Addressing Campus Safety and Raising Boys to Respect Women

As a father of both a daughter and a son, I am deeply concerned about their future safety and opportunities. Recent events involving a Cornell fraternity have highlighted the urgent need to protect students on college campuses. My worries extend to the culture that places more importance on reputation than on student safety.

I recognize the critical conversations I must have with my son about being a provider and protector. He must learn to stand up for others, even when faced with challenges. Students deserve to feel secure at their schools, which requires systemic change.

I have directed the Maryland Higher Education Commission to issue recommendations to strengthen sexual assault policies at the state’s higher education institutions. Preventing the protection of perpetrators is essential to providing justice for survivors. Yet, we must go beyond this initial step to effect real change.

The concerning incident at Cornell is symptomatic of a broader cultural failure. This failure calls for a reexamination of the values we teach young men, particularly in relation to how they treat women. Improved sex education and tough conversations are necessary, and fathers must engage in these dialogues rather than leaving them to mothers.

Maryland leads efforts by enacting legislation that requires sex education to include consent. We have partnered with the Parent Encouragement Program to offer structured courses for fathers aiming to have these essential discussions.

My life lacked a father from an early age, and I was raised by a hardworking mother and supportive sisters. While they nurtured me, they couldn’t teach me manhood. With time, spaces like basketball courts, the military, and fraternity life offered me lessons in integrity, service, respect, and empathy. These embody the best of brotherhood.

Unfortunately, Jane Doe’s allegations against Cornell’s Chi Phi fraternity showcase the stark opposite of those values. Young men search for belonging, but the spaces they find must encourage accountability and growth.

In Maryland, programs like the Service Year Option and Thrive Academy provide mentorship and real-world experiences to young people. These initiatives feature engaged adults who ensure the curriculum puts community before self-interest.

The problem of harmful online communities is expanding. Gender-based violence often gets normalized online; we aim to counter this with organizations like Diverting Hate. They help redirect men from negative content to positive resources. Additionally, Maryland is pioneering defense against deepfakes. Our task force focuses on combating crimes using AI, and our expanded revenge porn law addresses these emerging threats.

Efforts typically concentrate on safeguarding women within institutions. However, creating better men is equally important. Policymakers, alongside mentors, fathers, and teachers, have a role in this mission.

Maryland’s Young Men and Boys Initiative seeks to uplift young men who fall behind. But this work must also address how these systems have historically failed women. Raising boys to understand that strength lies in protection, not dominance, is essential to this mission.