A former coach for the Lake George schools blames “toxic masculinity” for alleged sexual misconduct on a school bus that led to the cancellation of the team’s season.

Chad York said he was extremely disappointed in the situation and said he brought his concerns about the sports culture the district on numerous occasions and the direction of the football program.

 “The culture that was on display for the last three years – I mean I could read the stats off – 50-plus point differentials week in and week out – speaks to the toxic masculinity that was bred in that locker room,” he said at Tuesday’s Board of Education meeting.

This was the board’s first meeting since the season was canceled and an 18-year-old and 17-year-old were charged with public lewdness and endangering the welfare of a child.

York told the board that his main issues were transportation, safety and supervision.

“I brought concerns to the district about bullying and harassment, when my kid had to stay back and clean the locker room and the bus left without him,” he said. “Time and time again, at each turn, no recourse. I was given nothing from the district other than ‘we heard you. You’ve been heard.”

York said the damage has been done within the community, and he is not sure if it can recover. The student-athletes – even if they do return to the program – will have a target on their backs.   
“I just don’t know what to say. It’s extremely disappointing, and I wish that this could have gotten taken care of a lot earlier,” he said.  

York last served as an assistant football coach in the 2022 season, according to board minutes.

He said he understands that the student-athletes are being disciplined, but the administration should be disciplined as well to give closure and peace of mind to the victim.

The district has not released specific details about the incident, citing privacy concerns.

“This has been a challenging time for our school communities – apart from the criminal charges, I want to be clear – the alleged misconduct that we continue to investigate is a serious violation of our district and our athletic codes of conduct,” said Superintendent of Schools John Luthringer.

The district, which has a joint program with Bolton and Warrensburg, has implemented a tips line where people can report concerns about bullying.