OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Oklahoma’s Statewide Charter School Board voted Monday to reject an application for a religious virtual charter school backed by a Florida-based Jewish network, saying it is bound by state constitutional limits and a prior court ruling.

The proposal by Ben Gamla Charter School sought to open an online public charter school in Oklahoma. The vote comes months after the U.S. Supreme Court left in place a decision blocking the creation of what would have been the nation’s first Catholic public charter school in the state.

Board members said they were constrained by the Oklahoma Supreme Court’s determination that charter schools are public schools and therefore must remain secular under the state constitution, which bars the use of public funds to support religious institutions.

Several speakers at the meeting urged the board to reject the proposal, arguing that taxpayer dollars should not fund religious education. Others questioned why the application was being considered in light of existing legal precedent.

Ben Gamla representatives said they plan to continue pursuing the effort and may seek further review in federal court.

Americans United for Separation of Church and State praised the board’s decision, saying it protects religious freedom and the constitutional separation of church and state.