US Supreme Court to hear arguments Wednesday in religious charter school case

WHO:  ADF Chief Legal Counsel Jim Campbell, Oklahoma Statewide Charter School Board Chair Brian Shellem

WHAT:  Press conference following oral arguments in Oklahoma Statewide Charter School Board v. Drummond

WHEN:  Immediately following oral arguments, which begin at 10 a.m. EDT, Wed., April 30

WHERE:  Outside U.S. Supreme Court, 1 First St. NE, Washington. Additional spokespeople will be available for 1:1 interviews outside the court before and during oral arguments. To schedule an interview, contact ADF Media Relations Manager Hattie Troutman at (771) 200-7630.

WASHINGTON – Alliance Defending Freedom Chief Legal Counsel Jim Campbell, who will argue before the U.S. Supreme Court Wednesday in Oklahoma Statewide Charter School Board v. Drummond, and Oklahoma Statewide Charter School Board Chair Brian Shellem will speak at a press conference outside the court immediately following the oral arguments.

In the case, ADF attorneys are defending the board’s decision to approve St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School’s application to participate in the state’s charter-school program. The Oklahoma Supreme Court ruled that the board must exclude St. Isidore from the program solely because it is religious.

“Oklahoma parents and children are better off with more educational choices, not fewer,” Campbell said. “The Constitution protects St. Isidore’s freedom to participate in Oklahoma’s charter-school program, and it supports the board’s decision to provide more high-quality, no-cost educational options for Oklahoma families. The U.S. Supreme Court has been clear that when the government creates programs and invites groups to participate, it can’t single out religious groups for exclusion.”

“Our Oklahoma charter school board was created to expand educational choice for parents,” Shellem explained. “Excluding faith-based groups that integrate religion into their education undermines that mission and hurts the families that desperately want those options. As the board chair and a father, I’m joining hundreds of other parents across Oklahoma in urging the U.S. Supreme Court to uphold our board’s decision to allow St. Isidore to participate in our charter school program.”

ADF attorneys defended the board against a lawsuit filed by Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond in the Oklahoma Supreme Court seeking to cancel the board’s contract with St. Isidore. The U.S. Supreme Court will review the state supreme court’s ruling, which conflicts with U.S. Supreme Court precedent establishing that, when a state creates a generally available public program and invites groups to apply, it cannot exclude applicants solely because of their religious character.

In March, the United States Solicitor General’s Office, 12 states, charter school groups, religious organizations, and elected leaders submitted friend-of-the-court briefs to the U.S. Supreme Court in support of allowing St. Isidore into the charter school program.

Alliance Defending Freedom is an alliance-building, non-profit legal organization committed to protecting religious freedom, free speech, parental rights, and the sanctity of life.

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