St. Brigid Academy, a 138-year-old Catholic school in San Francisco, has abruptly closed its doors, citing financial unsustainability. The announcement came just days after the Archdiocese of San Francisco agreed to a nearly $400 million settlement for hundreds of clergy sex abuse survivors.
The sudden closure blindsided families, who were informed Thursday that the school would permanently cease operations and that tuition deposits for the $20,950 annual cost would be refunded later in the summer. The school, founded in 1888, had recently transitioned into a K-8 microschool focusing on individualized instruction for neurodivergent and gifted students, maintaining a 4-to-1 student-teacher ratio.
Chris Fisher, superintendent of Catholic schools for the Archdiocese, informed families that "after a thorough review of the school’s finances and after exhausting every available alternative to us, we deeply regret that the school can no longer sustainably operate or fulfill its mission to your children." He acknowledged the disappointment and uncertainty this news would bring to families.
The settlement, announced Monday, is expected to compensate approximately 530 survivors who allege they were sexually abused by clergy members during their childhood. This agreement follows the Archdiocese's Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing in August 2023, which was prompted by the expiration of the temporary lifting of California's Child Victims Act statute of limitations. This law allowed survivors to pursue claims for abuse dating back decades.
The terms of the settlement also mandate increased transparency from the Archdiocese, prohibiting confidentiality agreements in future settlements and requiring broader disclosure of clergy accused of abuse. Plaintiffs' attorneys indicated that a survivor committee collaborated on the negotiations, and each survivor will vote on the agreement's terms. Jeff Anderson, a plaintiffs' attorney, described the non-economic aspects of the settlement as the "most robust" ever reached nationally.
The Archdiocese's bankruptcy filing is part of a broader trend impacting Catholic dioceses across California following the passage of the Child Victims Act, which led to thousands of lawsuits. San Francisco was one of the first dioceses to file for bankruptcy, followed by Santa Rosa, Oakland, and Sacramento.
This closure also occurs shortly after the Roman Catholic Diocese of Oakland announced the shuttering of 13 East Bay parishes, also attributing financial difficulties to child sex abuse lawsuits against its clergy.