Oklahoma Statewide Charter School Board Votes Unanimously on October 23 to Appeal in Ben Gamla Jewish Charter School Case
On October 23, Oklahoma's Statewide Charter School Board met at the State Capitol and voted unanimously to appeal a federal court ruling in the Ben Gamla Jewish charter school case. Less than a month earlier, the board had voted on the school's application but failed to muster the support needed for approval. Rather than hold another vote, the board authorized its attorneys to appeal the federal court's preliminary injunction. Board member Jared Buswell made the motion to appeal, saying the move would preserve options while the board discussed next steps. Board attorney A.J. Ferate said an opinion issued by the state Attorney General's office on the evening of October 22 concluded the board could no longer vote on the application, and that the board faced a choice between appealing the federal court's order or risking being held in contempt and facing discovery in the trial court. Ferate also disclosed that Ben Gamla had written to say it might take legal action. The Attorney General's office, for its part, criticized the appeal, noting that the board had supported Ben Gamla's request for an injunction in April and that the federal court had granted that request in September, and that a party ordinarily cannot appeal an order it sought and obtained; the Attorney General's office said it would not approve the use of state funds for the appeal.
Source: GSM News
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 俄克拉何马城市景。图片经 Wikimedia Commons。Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Via Wikimedia Commons.
