LGBTQIA friendly Catholic high school?
We are considering Bishop O’Dowd and Saint Mary’s high school and wondering how supportive they are of students who identify as gay/lesbian/bisexual? We can’t find much on their websites and the local news has published some concerning articles lately. We’re hoping to hear directly from some families. Thank you!
Oct 9, 2023
Parent Replies
There have been some concerning stores, particularly about one school (not mentioned here). I understand and totally sympathize with your concern. For reference, I am Catholic, have/had kids at Catholic schools, and am a huge believer in/supporter of Catholic education for all kids. I also believe in the inherent dignity and worth of every person, no matter their sexual orientation, as do the vast majority of Catholics.
That said, O'Dowd is a diocesan school, and as such, falls under the governance of the diocese and the Bishop of Oakland. I would not describe this diocese (unlike the archdiocese of SF) as particularly conservative, but diocesan schools do have to abide by directives that come from this hierarchy. Whether or not a bishop chooses to make anything in particular a directive or an issue is up to them, but schools are generally are expected to be in line with what comes from the diocese.
In contrast, St. Mary's College High School is not a diocesan school and is run by the Christian Brothers of De La Salle, or Lasallians. (To digress, the Lasallians are a fantastic order and have the most amazing educational reach/philosophy - worth reading up on - check out Christo Rey De La Salle High School in Oakland for example). I have had kids at both diocesan and Lasallian schools. If my child identified as you were describing, I would not hesitate to send them to St. Mary's. Our student attended there, and had a great many friends who identified as queer, trans and more, and it was NEVER an issue with anyone in the administration, teaching staff, student body, etc.
Best of luck to you!