'Toxic Masculinity' Resolution Pulled From School Board Agenda

SAN RAFAEL, CA — A San Rafael school board resolution that appeared to take aim at terms like "toxic masculinity" is expected to be removed from Monday's agenda, according to a member of the board.

Instead, San Rafael City Schools Board Vice President Mark Koerner, who initially requested the addition of the resolution to the board's agenda, said he will take time during the meeting to "present the intent and origin of the proposal."

"Based on the thoughtful feedback received over the past few days regarding Resolution 2425-44, which acknowledges the essential role and needs of young men in society, I believe a vote by the board on the current resolution is not appropriate at this time," Koerner wrote in an email to a reporter.

The resolution in question -- titled "Recognition of the Essential Role and Needs of Young Men in Society" -- had raised hackles for some in the community.

The resolution in part contained the following language:

"WHEREAS, the term 'toxic masculinity' often does not reflect the vast majority of men and can detract from constructive dialogues aimed at supporting and understanding the challenges and positive attributes of young men; and
"WHEREAS, language that implies young men need to be 'fixed' by women undermines mutual respect and equality and is not conducive to constructive discourse on gender dynamics in our society ..."

Olivia Vos, a mother with a second-grade student in the district and a four-year-old son who will enroll in transitional kindergarten in the fall, took issue with the resolution's reference to "toxic masculinity" and suspected the inspiration came from a more national narrative.

"It just seemed more like a trickle-down Trumpism that's probably infecting school boards all across the nation right now," Vos said.

In her letter to the school board, she wrote, "I am surprised to learn that Vice President of the Board, Mark Koerner, who has also worked as co-CEO of dictionary.com, did not even look up the definition of the term 'toxic masculinity' on his own company's website. From dictionary.com: 'Toxic Masculinity - Noun - a cultural concept of manliness that glorifies stoicism, strength, virility, and dominance, and that is socially maladaptive or harmful to mental health.'"

Her letter went on to note that masculinity in itself is not toxic.

"Toxic masculinity is the suppression of boys and men to be able to have full emotional lives," her letter continued.

During an interview with a reporter, Vos said that as a mother of a son, she understands and is concerned that boys are falling behind academically, which can harm them later in life.

Various studies have delved into the widening gender gap with regard to academic achievement. A Brookings report found that across the nation, women were more likely to hold a college degree than men. By 2020, 41% of young women ages 25 to 34 held a bachelor's degree compared to 32% of young men. In 1970, that figure for women had been just 12% compared to 20% of men with a bachelor's.

Vos noted that toxic masculinity itself fosters the attitude that "reading is for girls," which perpetuates the male disengagement from learning and academic achievement. She called for the district and community to have an open discussion on the needs of boys in a more nuanced manner, instead of one that approached the issue through the lens of censorship.

"Let San Rafael City (Schools) be a district that encourages students to approach complex topics with bravery and open curiosity and discernment, not a district that's suspicious and frightened and seeks to censor the complex issues of modern society," Vos continued. "My personal opinion is that censorship in academia has never improved the intellectual literacy of a population, nor has it ever been on the right side of history."

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