From an intersectional and relational perspective on gender, this study aims to analyze male presences in the space of a public school, focusing on the social protection dimension of education policy and the experiences of caregiving by male family members. Using the school environment as a basis for empirical data production, the thesis presents and discusses (dis)connections between educational policies and social protection systems, considering that public schools are essential instruments in serving working-class families. As a guiding axis, the intersection of race, class, and origin emerges as a central category of analysis when addressing male identities present in the school context-identifying who these men are and the place they occupy, highlighting existing power relations and their manifestations, especially concerning how non-hegemonic conceptions of masculinity are represented in this space.To achieve this, semi-structured interviews were conducted with school professionals and male family members responsible for caregiving. Key findings include the protective perception of the school, conflicts and gender tensions among professionals in the school environment, as well as the need for reflections that connect non-hegemonic male identities to caregiving. The study makes observations about possible alternative paths to avoid naturalizing this category as an almost exclusive consequence of the sexual (and racial) division of labor, contributing to a greater articulation between gender, education policy, and social protection.