Tennessee’s Religious Charter School Test
In late April 2026, the Jackson–Madison County School System Board in Tennessee approved a charter for Union Academy, a faith-based Christian college preparatory school. This decision could become a landmark Supreme Court case on religion and public education, as religious charter schools are currently prohibited nationwide. The charter was solicited by the local superintendent from Union University, a private Christian college, and approved by the elected school board. The school's application explicitly states it will be Christ-centered, with religious values at the core of its program, and seeks waivers from state laws prohibiting religious exercise in publicly supported schools. No legal challenge has been filed yet, but advocacy groups are expected to intervene. An earlier Oklahoma challenge reached the Supreme Court but resulted in a 4-4 tie, leaving the ban intact.
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