A prestigious all-boys Catholic high school in California has ignited controversy by announcing it will admit female students for the first time in its six-decade history, leaving many families and alumni furious about the break with tradition.
Historic Change Meets Heated Resistance
Jesuit High School in Sacramento, which has educated exclusively young men since its founding in 1963, revealed in early October that it plans to welcome its first cohort of female students in autumn 2027. The decision has provoked significant backlash from those who believe the school should remain single-sex.
The protest movement came to a head on November 11 when disgruntled families and former students gathered at the school campus. Demonstrators wore hats bearing the slogan 'Make Jesuit All Boys Again' and carried signs reading 'Marauder Brotherhood Forever'.
Graduate Louis Stanfill voiced concerns shared by many opponents, telling Fox40 that female students would create unwanted distractions. "You don't have a lot of distractions. Girls – while we're never going to avoid them... that devotion to excellence has also not been emphasized enough," Stanfill argued.
The School's New Educational Model
In a letter to families dated October 4, School President Chris Alling outlined what he described as "a bold direction" for the institution. The school will implement a unique co-divisional education model featuring one school with two divisions.
This approach will maintain single-sex classroom experiences while allowing boys and girls to interact during service projects, athletics, arts programmes and leadership events. Alling stated this would provide students with "vibrant, integrated co-curricular experiences" while preserving the benefits of single-sex instruction for academic subjects.
The school president cited financial stability and "mission richness" as primary reasons for the transformation. With tuition costing just under $20,000 per student and an enrolment cap of 1,100 students in Sacramento County, the change represents a significant strategic shift.
Financial Offers and Final Decision
Opposition group Men for Others has spearheaded resistance to the co-educational plans, arguing that families were never properly consulted about the fundamental change. Some protesters have attempted to influence the school's decision through substantial financial incentives.
Families opposed to the move have pledged more than $3.5 million in donations over the coming years on the condition that the school reverses its decision. Louis Stanfill claimed this money would help get Jesuit "where we used to be" financially without requiring the admission of female students.
However, school officials firmly rejected the financial offers, stating that such pledges "conflict with the mission and the direction of the school." The institution has declared its decision final despite the ongoing controversy.
According to Fox 40 reports, there will be only 166 available places for the pioneering class of female students in 2027, welcoming both freshmen and transfer students. The school has maintained its position despite allegations that students were threatened with expulsion for speaking to media about the controversy, with officials citing potential violations of student handbook policies.
Families with concerns have been directed to address them directly with school administration, marking the latest chapter in an ongoing debate about the future of single-sex education in modern Catholic institutions.
