A Haverford School Event
"Solving the Crisis of Boys and Men"
A Lecture by Richard Reeves
On Oct. 4, guest speaker Richard Reeves addressed the Centennial Hall crowd in a lecture titled "Solving the Crisis of Boys and Men." Author of The Haverford School faculty and staff 2023 summer reading Of Boys and Men, Reeves also serves as President of the American Institute for Boys and Men.
Reeves began by sharing his passion for the topic, not just as a researcher but as the father of three boys. Reeves shared the concerning evidence that boys are struggling both with their mental health and in the classroom. He explored the trends, postulated the causes, and then, most importantly, offered solutions.
His first suggestion was to “redshirt” the boys, delaying their school entry to allow their development to catch up to their female peers. He argued that more technical high schools, apprenticeships, male teachers, and Men’s Resource Centers would help address male struggles with mental health and challenges in education. He suggested programs to increase male involvement in what he calls HEAL fields—jobs in health, education, administration, and literacy. Finally, he argued for equal paid leave for fathers, emphasizing the importance of male role models for healthy male development.
Questions from the crowd explored solutions, perspectives on modern masculinity, and threats to male mental health. The event concluded with a book signing, during which attendees shared their gratitude for Reeves’ work on behalf of boys and young men.
About Richard Reeves
Author of Dream Hoarders and Of Boys and Men
Richard Reeves is President of the American Institute for Boys and Men, an organization with a mission to raise awareness of the problems of boys and men and advocate for effective solutions. His 2022 book, Of Boys and Men: Why the Modern Male Is Struggling, Why It Matters, and What to Do About It, was described as a "landmark" in The New York Times and named a book of the year by both The Economist and The New Yorker. He is a non-resident senior fellow at the Brookings Institution in Washington, DC, where he previously directed the Future of the Middle-Class Initiative and the Center on Children and Families.
Exclusively represented by BrightSight Speakers bureau, Reeves' previous roles include director of strategy to the UK's Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg, from 2010-2012; director of the political think tank Demos; principal policy advisor to the UK's Minister for Welfare Reform; social affairs editor of The Observer; and economics correspondent for The Guardian. In 2017, Politico magazine named him one of the top 50 thinkers in the US. His other books include Dream Hoarders: How the American Upper Middle Class Is Leaving Everyone Else in the Dust, Why That Is a Problem, and What to Do about It (2017) as well as John Stuart Mill: Victorian Firebrand (2007).
Publications
Richard Reeves' publications include The Haverford School faculty and staff summer 2023 reading: Of Boys and Men: Why the Modern Male Is Struggling, Why It Matters, and What to Do About It.
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