Building Safer Communities for Future Generations

As a father to a daughter and a son, ensuring their safety and nurturing their potential is my priority. Recent events involving Cornell fraternity members remind me of this responsibility. Reports of egregious acts on campuses raise concerns about student safety. It’s alarming when institutions focus more on reputation than protection.

I contemplate my son’s role. We’ve discussed the importance of being a provider and protector. Conversations about defending others, even when challenging, are ongoing and vital. All students deserve a secure educational environment.

To address this, I’ve directed the Maryland Higher Education Commission to propose comprehensive recommendations to enhance campus policies on sexual assault. We must not protect those committing these acts. While addressing these issues is basic justice, it must not be our endpoint.

The Cornell case signals cultural failures demanding a reassessment of how we raise young men and teach them to treat women. This requires improved sex education and encouraging fathers to engage in difficult dialogues with their sons. Maryland, one of 16 states requiring education on consent, is partnering with the Parent Encouragement Program. This aims to guide fathers in these discussions, traditionally left to mothers or neglected entirely.

My father’s absence meant my mother and sisters shaped much of my upbringing. They supported me, but couldn’t teach me manhood. Community spaces, from sports to the military, instilled values like integrity and respect. Brotherhood should embrace these principles, contrasting with the Cornell allegations.

Young men seek belonging. It’s crucial they find nurturing, accountable environments. Maryland’s initiatives, like the Service Year Option, aim to provide mentorship and real-world experience, promoting growth. The Thrive Academy offers at-risk youth individualized support, including life coaching.

Online spaces pose a growing risk, often promoting harmful content easily accessed by the youth. To counter this, Maryland collaborates with Diverting Hate and explores protection against deepfakes. Maryland’s unique approach includes a task force focused on AI-related crimes and expanded revenge porn laws.

Addressing sexual violence often emphasizes institutional responsibility to protect women, but we must also focus on raising better men. This involves policymakers alongside parents and educators. Efforts like the Young Men and Boys Initiative in Maryland aim to address educational disparities.

Encouraging responsible manhood means intertwining the empowerment of young men and the protection of young women. Raising boys to understand true strength involves defending, not dominating others.

Wes Moore (D) serves as Maryland’s 63rd governor.