In a recent Crafts of Nonfiction class at Milton Academy, teacher Lisa Baker observed an unusually high number of boys among her students and reflected on how boys are navigating today’s educational landscape (Baker, July 29, 2025). While much attention has rightly focused on advancing girls’ opportunities, Baker highlights that boys are also facing unique challenges: studies show that boys now lag behind girls academically, with two-thirds of high school students in the bottom decile being male and girls 15% more likely to earn a college degree (Pew Research, 2025). Richard Reeves, author of Of Boys and Men (2022), further underscores that these educational gaps mirror broader social struggles, including a 40% rise in suicide among young men under 30 and a sense of disenfranchisement that has shaped political and social behavior.
Baker argues that schools have a responsibility to intentionally engage boys in understanding their own well-being and development. Through classroom projects, memoirs, and open discussion, students explored questions about purpose, identity, and healthy masculinity, demonstrating that when boys are encouraged to think critically and empathetically, they grow into more self-aware and socially responsible individuals (Baker, 2025). She concludes that advancing gender equity in education is not a zero-sum game: fostering boys’ development alongside girls’ achievements enriches the classroom, allowing all students to express their full, complex selves and contribute to a more just and inclusive society.
At Blue Ridge School, we share these concerns about the unique challenges boys face today. That’s why our campus and programs are intentionally designed for boys—providing an environment that supports how they learn best, nurtures their strengths, and encourages them to grow academically, socially, and emotionally. By understanding and responding to boys’ needs, we aim to prepare them not just for success in school, but for purpose-driven lives beyond the classroom.
