Americans United launches investigation into proposed Jewish public charter school in Oklahoma

Americans United for Separation of Church and State today requested records from the Oklahoma Statewide Charter School Board as part of an investigation into a proposed Jewish public charter school. According to published reports, Ben Gamla Jewish Charter School wants to operate next year as a virtual charter high school that integrates “Jewish religious learning and ethical development” with academics. Much like the defunct St. Isidore of Seville Virtual Catholic School that was blocked by the Oklahoma and U.S. Supreme Courts, Ben Gamla’s reported proposal would be an unconstitutional violation of church-state separation.  

AU seeking records on proposed Ben Gamla Jewish Charter School

AU is seeking records including the November letter of intent to apply for charter authorization submitted by the National Ben Gamla Jewish Charter School Foundation, any other recent letters of intent to apply for authorization of religious charter schools in Oklahoma, and all communications between the charter school board and any representatives of Ben Gamla. 

“As the Oklahoma Supreme Court recently affirmed in the case of St. Isidore, charter schools are public schools that must be secular and open to all students,” said AU President and CEO Rachel Laser. “Despite their loss earlier this year at the U.S. Supreme Court, religious extremists once again are trying to undermine our country’s promise of church-state separation by forcing Oklahoma taxpayers to fund a religious public school. Not on our watch. Just as we did in our lawsuit to block St. Isidore and in the cases we continue to litigate against former Superintendent Ryan Walters’ extremist schemes, Americans United is prepared to do whatever it takes to safeguard public education and religious freedom for all Oklahomans.”

AU points to connections between St. Isidore and Jewish public charter school

Brett Farley, executive director for the Catholic Conference of Oklahoma – who was a member of St. Isidore’s board of directors – reportedly is listed as a member of the founding team of Ben Gamla’s proposed Oklahoma school. Peter Deutsch, a representative of Ben Gamla, told the press earlier this year that after speaking with Jewish faith leaders and parents in Oklahoma, he had concluded the state’s small Jewish population meant a Jewish public charter school wasn’t feasible even if St. Isidore had been allowed to operate. 

AU’s request for information was made under the Oklahoma Open Records Act. AU has requested responses by Nov. 21 and Dec. 5.