The Supreme Court is hearing a case over public funding for faith-based charter schools. The Diocese of Tulsa is identified as a founding partner in the St. Isidore Catholic Virtual School, a project that accepts taxpayer funds while promoting a religious agenda. The dispute raises questions about the separation of church and state and the potential expansion of religious influence in public education.

The Diocese of Tulsa, alongside the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City, is actively involved in the debate over a state-funded Catholic online charter school. The initiative aims to expand educational opportunities to students of all backgrounds in underserved rural areas, even as it raises concerns over church-state separation and potential reinforcement of conservative religious norms in public education.

The Diocese of Tulsa, a key player in establishing St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual Charter School in 2023, is now under scrutiny as the Oklahoma Supreme Court ruled on June 25, 2024 that state-funded religious charter schools violate constitutional mandates. Critics argue that the school’s adherence to strict religious morality could lead to discriminatory practices against LGBTQ youth, highlighting concerns over the diocese’s role in blending religious influence with public education.

The Diocese of Tulsa, alongside the Catholic Archdiocese of Oklahoma City, is revising its state charter school application and was reported to have originally proposed SB 404—a bill that would prohibit denying state funds based solely on religious affiliation. This move reflects the diocese's direct involvement in political advocacy that may blur the separation between church and state.

A 2007 firing of the Tulsa Diocese department director resulted in her wage and discrimination claims being dismissed by the 10th Circuit, which ruled that the ministerial exception barred her lawsuit due to her ministerial role responsibilities. The decision effectively limits recourse for worker claims against the Diocese.

A former department director of the Tulsa Diocese lost her wage and discrimination claims as the 10th Circuit ruled that she fell under the ministerial exception, which bars ministers from suing the church on employment-related matters. The decision underscores the challenges workers face in pursuing legal claims for bias and wage disputes within religious institutions.

A federal appeals court ruled that former director Monica Skrzypczak, fired in 2007 from her role at the Diocese of Tulsa, is barred from pursuing wage and discrimination claims due to the ministerial exception, which prevents ministers from suing the church under civil employment laws.