Supreme Court deadlock leaves in place ruling blocking nation’s first religious charter school
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Supreme Court Deadlock Blocks First Religious Charter School
Above: The Guardian or Authority of Law, created by sculptor James Earle Fraser, rests on the side of the U.S. Supreme Court on Sept. 28, 2020 in Washington, D.C. Image copyright: Al Drago/Stringer/Getty Images News via Getty Images
The Spin
Right narrative
Excluding faith-based schools from charter programs amounts to discrimination against religious institutions. The Supreme Court has consistently ruled that if states create public programs, they can't exclude religious entities solely based on their religious nature, as demonstrated in recent cases involving voucher programs and tuition assistance.
Left narrative
Charter schools are extensions of the state education system and must remain secular to protect the separation of church and state. Allowing religious charter schools would force taxpayers to fund religious instruction and create complicated entanglements between government and religion, potentially opening the door to various religious groups demanding equal treatment.