Cardinal Robert McElroy has doubled down on a controversial homeschooling policy in the San Diego diocese, while walking back an initial statement that accompanied the release of that policy.
McElroy recognized parents as the primary educators of children, while reiterating that homeschool programs in the diocese will not be allowed to use parish facilities or create their own sacrament prep programs, separate from that of their parish.
“The Diocese supports the decision of a growing number of parents to choose home-schooling for their children,” the cardinal wrote in a Sept. 25 statement.
“At the same time this support does not include a right for basing integral elements of home-schooling programs in parish settings. Home schooling is not inherently a ministry of the parish.”
“As a consequence, home school programs will not be provided designated special access to the parish facilities of the Diocese of San Diego,” the statement said.
The new statement comes days after The Pillar broke the news of a memo to diocesan parish and school administrators last week, which explained that “the use of parish facilities by charter schools, home school programs, or private school programs is prohibited, both because such usage can undermine the stability of nearby Catholic schools and lead people to think that the Church is approving and advancing particular alternative schools and programs.”
“Parish run schools and religious education programs are the primary means by which the Church accomplishes its teaching mission for children and young people,” the text added.
The policy has prompted controversy, particularly because it does allow for the rental of unused school buildings to a “non-Catholic educational program or school” in cases approved by the bishop.
Some homeschooling co-op groups in the diocese were reportedly notified of the policy only days before beginning weekly classes, with one group forced to find an immediate alternative location to accommodate weekly classes offered for at least 40 children.
The practice of homeschooling has seen massive growth in recent years, with the U.S. Census Bureau reporting that there are 3.4 million homeschooled children in the U.S. - more than double the 1.7 million children in Catholic schools.
California is one of the fastest growing regions in the country for homeschooling. Between 2017 and 2023, homeschool enrollment increased by 78% across the state. In the San Diego Unified School District, homeschooling has grown even faster — by nearly 130% since 2017, jumping from 420 school students that year to 961 in 2023.
Private schools in the area have also experienced growth, with 14.8% of students in the San Diego metro area attending private school in 2022, up from 10.7% in 2019.
But even with many Catholic schools in the area filled to capacity, the rise of homeschooling has reportedly caused tension between some diocesan officials and local homeschool communities.
The cardinal’s statement this week acknowledged that tension, pointing particularly to the fact that some local homeschool programs have “sought to establish religious formation or sacramental preparation programs within the parish setting that are dedicated specifically for home school students.”
McElroy rejected this possibility in his statement.
“For Catholic children who do not attend Catholic schools, the parish should provide an integrated faith formation program which is normative for sacramental preparation in the parish. All students within the parish should participate in the same program together as a sign of the integrity of the community of faith,” he said.
McElroy did acknowledge that “Catholic teaching makes clear that parents are the first teachers of their children in faith and in choosing the educational setting for their children.”
However, he added, “In approaching the question of basing home school cooperatives in parishes, the vibrancy of our Catholic schools takes precedence. It must be recognized that the movement toward housing home school related activities in the parish will inevitably create the impression that the Church is endorsing a parallel educational model without the in-depth educational oversight that the Church carries out in its parochial school program.”
The statement also noted that the new diocesan policy was approved by the Presbyteral Council by a vote of 13-1.