RSU 10 board votes to open Mountain Valley communal bathrooms as built after narrow defeat of wall amendment

The RSU 10 school board voted to open the all‑gender communal bathroom at Mountain Valley Community School "as is" after a public discussion and a roll‑call vote concluding in favor of opening the facility without adding a permanent dividing wall.

Board Chair opened the discussion noting there was no legal barrier to opening; Superintendent Deb said the district had received an occupancy permit and that the board had seen a legal opinion from the district attorney. Several speakers from the public and legislators had urged the board to consider a different legal interpretation. Representative Mike Lance read a brief he said came from the Maine Education Initiative that argued the plain text of Title 20‑A §6501 requires separate sanitary facilities and that a shared entrance to a common sink area could be interpreted as non‑compliant.

Public commenters were sharply divided. Diane Hornum, a longtime Brockton resident, told the board she researched peer‑reviewed studies and policy reviews and said, "If the concern is actually safety and research shows that neutral open bathroom facilities are not a safety risk and can actually be safer for all students, then maybe it's time to reassess based on the actual data." Several staff members, including Deb Carver, who identified herself as an RSU 10 employee with extensive bathroom‑supervision experience, urged the board to keep the design, saying the new layout offers better sight lines and makes it easier for staff to identify which student used a stall.

Other public commentators urged separation by sex, warned of litigation, or asked for a parental opt‑out. One commenter, Candace Casey Lambert, alleged multiple compliance and safety violations and said she had contacted state and federal agencies; those allegations were recorded on the public record but not resolved at the meeting.

The board first considered a motion to open the bathrooms as currently configured (motion made by Bonnie, seconded by Doug). A member moved to amend the main motion to open only after installing a permanent dividing wall (amendment mover recorded as Aaron, seconded by Darcy). The amendment was defeated on a roll call (the board chair announced "the no's have it"). The main motion to open the bathrooms as built then passed on a roll‑call vote. The roll call recorded Erin Hinckley voting No; Allison Long Yes; Chad Culliton Yes; Veronica Childs Yes; Peter DePhillip Yes; Doug Stone Yes; Jonathan Ferrera No; Darcy Klein No; Jennifer LaDuke Yes; Ed Bulger No; Daniel Hodge Yes; and Kristen Chapman No.

Board members debating the motions cited a mix of legal uncertainty, supervision practice and cost. Administration reported a contractor estimate for installing a compliant partition or wall in part of the athletic prep area ranged from about $9,900 for limited work to a more comprehensive $15,000–$20,000 estimate; administrators said part of that cost was expected to be covered by the state because the design originally allowed either a wall or an open plan.

Superintendent Deb reiterated that the district holds a signed occupancy permit and that the board had received legal advice; she said no structural changes had been made since the permit was issued while the board considered next steps. The meeting record shows the board did not adopt a final construction directive beyond approving the bathrooms to open as currently configured.

The board also discussed possible interim measures (concave mirrors, vents in stall doors, emergency call lights, and targeted supervision) during debate; no binding implementation plan or timeline for additional construction was approved at the meeting. Several board members asked administration to prioritize communication to parents about supervision, opt‑out options and any forthcoming changes.

The board moved on to other business after the vote; the bathroom decision was the last formal action on that item recorded at the meeting.