Jesuit High School to Admit Female Students, Dividing Families and Alumni

In a controversial move, Jesuit High School in Sacramento, California, has announced that it will admit its first class of female students in the fall of 2027. The private Catholic school, which has educated only young men since its founding in 1963, is now set to offer a co-divisional education model, with single-sex classrooms but opportunities for boys and girls to engage socially, spiritually, and in co-curricular activities.

The decision has divided the school's community, with some families and alumni vehemently opposing the change. One alumnus, Louis Stanfill, argued that girls would be a "distraction" to the young men's education, claiming that the school's "devotion to excellence" has not been emphasized enough. Families gathered at the school on November 11, 2025, with some wearing "Make Jesuit All Boys Again" hats and carrying signs reading "Marauder Brotherhood Forever."

Despite the backlash, the school's president, Chris Alling, has stated that the decision is final. Alling cited financial stability and "mission richness" as the reasons behind the change, noting that the co-divisional model will provide students with "vibrant, integrated co-curricular experiences." The school has even denied more than $3.5 million in donations from families who wanted to keep the school all-boys, saying the pledges "conflict with the mission and the direction of the school."

As Jesuit High School prepares to welcome its first class of female students in 2027, the debate over the decision continues to divide the school's community, with some families and alumni adamant that the all-boys tradition should remain intact.