Most Reverend Robert W. McElroy

Bishop of the Diocese of San Diego

3888 Paducah Drive

San Diego, CA 92117

Bishop McElroy –

As you are certainly aware, the San Diego Unified School District and other public-school districts around the state of California are contemplating a vote to require a Covid-19 vaccination for students to attend in-person classes. The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) has publicly acknowledged that they are considering a state-wide vaccine mandate for students who qualify.

The Diocese has to date complied with the CDPH mask mandate on students in Catholic schools and has publicly taken the position that it is required to do so because it is a public health mandate.

As parents of Catholic School students in San Diego, we would like to invite you to a public discussion about vaccine mandates from the CDPH or other authorities, and how the Diocese would direct Catholic schools in San Diego to respond to these mandates. The Covid-19 pandemic and the response from our schools impacts the safety and health of our children, and we believe it deserves an open dialogue with you and the Diocese to understand how you plan to protect them. Public school parents have been able to voice their views to their school boards; we deserve the same consideration from our Diocesan schools in San Diego.

We have reserved a location for this discussion at 6:30pm on Wednesday, October 13. If that does not work for your schedule, please recommend another day and time that works better for you.

Signed: