Supreme Court hears case on public money for religious charter schools

The U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments today over whether overtly religious schools may also be publicly funded charter schools.

When two Catholic diocese in Oklahoma sought to establish a publicly funded virtual charter school, the state supreme court ruled the avowedly religious nature of the school — where the curriculum included religious lessons and mandatory Mass attendance — conflicted with the state and federal constitutional ban on state establishment of religion. The school appealed to the Supreme Court, contending that when a state sets up a charter school program, it can't say that no religious organizations need apply.