Supreme Court dooms taxpayer funded Catholic charter school in Oklahoma

I can see multiple problems with providing state money to religious schools or agencies: (1) Why "their" religion but not "my" religion? (2) Once money is given, control will follow - and people don't want to see governmental control of "their" religion.

So, for this to occur, discrimination must be present.

"Dooms" seems really inaccurate, the 4-4 vote...

1. Does not resolve the issue, it affirms the lower court ruling without any explanation

2. Does not mean it cannot be refilled next session with different plaintiffs

They really just left the Oklahoma Supreme Court ruling in place. This only applies to Oklahoma, and is not a decision that applies nationally.

It seems likely they revisit this or others will try to.

This actually seems in line with the plain wording of the US constitution. And it also seems like it will avoid squabbles about where tax money is going to based on religious convictions.

Catholic education is sort of going crazy right now with everything else. Here are a few inside facts.

First, nobody is surprised about Harvard and the struggle with the land-grant universities. Conservative Catholics have been sounding alarm bells about higher education for decades. Why? Because the Church invented the university system, and it's got away from us, and American academia has more money than Croesus and doesn't feel beholden or subjugated to any higher power except themselves. Harvard will bow down to no pope or king, but perhaps to many gods.

Now in terms of K-12, the Church set all that up, even in Canada and especially for the indigent and marginalized populations. Catholic schools used to be illegal in some places. But some Catholics feel that parochial schools have sold out [to Vatican II, or Democrats, and/or Beelzebub] and are unfit to educate Catholics. This is a natural progression because for centuries, they've been taking in atheists and heretics and anyone who pays, and forming them with Catholic values and giving really top-notch educations and forming leaders. Katy Perry and Lady Gaga are in charge now!

So Catholic educators has been busy setting up non-parochial schools. Independents, charters, "secular" schools that teach liberal arts and Great Books. There's a whole patchwork of non-parochial Catholic education at this point, and the bishops are nervous about that. Parochial schools are closing from lack of support, staffing, and enrollment.

Catholic parents are also leaning into homeschooling -- everyone knows this open secret. I am sure that other faiths are also homeschooling. The seeds of distrust of public schooling are bearing significant fruit.

So with School Choice and vouchers and fungible tax money for schooling, there is simply a huge fragmentation of the "market" for primary education at this point. Every single election, my district is hit with a gigantic bill in terms of bonds and overrides, for the public schools to try and tread water. But if our bonds and overrides and staff and student populations are being sliced away with school choice and public schools can't stay afloat, and teachers can't stay employed or even live in their district, then there's a real education crisis across the board.

This is fine. :-D