OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond filed a court petition Wednesday seeking to compel the Statewide Charter School Board to provide a complete explanation for denying the Ben Gamla Jewish Charter School’s application.
2026.03.11 Petition for Writ of Mandamus
Drummond said the board cited only religion as its reason for rejection, ignoring other significant issues it had previously identified in the application, including large discrepancies in projected enrollment and limited community input. He accused the board of deliberately narrowing the record to make a potential federal lawsuit easier for them to defend.

“The Board is playing politics with taxpayers’ money,” Drummond said. “This petition is not about the school’s religious character — those questions have already been settled. It’s about requiring a state agency to follow the law and issue a complete, honest rejection letter.”

The board plans to hire outside legal counsel, including the First Liberty Institute, to defend against a likely federal challenge. Drummond stressed that his action is focused on ensuring proper legal procedure, not the content of the school’s religious mission.