The U.S. Supreme Court has split 4-4 on whether Oklahoma must permit the nation’s first publicly funded religious charter school, leaving in place a state high court ruling excluding the newly created school.
The Supreme Court’s deadlocked decision came about after Justice Amy Coney Barrett recused herself from participating in the high-profile First Amendment case. Although she did not explain her recusal, the decision to sit out was likely based on her close affiliations with lawyers at Notre Dame Law School representing the proposed religious charter school.