Maine School Administrative District (MSAD) 20’s Fort Fairfield School sparked controversy after it hosted a dance performance from a group featuring a performer by the name of “J-Line” known for his sexualized online presence and LGBTQ activism.
Chaya Raichik, who goes by the username Libs of TikTok online, first reported on the April 8 performance last week. She included what appeared to be footage from the event at the Fort Fairfield Middle High School and identified the New York-based J-Line as one of the performers.
Though the footage did not show a sexualized performance, J-Line’s online presence includes numerous images of the openly gay performer in various states of undress. His Instagram account settings prevent users under the age of 19 from viewing his page.
According to his website, J-Line hosts something called the “Be-U Concert” at which he “speaks to the audience about being a queer musician.”
He is currently touring his “Dirty Pop Party” concert, “where he performs alongside LGBTQ artists in major U.S. cities, highlighting what the diverse future of music looks and sounds like.”
After Raichik’s post sparked online backlash against the school and urged social media users to reach out to Superintendent Melanie Blais to express their displeasure, Blais issued a public statement on the controversy, defending the school’s selection of a performer.
“The group’s website was reviewed before scheduling the program and found it aligned with the district’s anti-bullying goals. Parents were provided with the group’s website and notified of the event in advance,” said Blais.” More than 200 teachers, staff members, and administrators attended the performance, and no one contacted the district afterward to report inappropriate content.”
“The portrayals of what may exist on social media is [sic] not reflective of the performance held for our students on April 8th. We apologize for this situation, and we will continue to review our processes for vetting outside performers and guest speakers,” she added.
In her statement, Blais says that the school hired the “Icon Dance Team,” though it appears that her statement was in error, and they actually hired the “Echo Dance Team” a group featuring J-Line and focusing on anti-bullying school performances.
The Maine Wire reached out to Blais’ office for clarification on the apparent error, but she did not immediately respond.
Unlike J-Line’s personal website and Instagram account, Echo’s site does not appear sexualized.
Maine is not the first state in which J-Line’s school performances have sparked controversy. His performances, combined with his social media page, have drawn backlash in Texas, Ohio, and Tennessee.
Multiple local news reports following those performances said that the dancers urged students to follow J-Line on social media, where his sexual images are hosted, though The Maine Wire cannot confirm whether students in Maine were encouraged to do the same.
