Walters's request to join catholic charter school lawsuit denied

OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) - Superintendent Ryan Walters's request to intervene in the federal lawsuit against St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual Charter School has been denied for a second time.

The Oklahoma Attorney General filed a lawsuit  in October over the controversial religious public charter school, saying it violates the state and U.S. Constitutions.

Attorney General Gentner Drummond brought the suit against the Oklahoma Statewide Virtual Charter School Board for approving what would be the nation’s first religious charter school funded by public tax dollars.

“The board members who approved this contract have violated the religious liberty of every Oklahoman by forcing us to fund the teachings of a specific religious sect with our tax dollars,” Drummond said.

“Today, Oklahomans are being compelled to fund Catholicism. Because of the legal precedent created by the Board’s actions, tomorrow we may be forced to fund radical Muslim teachings like Sharia law. In fact, Governor Stitt has already indicated that he would welcome a Muslim charter school funded by our tax dollars. That is a gross violation of our religious liberty. As the defender of Oklahoma’s religious freedoms, I am prepared to litigate this issue to the United States Supreme Court if that’s what is required to protect our Constitutional rights.”

In addition to the new lawsuit filed against the Statewide Virtual Charter School Board, the Americans United for Separation of Church and State as well as several other groups filed a separate lawsuit in June.

Walters initially requested to intervene in the lawsuit in November, but was rejected by a judge siding with the AG and deeming Walters’s involvement unnecessary.

He requested to intervene for a second time. That request was denied on Thursday.