Supreme Court Signals Divide on Religious Charter Schools

A demonstrator holds a sign in front of the Supreme Court in Washington on April 30.

Photographer: Stefani Reynolds/Bloomberg
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US Supreme Court justices signaled a deep divide over a bid to create the nation’s first publicly funded religious charter school in a case that could lift longstanding constitutional limits on governmental support for faith.

In an argument that stretched more than two hours, Chief Justice John Roberts emerged as a pivotal vote. Though he didn’t clearly tip his hand, Roberts indicated he was skeptical of at least some contentions being made by a lawyer defending the exclusion of religious schools from Oklahoma’s program.