A school board meeting in Maine featured a hostile interaction between a parent and the school board president over a topic related to trans athlete inclusion in girls’ sports.
A school board meeting in Maine’s capital city of Augusta on Wednesday night featured a contentious interaction between a parent in a “MAGA” hat and the school board president over the state’s ongoing controversy over trans athlete inclusion in girls’ sports.
Augusta School Board Chair Martha Witham cut off local parent Nick Blanchard while he discussed the controversial issue and a petition he launched to have Cony Middle and High School Principal Kim Liscomb removed from her position, as seen in footage of the meeting.
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Liscomb is currently the president of the Maine Principals’ Association (MPA), which supports transgender athletes’ participation in school sports based on gender identity and has been a subject of scrutiny by President Donald Trump’s administration over the issue.
Blanchard, who showed up to the meeting in a “MAGA” hat and a T-shirt of Gov. Janet Mills that read, “You’re fired,” started his speech by praising the six of the seven members of the board who voted to adopt the 2020 interpretation of Title IX that did not allow trans athletes to compete as girls.
Blanchard also condemned the board member who voted against it, which prompted the first interruption by Witham.
“Good job and thank you to the six members that voted to go back to the 2020 interpretation of Title IX, and shame on the one board member that voted no,” Blanchard began.
Witham then cut him off, saying, “I’m sorry, but negative comments will not be allowed.”
Blanchard then proceeded to discuss his petition to have Liscomb removed.
“This petition is asking … if you the school board members will put up a vote,” Blanchard began before being cut off again by Witham.
Witham told Blanchard that his statements would “not be tolerated” and warned him that he would be asked to step down from the podium if he continued making “defamatory remarks.”
When Blanchard asked how his remarks were “defamatory,” Witham responded by saying “I don’t have to explain it to you.”
“These comments will not be tolerated at the meeting directed toward us or to anybody else in this room,” Witham said.
Blanchard then agreed to proceed with his speech without referring to Liscomb by name.
“So, as most of you know, someone who is the president of the Maine Principal’s Association,” Blanchard began before being interrupted by Witham for the final time.
“Nope, close enough. I’m sorry, you’re done, Mr. Blanchard,” Witham said, ordering him off the podium.
As Blanchard walked away, he yelled “Communist China right here!”
Augusta Schools has provided a statement to Fox News Digital addressing Blanchard’s removal.
“As far as the person excused from the podium at the meeting, there are rules regarding public participation at school Board meetings which the community member violated and was asked to remove himself from the podium,” the statement read.
The district has also addressed Blanchard’s petition.
“The Augusta School Department has not received any petition requesting resignations or termination actions against any employees. What we are witnessing appears to be national partisan politics manifesting in local government/school affairs,” the statement continued.
“We value community voices and concerns, but there seems to be a fundamental misunderstanding regarding appropriate channels for policy change. For instance, the President of the Maine Principals’ Association serves in a rotating figurehead capacity [with her term ending in 2.5 months]. While this is certainly a respected position, the MPA President lacks unilateral authority to modify Transgender Athletic Participation policies.”
As far as the person excused from the podium at the meeting, there are rules regarding public participation at school Board meetings which the community member violated and was asked to remove himself from the podium.
Maine is currently considered ground zero in the national debate over trans inclusion in girls’ and women’s sports as multiple federal agencies have levied pressure on the state since February to amend its current policies that enable trans inclusion.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture froze funding to the state last week, and the Department of Health and Human Services has already referred the Maine Department of Education, the MPA and Greely High School to the Justice Department.
Friday is the deadline for the state to amend its current policies or face another referral to the justice department by the U.S. Department of Education.
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