News Release
For Immediate Release: 3.24.26
Contact: John Manning, media@firstliberty.org
Direct: 972-941-4453
Attorneys for Oklahoma Charter School Board Respond to Lawsuit Filed Over Decision Forced by State Supreme Court
Charter school board denied application of Jewish school because Oklahoma Supreme Court requires religious discrimination in decision making.
Oklahoma City, OK—Today, a federal lawsuit was filed against the Oklahoma Statewide Charter School Board (“SCSB”) by the National Ben Gamla Jewish Charter School Foundation after the board rejected Ben Gamla’s application for a state charter school. First Liberty Institute and Spencer Fane LLP represent the SCSB.
“The Board is simply doing what the Oklahoma Supreme Court requires, which is discriminate against faith-based applicants simply because they are religious. If it were not for the ban on religious schools, the board would have approved this school’s application,” said Hiram Sasser, Executive General Counsel for First Liberty Institute.
The National Ben Gamla Jewish Charter School Foundation applied to the SCSB to become the nation’s first state-funded religious / Jewish charter school. The SCSB rejected the application because it is bound by the decision of the Oklahoma Supreme Court in Drummond v. Oklahoma Statewide Virtual Charter School Board, which stated that religious charter schools violated the Oklahoma Constitution.
###
About First Liberty Institute
First Liberty Institute is a non-profit public interest law firm and the largest legal organization in the nation dedicated exclusively to defending religious freedom for all Americans.
To arrange an interview, contact John Manning at media@firstliberty.org or by calling 972-941-4453.
 |
|
|
