ruled with Drummond.
The school challenged the ruling and to much surprise, of the 1% of the cases the Supreme Court chooses to hear, they chose to hear this one!
They also made it the last case of the season, which typically is the case that is the biggest deal to the nation. Why is this case such a big deal? Because of the far-reaching effects it will have whichever way the ruling goes.
As we unpack this, throw out of your mind the simplistic argument “separation of church and state” which for the record, doesn’t exist because it is nowhere in our Constitution. We have to look beyond that.
The issue the Supreme Court considered was two fold:
(1) Whether there is an issue of a privately owned and run school that constitutes state action simply because it contracts with the state to offer a free educational option for interested students.
(2) Whether a state violates the First Amendment by excluding privately run religious schools from the state’s charter-school program solely because the schools are religious.
The question is can a state justify such an exclusion by invoking anti-establishment interests that go further than the First Amendment’s establishment clause.
Two close, praying friends got to be in the court room the day of the Supreme Court arguments. According to their report, it was a very bad day for Attorney General Gentner Drummond.
Drummond’s argument was that Congress shall take no action to establish a religion. But the catch question is whether the charter school is a state actor or a private actor? And the answer to that question, which the Supreme Court will decide, will affect all charter schools around the country—and more.
If it is ruled it is a state actor, because a majority of funds come from govt funding, then many other non-education, non-religious entities would be affected and potentially have to close or change their business model. Then, any vendor of the government would have to be scrutinized if they are a state or private entity and thus, for example, a Christian road building company could be excluded from contracts from the government. Which on the flip side is completely prejudiced discrimination against religion or anything that smells like it. If you want to read more on this case click here.
One of the Supreme Court justices even accused Drummond of prejudice against all religion, which is probably spot on.
This decision isn’t just about this one school but a much bigger discussion. The ruling is expected at the end of June or early July and is what we will pray about this week.
Father, we thank You that You see and are involved in this battle and all the underlying issues and motives. You see what is said publicly, but You also see what is in a man’s heart. Open the eyes of Americans as this case progresses and we get glimpses into our Supreme court justices and people involved in this case for out of the abundance of the heart a man speaks.
We lift up the Supreme Court justices and pray for a righteous decision not only in this case, but all cases that come before them. May they always rule according to our Constitution, not according to their political ideology of the moment. For the execution of justice is joy for the righteous, but terror to the workers of iniquity. A rascally witness makes a mockery of justice. Lower and upper courts have made a mockery of justice during the Biden administration. Lord we call for a reversal and for justice to be restored and just verdicts according to our Constitution. May the people have confidence again in law enforcement and judges and that they will once again possess the fear of the Lord rather than seek the praise of man.
In regards to the pending decision over public funding for religious charter schools—-or religious anything—Lord we pray that no longer would godly organizations be prejudiced against because they stand for You. No longer can our laws be manipulated to give millions to ungodly and unrighteous organizations while hands are tied for religious organizations. May the lawyers arguing for our cases, and the CEO’s of these organizations be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. May this be a new day in which the available funding to help supply need for Americans and good organizations, no longer be cyphoned off by groups who never actually get help to the people, or who use it to indoctrinate with communism and hatred of You. We declare change.
We thank You for favor upon Your people. We thank You for this changing of the administrations, leaders and rulings that no longer go against Americans but will protect us and our freedoms. We continue to declare that America is returning to God and America will be saved!
Luke 6:45, Prov 21:15, Prov 19:28, Matt 10:16