Overview

• The U.S. Supreme Court's 4-4 split upholds the Oklahoma Supreme Court's decision, blocking St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School from receiving public funds.
• Justice Amy Coney Barrett recused herself, likely due to ties with Notre Dame Law School, which represents the Catholic school, leaving eight justices to decide the case.
• The ruling maintains that charter schools in Oklahoma are public institutions and must remain nonsectarian under state and federal constitutional guidelines.
• The unsigned, one-sentence decision sets no national precedent, leaving the broader issue of religious charter schools unresolved.
• This case highlights tensions between the First Amendment's Establishment Clause, which bars government endorsement of religion, and its Free Exercise Clause, which protects religious practice.