BJC: SCOTUS deadlock in Oklahoma v. Drummond preserves principle that government does not sponsor religion
Hollman: This outcome “ensures our public institutions remain open to all, not captured by any one religious mission.”
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Press contact: Karlee Marshall | [email protected]
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the U.S. Supreme Court affirmed the state of Oklahoma’s decision not to fund a religious charter school, releasing an unsigned statement noting that the justices were tied with a 4-4 vote in the case of Oklahoma Statewide Charter School Board, et al. v. Drummond.
The following is a statement from Holly Hollman, general counsel and associate executive director of BJC (Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty):
The Supreme Court’s deadlock means an important principle remains intact: the government cannot operate a religious school, nor can it directly sponsor, promote, or pay for religious education.
From the start, it was clear this case posed a serious threat to religious freedom. Chief Justice John Roberts acknowledged as much in oral arguments, signaling the weight of what was at stake.
The Oklahoma decision rightly affirmed that charter schools are public schools. And public schools are where we’ve shown the greatest clarity about religious freedom: they don’t conduct religious exercises, compel prayer, or make students feel excluded based on their beliefs. Instead, they reflect the true promise of pluralism — where students can learn about diverse faiths and prepare to participate in a shared democracy.
This outcome helps preserve that promise. And it ensures that our public institutions remain open to all, not captured by any one religious mission.
BJC filed an amicus brief in Oklahoma v. Drummond, along with other Christian organizations and Jewish, Muslim, and interfaith groups.
Hollman and BJC Executive Director Amanda Tyler discussed the oral arguments in this case on an episode of the Respecting Religion podcast titled “The blockbuster SCOTUS case over religious charter schools” (Season 6, Episode 14).
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BJC (Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty) is an 89-year-old religiously based organization working to defend faith freedom for all and protect the institutional separation of church and state in the historic Baptist tradition. BJC is the home of the Christians Against Christian Nationalism campaign.
