Republican gubernatorial candidate David Jones spoke at a Regional School Unit (RSU) 21 board meeting on Tuesday night, where the board ultimately voted to adopt federal Title IX rules immediately and recognize only two genders.
RSU 24 governs the public schools in Eastbrook, Franklin, Gouldsboro, Mariaville, Steuben, Sorrento, Sullivan, Waltham, and Winter Harbor, and the meeting on a controversial topic drew Mainers on both sides of the transgender issue to speak during the public comment period.
“I don’t have anything against people who feel differently about what they are, but in my mind’s eye and according to God there is one man and one woman, not two different types of men, not two different types of women. Biology doesn’t lie,” said Jones.
“Don’t let us go backwards. Let’s do what we need to do to protect every single girl in the state of Maine and make sure that they are not hurt in any way shape or form,” he added.
Many left-wing Mainers spoke at the meeting, extremely distressed at the prospect of the school district adopting the federal interpretation of Title IX antidiscrimination laws established under President Donald Trump’s executive order “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports.”
One speaker, a pastor who identified herself as a disabled “fluid lesbian,” claimed that it is not transgender-identifying males in girls’ bathrooms who pose a threat, but straight white people.
“The danger, and I agree with the lady that came up before, are the straight white men. The danger are possibly even the straight white women. And this really all started because one girl in Greely lost to a transgender student. This is how it all started, it needs to stop,” she said.
Another claimed that executive orders are merely suggestions.
“We really need to focus on following the state laws that are appropriate. An executive order is not a law, it’s a suggestion. It’s, it’s a bigoted suggestion,” said one woman.
One man began his speech by describing himself as genderqueer and queer, and announcing his pronouns as “they, she, and he.”
“I’ve worked with kids of all ages, from early childhood up through high-school and college-aged youth. Keeping sports teams, locker rooms and bathrooms separate based on fixed and binary biological sex has not prevented or solved the problems or bullying, sexual harassment, or gender based violence in those spaces,” he said.
Multiple people also spoke while wearing COVID masks.
The board was ultimately not convinced by the leftist speakers and instead sided with Jones and the parents who do not want transgender-identifying males in their daughters’ locker rooms, restrooms, and sports.
The board’s motion ultimately directed the superintendent to immediately review all policies to ensure that they comply with Title IX and recognize only two sexes, that all private spaces are designated by sex rather than self-selected gender identification, that sports are separated by sex, and to provide written notice ensuring compliance with the original intent of Title IX.
As School Board member Carla Jung read the motion, someone from the crowd could be heard booing her, but when she concluded the reading, she was celebrated with loud applause from the audience.
The board members ultimately voted 4-4 in favor of adopting the federal interpretation of Title IX. The policy change won out despite the tie because votes are weighted based on town size.
Update: This story previously stated that the board voted 5-4 rather than 4-4.
