Authored by William Jeynes via RealClearEducation,
At a recent panel discussion at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government, the topic of whether religious charter schools are constitutional was debated. The discussion was fueled by the Carson v. Makin (2022) case and the establishment of the St. Isadore of Seville Catholic Virtual School in Oklahoma.
While recent cases have brought attention to the issue, the debate on religious charter schools has been ongoing. The Carson v. Makin case in Maine played a significant role in the push for religious charter schools, highlighting the need to address three key issues.
The first issue is whether religious charter schools are constitutional. The second issue revolves around the extent to which state governments can impose restrictions on religious private schools. Finally, the question of whether those running charter schools are considered state or private actors poses a challenge for the U.S. Supreme Court.
As the debate continues, the decision on the constitutionality of religious charter schools will have a lasting impact on the education system and society as a whole.
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