On Jan. 29, Archbishop Riordan High School announced its plan to become a coed school following the surprising closure of Mercy High School.

Throughout this process of becoming coed, the administration created surveys–some of which students and teachers alike deemed biased.

The administration and board’s decision to become coed seemingly disregarded the concerns of those opposed, which consisted of the fall of traditions and the Riordan brotherhood, the loss of the benefits of single-sex education like a relaxed environment, and a more tailored curriculum–reasons that make this school so unique to the community.

Current students also fear that the male students’ needs will be pushed to the side due to the incoming girls, which is reinforced by the fact that the school now needs additional funding, new facilities, and four new teachers, which could cost upwards of $2 million.

Another concern is that the students’ opportunities to get into programs like Student Parliament and Knights of Riordan will decrease with the added competition that girls bring. Last but not least is the issue of girls’ sports like volleyball, basketball, soccer, and softball, which Riordan’s facilities do not have enough space to hold with four teams already using the field and gym. With all of the negatives outweighing the positives, some members of the community were shocked when the administration announced the news that Riordan would become coed.

Altogether, the decision to go coed, along with the negatives stated above, is counter to what some students, parents, and alumni believe makes Riordan unique among high schools in San Francisco, and everywhere else.