She said there is no accountability or transparency for public tax dollars under the program.

Other plaintiffs include a state senator, retired and current superintendents, a parent of a child with special needs, college professors and a retired judge.

Former Jenks Superintendent Kirby Lehman, who also is a plaintiff and was in the courtroom for the ruling, said the judge declared the law was unconstitutional because it “violates the no-aid-to-religion clause” in the Oklahoma Constitution.

“This is a step in the right direction,” Lehman said.

In a written statement, the Oklahoma State School Boards Association said: “We believe the diversion of public taxpayer dollars to private schools is unconstitutional. In addition, the concern has always been that private schools are not subject to the same locally elected oversight and are not required to provide the same level of educational services as public schools.”

Tom Farrell, whose son’s education at Town and Country School was subsidized under the program, said the ruling is heartbreaking.