On May 22, 2025, an evenly split  Supreme Court, 4-4, delivered a significant victory to advocates for the separation of church and state. The court upheld an Oklahoma Supreme Court ruling against the state funding a religious charter school. The lower court determined that the creation of St. Isidore of Seville Virtual Charter School violated the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment.

Chief Justice John Roberts appeared to side with the court’s three more liberal judges, Ketanji Brown Jackson, Elena Kagan and Sonia Sotomayor. Justice Amy Coney Barrett recused herself from the case, but has not cited a reason.

Mitch Randall, Good Faith Media’s CEO, a resident of Oklahoma and a plaintiff in the case against St. Isidore, celebrated the decision. “Four Supreme Court justices upheld the Constitution’s prohibition against the government’s advancement of religion,” he said. “This is a win for religious liberty and church-state separation. My great-grandmother and all victims of Indigenous boarding schools will rest well today.”

In a statement, Holly Hollman, general counsel and associate executive director of BJC (Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty), acknowledged Chief Justice Roberts’ role in the decision. “From the start, it was clear this case posed a serious threat to religious freedom,” she said. “Chief Justice John Roberts acknowledged as much in oral arguments, signaling the weight of what was at stake.”

Rachel Laser, president and CEO of Americans United for Church and State, also praised the decision and vowed to continue the fight for church-state separation. In a statement, she said, “We will continue our efforts to protect inclusive public education. We call on this nation to recommit to church-state separation before this safeguard of democracy and freedom is further attacked.”

Good Faith Media will continue monitoring this story and reporting on its implications for religious liberty issues.