The Catholic Diocese of San Diego, California, has implemented a policy that prohibits homeschool groups from using church facilities. HSLDA has asked the diocese to reconsider.

We’ve heard nothing from diocese officials so far, but HSLDA continues to work with homeschool groups and families whose lives were disrupted by the ban. The policy caught many homeschool groups by surprise when it was announced mid-September—weeks after the start of the traditional school year.

“People were just shocked,” said Carol Marks, whose three children participated in homeschool co-ops that were meeting in buildings owned by the diocese.

“We didn’t know about the policy until it was published,” she recalled. “There were things we were already prepared to do that went away in an instant.”

One homeschool co-op that her family participates in has about 30 members. The policy change forced the group to find temporary accommodations, including a private home and a location out of doors.

Reaching Out

Cardinal Robert McElroy issued a statement later in September clarifying that he and other officials continue to support the broader homeschooling movement. In a letter to the diocese, HSLDA Senior Counsel Darren Jones said he appreciated the statement, but added: “In an era when homeschooling is growing faster than ever before, it seems counterproductive for the diocese to ban homeschool co-ops from parish properties.”

Jones, who also serves as HSLDA’s director of group services, offered to meet with church officials to discuss a more equitable arrangement for homeschool groups, but so far the invitation has not been accepted. He said the diocese is within its rights to decide who may use its facilities, but he also understands if homeschooling families feel slighted by the change.

“When I first read about the new policy,  I thought it was a misunderstanding,” he said. “The new rules specifically allow for charter schools. But the leader of a homeschool co-op that was meeting just once a week in a diocese facility told me they were banned. So it’s definitely an anti-homeschool measure.”

Carol echoed Jones’s sentiments, saying she finds the new policy especially frustrating considering how her family regularly participates in church services and other parish activities. Her son is currently volunteering as an altar server.

“It feels like homeschooling is getting singled out,” she said. For example, book clubs can still meet in church venues, but her son’s homeschool group that was holding Socratic discussions on the Chronicles of Narnia must convene outside the diocese.

Not all Catholic dioceses are resistant to homeschooling—one in Michigan used a co-op hybrid model to revitalize a dying parish.

Broader Concerns

In announcing the new rules, Cardinal McElroy explained he wished to promote “parish-run schools and religious education programs” as “the primary means by which the church accomplishes its teaching mission.”

He did acknowledge later 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.”

Jones said HSLDA stands ready to help homeschool groups who are facing challenging circumstances. Experience tells him it’s likely that these groups will end up moving to another building owned by a house of worship.

“I would say the vast majority of groups I talk to operate out of churches,” he noted.

Services he typically provides to homeschool groups in these situations include crafting a statement of faith, compiling child safety plans, and helping group leaders navigate requirements drafted by church stewards.

For specific recommendations about operating or joining a homeschool group, contact HSLDA or visit our homeschool groups page.