The Supreme Court on Monday declined to review the case of a North Carolina charter school that wanted to force female students to wear skirts in the name of “chivalry,” letting stand a lower-court ruling that deemed the policy unconstitutional.
The move is a victory for civil liberties advocates and a blow to social conservatives who hoped that — after allowing public vouchers to be used at religious schools last year — the top U.S. court would exempt charter schools from constitutional protections. The case could have had far-reaching implications for charter schools, which operate in a gray area, functioning as public schools that are run by private organizations.***
Only public institutions can be sued for violating constitutional rights — which protect students from discrimination, censorship and being thrown out of school without a hearing. The high court has ruled that students cannot be forced to recite the Pledge of Allegiance, that undocumented students have the right to attend school, and that all students, regardless of race, have the right to an equal education.
The appellate court looked at the particulars of North Carolina’s charter school system, noting that state law explicitly describes charters as public schools open to all students, holds them to state board of education standards and gives charter school employees government benefits. Ninety-five percent of Charter Day’s funding comes from public sources, the court noted.
