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Liberal Supreme Court justices grill religious institution in landmark school choice case
The Supreme Court on Wednesday heard oral arguments in a case involving the nation’s first religious charter schools, and whether it is eligible for state funding despite its religious teachings.
At issue in the case is a virtual Catholic charter school in Oklahoma, St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School, and whether the school is eligible to receive public funding because of its religious teachings. Lawyers representing the school have argued that it is operating like a private actor working under a contract with the state, and asked the high court on Wednesday to overturn an earlier decision by the Oklahoma Supreme Court.
During Wednesday’s arguments, lawyers for St. Isidore argued that just because they receive state funding does not mean they are a state actor. They also noted recent Supreme Court precedent, which they said has been in their favor.
This Court has «‘repeatedly’ held that ‘a State violates the Free Exercise Clause when it excludes religious observers from otherwise available public benefits,» James Campbell, attorney for St. Isidore, told the court.
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A view of the U.S. Supreme Court Building. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images) (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
Justices used oral arguments to press Campbell on how they would treat individuals with different religious backgrounds.
«What would you do with a charter school that doesn’t want to teach evolution, or it doesn’t want to teach history, including the history of slavery, or it doesn’t want to include having children of another faith. In them, as this one does?» Justice Sonia Sotomayor asked Campbell.
«This one does not say it won’t exclude children of other faiths. But it said, if you want to attend this school, you have to attend mass. You have to accept the teachings of the church with respect to certain principles. So is that something you look at?»
In response, Campbell notes that the school does not require students to affirm its religious beliefs, noting that St. Isidore «allows exceptions for anyone that doesn’t want to attend mass,» and says «point blank» in its handbook that there is no requirement that a student affirm the beliefs of the school.»
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Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor during the formal group photograph at the Supreme Court in Washington, DC, US, on Friday, Oct. 7, 2022. (Eric Lee/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
The Oklahoma Statewide Virtual Charter School Board approved St. Isidore’s contract request in June 2023, making them eligible to receive public funds.
But its ability to receive state funds was later blocked by the Oklahoma Supreme Court, which ruled that the public funding for the school was in violation of the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment.
Oklahoma Attorney General, Gentner Drummond, has argued that the school would be a state actor if it received state funding. «Charter schools no doubt offer important educational innovations, but they bear all the classic indicia of public schools,» Drummond argued in an earlier Supreme Court filing.
If its «charter-school law violates the Free Exercise Clause, then this is one of the most far-reaching free exercise violations in the Nation’s history,» he argued.
Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
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The court’s decision here could have wide-ranging ramifications far beyond Oklahoma. More than 40 U.S. states currently authorize charter schools, and the ruling in the case could have ripple effects across the country.
The charter school states outright on its site that it «fully embraces» the teachings of the Catholic Church, «fully incorporates» them «into every aspect» of the curriculum— and that it intends to participate «in the evangelizing mission of the church.»
This is a breaking news story. Check back soon for updates. Fox News’s Anders Hagstrom contributed to this report.
Supreme Court,Donald Trump,Politics,US Faith & Values,US Education
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Son of British couple detained in Iran ‘let down’ by Starmer’s leadership on parent’s imprisonment amid war
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The son of a British couple who have remained jailed in Iran for more than a year is appealing to President Donald Trump as the war in Iran complicates the situation.
«Conditions have intensified over the last couple of weeks, to say the least, as you might imagine with the complexity of war,» Joe Bennett told Fox News Saturday.
He said the notorious Evin Prison, where his parents are being held in Tehran, was already at capacity, and a recent surge of protesters has created severely crowded conditions.
«Food is scarce,» he added. «We’re worried about the replenishment of their stocks of food. I mean, it’s unsanitary conditions. It has been described as ‘hell on Earth’ by them.
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Family and supporters of Lindsay and Craig Foreman hold up a sign in London calling for their freedom in January on the first anniversary of their detention. (Brook Mitchell/AFP via Getty Images)
«With the bombs that are dropping and the activity that’s happening there at the moment, the anxiety is heightened for us and for them as well.»
Craig and Lindsay Foreman were arrested in January 2025 by Iranian authorities while on a global motorcycling trip and were later sentenced to 10 years in prison on suspicion of spying.
Bennett spoke in Washington, D.C., Thursday at the McCain Institute’s US-UK Transatlantic Conference on Hostage-Taking and Arbitrary Detention, criticizing British leaders’ — namely Prime Minister Keir Starmer — «non-existent» advocacy for his parents, BBC News reported.
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«The clear message to the U.K. government and Starmer is to stop hiding behind this as a consular case,» Bennett told Fox News. «I think that was put out the window when they were sentenced to 10 years for espionage, accused of being spies for the Israeli Mossad and the U.K. government.
Joe Bennett, center, stands in front of 10 Downing Street in London with a petition in January. (Ben Whitley/PA Images via Getty Images)
«What we haven’t seen is leadership qualities from Keir Starmer. We haven’t seen him advocate since their sentencing to, as you say, condemn this sham process and the treatment of U.K. nationals.»
Starmer’s silence has left Bennett’s family feeling «let down,» he said. «We feel there’s an opportunity to do so and there still is.»
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Bennett stressed that his parents’ detention and sentencing «is hostage taking.»
Joe Bennett, the son of Lindsay and Craig Foreman, urged President Trump to be precise with Iranian strikes. (Carlos Jasso/AFP via Getty Images)
«It affects not just the U.K., the U.S. as well and Western civilization,» Bennett added.
«Innocent people are being targeted for leverage as political pawns.»
He also urged Trump to be «concise» with Iranian strikes and not to forget that Brits and Americans are in that prison.
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«Two things I’d like to say to Mr. Trump is, firstly, that safety is important,» Bennett told Fox News. «Missiles have hit Evin in June of last year but also were very close.
«So, I think the target — I just want him to be concise that, you know, so that Evin isn’t a part of that, and, secondly, is to not forget that they are there.»
He noted that, along with his parents, U.S. nationals are also imprisoned at Evin.
«And as a humanitarian plea, from a son for his mother’s release is what I’m asking for,» he said.
war with iran,world,iran,donald trump,united kingdom
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La embajada de Estados Unidos denuncia trato cruel contra ancianos y enfermos en Nicaragua
La Embajada de Estados Unidos en Nicaragua denunció este sábado la “crueldad del régimen” que presiden Daniel Ortega y Rosario Murillo contra los disidentes del Gobierno, destacando la situación de personas de edad avanzada y con problemas de salud que permanecen detenidas. Según reportó la Agencia EFE, la representación diplomática expresó en sus redes sociales que “la crueldad del régimen hacia quienes se atreven a alzar la voz es irrazonable”.
En el mensaje, la embajada estadounidense en Managua criticó que la administración de Ortega y Murillo mantenga bajo arresto a opositores ancianos y enfermos. Puso como ejemplo el caso de Brooklyn Rivera Brayan, exdiputado indígena miskito de 73 años, quien se encuentra privado de libertad desde el 29 de septiembre de 2023. Rivera, líder del partido indígena Yapti Tasba Masraka Nanih Aslatakanka (Yatama, en lengua miskita, que significa ‘Hijos de la Madre Tierra’), fue arrestado poco antes de las elecciones regionales celebradas en marzo de 2024, detalló la Agencia EFE.
Posteriormente a la detención de Rivera, el Consejo Supremo Electoral (CSE) de Nicaragua, bajo control oficialista, canceló la personalidad jurídica de Yatama. El CSE argumentó que esa organización ejecutó acciones que menoscaban la independencia, la soberanía y la autodeterminación del país. Se la acusó además de incitar a la injerencia extranjera, cargos calificados como traición a la patria por la legislación local.
LA NACION / ZUMA PRESS)
La embajada estadounidense sostuvo que “estas personas —ancianos y enfermos— fueron encarceladas por el simple hecho de discrepar con el régimen y permanecen injustamente detenidas en condiciones inhumanas, privadas de derechos fundamentales y de atención médica”. La delegación enfatizó que la privación de derechos básicos y la falta de acceso a atención sanitaria agravan la situación de los detenidos.
De acuerdo con cifras del Mecanismo para el Reconocimiento de Personas Presas Políticas, avaladas por la Comisión Interamericana de Derechos Humanos (CIDH), en Nicaragua existen actualmente 46 personas detenidas por motivaciones políticas, quince de las cuales son adultos mayores. Entre estos figuran, además de Rivera, los excomandantes de la revolución sandinista Bayardo Arce y Henry Ruiz, así como el antiguo asesor de Ortega y general en retiro Álvaro Baltodano Cantarero. También se encuentran bajo arresto los dirigentes indígenas Steadman Fagoth Müller y Nancy Elizabeth Henríquez, junto a militares retirados como Carlos Brenes, Víctor Boitano y Eddie Moisés González Valdivia, según la información difundida por la Agencia EFE.
Las elecciones se realizaron con sus principales adversarios políticos en prisión, quienes luego fueron expulsados del país y despojados de su nacionalidad y derechos políticos bajo acusaciones de “golpismo” y traición a la patria, explicó la Agencia EFE.
La embajada estadounidense subrayó que la represión contra la disidencia política se manifiesta especialmente en el trato a presos de edad avanzada, que sufren condiciones de reclusión especialmente severas. El organismo diplomático llamó la atención sobre la falta de garantías para el ejercicio de los derechos fundamentales y reiteró su preocupación por el deterioro de la situación de los derechos humanos en Nicaragua.
El comunicado de la representación estadounidense se produce en un contexto de persistente denuncia internacional por la situación de los presos políticos y las restricciones a la participación política en Nicaragua. Organismos como la CIDH y entidades de la sociedad civil han solicitado la liberación de los detenidos y el cese de las represalias contra quienes expresan opiniones críticas al Gobierno.
La Agencia EFE consignó que, junto a Rivera y los otros líderes detenidos, permanecen privadas de libertad personas identificadas por su oposición política, muchas de ellas con problemas de salud que requieren atención médica especializada. La embajada de Estados Unidos remarcó que la situación de los ancianos encarcelados constituye una muestra de la dureza de las políticas represivas del Ejecutivo nicaragüense y pidió el respeto a los derechos fundamentales de todos los ciudadanos.
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