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Christian classical schools unexpectedly thriving in deep blue city

Three religious schools offering students a classic liberal arts education have opened across the Bay Area in the past five years, according to The San Francisco Standard, which has been documenting the growing trend.

The tiny school has reportedly added 25 students since opening in 2019 and donations have skyrocketed from $45,692 that year to $773,319 in 2023. 

Classical Christian schools are increasingly cropping up in San Francisco. (Reuters)

Parents looking for a curriculum that incorporates "tradition, faith, and conservative values" are drawn to these schools, staff told the paper.

Marilyn Bridon, an art teacher at Stella Maris, explained how their school may look different from many public schools, in that "woke" books are routinely removed from the school library and preferred "pronouns" are not something that is discussed.

An administrator and teacher at another classical school, Saint Johns of San Francisco Orthodox Academy, explained that parents have expressed that they didn't want their kids' education to be "too far to the left."

Parents looking for a faith-based classical education for their children are increasingly turning to classical Christian schools in San Francisco, according to a new report. (iStock)

"A lot of people in our community have said it’s important to them that we’re not too far out there, too far to the left," Helen Sinelnikoff-Nowak said in the report. "I’m not preaching to parents, but I hear them, and that’s what they’re looking for." 

The classical education movement has picked up steam as parents seek alternatives to public schools. According to the Association of Classical Christian Schools, there were 502 schools enrolled in their organization in the U.S. as of 2023.

Fox News' Kendall Tietz contributed to this report.