Overview

• The U.S. Supreme Court split 4-4 on the legality of Oklahoma's St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School, leaving a state court ruling against the school in place.
• The decision prevents the launch of what would have been the first publicly funded religious charter school in the United States.
• The ruling does not establish a nationwide precedent, leaving unresolved the broader constitutional question of taxpayer funding for religious charter schools.
• Justice Amy Coney Barrett recused herself, likely due to her ties to a Notre Dame legal clinic that advised the school, impacting the court's ability to reach a majority decision.
• The case underscores ongoing tensions between the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause and Free Exercise Clause, with potential for future litigation involving all nine justices.