I began and ended my K-12 education in public schools. Sandwiched in between were eight years attending parochial schools.
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Michael Paul Williams
On Monday, an Oklahoma school board approved what would be the first taxpayer-funded religious school in the U.S., but the state's attorney general is questioning the vote.After an almost three-hour-long meeting, the Oklahoma Statewide Virtual School Board voted 3-2 to approve the Catholic Archdiocese of Oklahoma's application to open St. Isidore of Seville Virtual Charter School in 2024.But now, Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond says newly appointed board member Brian Bobek, who cast the deciding vote to approve the online public school, may not have been eligible to vote.In a memo received by Scripps News Tulsa, Drummond noted that board member appointments take effect on Nov. 1 and that any vacancies should be filled by an appointing authority. But he said Bobek had replaced a board member who requested to be reappointed and who was only made aware Bobek was replacing him on June 2, three days before the school vote.Because there was no vacancy on the board that lent to an immediate placement of a new member, Drummond said the former member should still serve until Bobek is qualified on Nov. 1. That would make his participation in the vote questionable.The chairman of the school board told Scripps News Tulsa he didn't see the memo until the meeting ended, though it was sent before."My wife and I were going to dinner," Chairman Robert Franklin said. "I look down at my email to just kind of disclose and see all what was happening. And I saw the email and I was taken aback of its contents."On top of the issue with Bobek, Drummond has taken issue with the proposal in general. After the vote, he said it was an unconstitutional move that isn't in a taxpayer's "best interest.""It's extremely disappointing that board members violated their oath in order to fund religious schools with our tax dollars," Drummond said. "In doing so, these members have exposed themselves and the state to potential legal action that could be costly."In April, the school board delayed the vote due to issues with the proposal including possible lawsuits that could arise, as Drummond noted.Charter schools and public schools are both funded by taxpayer dollars, but charter schools have more freedom in their operation. Supporters of religious charter schools like Brett Farley, executive director for the Catholic Conference of Oklahoma say St. Isidore will give Catholic families in Oklahoma another option when it comes to the education of grades kindergarten through 12.In an interview with Scripps News, Farley said there's no difference between tax money going directly to a religious charter school or to other existing tax-funded school programs, like some scholarships."Parents are still making the choice whether they're going to send their kids to those schools, so the operative action in this situation is the parents choosing," Farley said. "Whether the money is going to the parent and then to the school or directly to the school, really is a distinction without a difference."But opponents of religious charters schools, like the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, say they blur the line between church and state, since government funds would be supporting religious schooling.In an interview with Scripps News, Debbie Veney, the alliance's vice president of communications and marketing, said because of that distinction, she believes the decision will be struck down."It's religious discrimination to treat one type of entity differently than you would treat another if you're going to be giving public funds to two private entities," Veney said. "The distinction here is: This is talking about giving public funds to a public entity, which would then not operate in the way that we've always known public schools to operate, which is being nonsectarian."SEE MORE: Bill requiring Ten Commandments in Texas schools fails
From the Archives: A look back at Richmond schools
08-06-1979 (cutline): Antoi Harrington (left) and Robert Winthrow are friends.
NL Published Caption: Benedictine High School's Cadet Corps in formation behind the school. 10-8-61 50th anniversary
In September 1961, students entered Westhampton School in Richmond. That fall, Daisy Jane Cooper became the first African-American student to integrate the junior high school; the following year, she made similar history at Thomas Jefferson High School.
In July 1968, a summer session class of journalism students worked on the yearbook, “The Sunfire,” at the Collegiate Schools in Henrico County.
In April 1955, students at Ridge School in Henrico County enjoyed their new merry-go-round. It was presented to the school by the PTA, which had collected donations for playground equipment.
In September 1967, students’ motorcycles lined the parking lot at Thomas Jefferson High School in Richmond on the first day of school.
NL Published caption: Children romp at William Fox Elementary School before classes. The Christmas holidays ended today for pupils in the area
05-03-1979 (cutline): Pupils sit under an atop homemade wooden loft at Cary Elementary School.
08-30-1971 (cutline): Miss Susan R. McCandlish greets her fifth graders on their first day at Chimborazo School.
03-29-1971: Young student listeds to playback in reading class. The program was to be used the following fall for first graders in Richmond city schools.
04-18-1982 (cutline): Video equipment used in a visual literacy program, paid for by Title I in Richmond.
09-06-1989 (cutline): Thelma Smith, a former teacher who came to school yesterday to help, pinned bus numbers on pupils at Bellevue Elementary School.
09-03-1985 (cutline): Corey Green on bus, ready to head home after 1st day of school at John B. Cary School.
05-03-1979: John B. Cary Elementary School library.
06-16-1989 (cutline): Doing something--Patricia Lancaster, Boushall Middle School curriculum specialist, is surrounded by some of the pupils taking part in the "Becoming a Woman" program.
07-13-1979 (cutline): In Super Mint factory--Stephanie McIntosh, Becky Blum and Chris Minney (left to right) made Astonishments this week in the Superintendent's School for the Gifted.
09-08-1972: Students cross street on Forest Hill Avenue aided by crossing guard.
09-01-1970 (cutline): "It's different. It's a new experience. Everybody's trying to make it work. I think it will work." These comments by Susan Lippsitz, a new student at Thomas Jefferson High School, are reflective of those by several high and middle school students in their second day of the school term under a new court-ordered desegregation plan.
07-11-1976 (cutline): Blackwell Elementary students examine a bell in front of Treasury building in Washington D.C. The Richmond elementary school class was part of Class-on-Wheels, a summer school program. The federally financed program was designed to give disadvantaged studens the opportunity to travel by bus throughout Virginia.
Students leave a city school bus at Thompson Middle School, where some of them are to board a Virginia Transit Co. bus taking them to Maymont School on Sept. 1, 1970. Thompson, in the annexed area on Forest Hill Avenue, and Maymont, near Byrd Park, are paired under the city's court-ordered desegregation plan.
10-02-1975 (cutline): Counselor Libby Hoffman uses pictures, recorded story to teach 'self worth.'
05-14-1971 (cutline): Mr. J.C. Binford with his 11th grade American History Class. This was one of the largest classes at George Wythe.
