City to add free self-defense classes for boys, men only

Story here. Excerpt:

'Rather than get rid of free self-defense classes offered by a city commission for women and girls that puts the city on shaky legal grounds, the City Council this week unanimously voted to offer similar classes for men and boys.

Most of the council members voted reluctantly for the alternative classes, which were prompted after a nonprofit called the National Coalition for Men argued in a letter sent to city officials in March that gender-exclusive self-defense classes violate equal-protection clauses of the constitution.

“If we have to provide a second class, I’m all for it,” said Councilman Frank Quintero. “But all in all, I think this National Coalition for Men is a joke quite frankly.”
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However, Harry Crouch, president of San Diego-based National Coalition for Men, has said men are prone to violent attacks, too, and could also benefit from free self-defense classes. Offering the training for one gender and not the other violates state and federal laws, according to the nonprofit, which aims to protect legal rights for both genders.

The coalition also sent a letter last week to the California Attorney General, the Los Angeles city attorney and council members as well as a host of other public officials in regards to several women-and-girls-only free self-defense classes scheduled to take place in May in the San Fernando Valley.'