Winthrop board pauses action on disputed ACDC policy after heavy public pushback

The Winthrop School Board on June 3 heard more than a dozen public comments criticizing a newly introduced draft called “ACDC,” with residents saying the late addition to the agenda denied parents reasonable opportunity to weigh in and warning the policy would be discriminatory and expose the district to litigation.

Parents and students filled the public-comment period to oppose moving the policy forward. “There is no emergency that requires action tonight,” said Whitney Khan, a Winthrop parent, who asked the board to limit discussion to an update from the policy committee and to table any action until the community is properly notified. Kat Hoy told the board the draft was “discriminatory against transgender students who are a protected class under the Maine Human Rights Act” and warned that pursuing the policy would “expose our school district to litigation.” Elizabeth Deroscher said 16 community members had publicly asked the board not to pursue the policy and that “the number of adults publicly expressing support at this time is 0.”

Superintendent Dr. Foley acknowledged the late posting and told the board the omission was an oversight; she said, repeatedly, that administration did not intend to hold a vote tonight and that the draft would be discussed further. The policy committee — which reviewed the draft in advance — recommended that the board refrain from a first reading and instead wait for either a local need to enact the policy or for forthcoming litigation decisions that may provide direction. “We thought the committee’s recommendation made the most sense,” the committee’s representative said.

Board members were split. Several members urged moving ahead with the formal first- and second-reading process as previously voted; others said the board should wait for court or administrative rulings and provide more time for community input. One board member asked administrators to research whether the board may place the committee’s draft on a future agenda for discussion without triggering an official first-reading period. The chair and superintendent agreed that there would be no vote tonight and directed staff to return with procedural guidance and any statutory constraints to the next meeting.

On questions of legal and fiscal exposure, Dr. Foley said the district has not obtained a written legal opinion for the record and that there were “no plans to conduct a fiscal impact analysis” of the draft at this time. She also said the district had not received written confirmation from the Maine Principals’ Association but that athletic directors had indicated students could likely continue to participate in MPA activities while litigation involving other districts proceeds.

The board’s action at the meeting was procedural: it accepted the policy committee’s recommendation to delay formal action and asked staff to research whether the policy can be discussed at a future meeting without initiating the statutory first-reading timeline. If the board later schedules a first reading, the typical process described by members would start an eight-week window before a required second reading and final vote.

What’s next: Board members asked for research into the statute and for staff to place the draft on an upcoming agenda as a nonbinding discussion item; the board also noted there is another scheduled meeting on June 17 and that additional public input will be invited.