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Residents urge Winthrop board to rescind March 4 motion on transgender policy
Summary
Multiple Winthrop residents and parent groups urged the school board to delay or rescind a March 4 directive asking the superintendent to draft policy changes affecting transgender students, warning of likely litigation and fiscal costs to the district.
Whitney Khan, a Winthrop resident and parent, told the board she had applied for an open seat and asked trustees "to reconsider a decision I believe you have the integrity to revisit." She said the March 4 motion directed the superintendent to prepare policy revisions that "contradict Maine State law" and warned the district could be drawn into litigation the Maine Human Rights Commission is pursuing against other districts.
Several other residents and representatives echoed Khan’s request. Kat Hoy, a Winthrop resident, said the district’s current policy JB is "compliant with the Maine Human Rights Act" and that administrators attested there have been no school incidents under current bathroom, locker-room, or changing-room policies. Bethany Drewen, speaking for the Winthrop PTO, urged the board to "wait to see if this law passes" via a citizens' initiative before taking local action that might spur costly litigation. David Hughes, another resident, also recommended waiting for the referendum and stressed existing student privacy strategies in locker rooms.
Board members and the superintendent noted legal and fiscal implications. Dr. Foley told the board a motion to dismiss in the related Maine Human Rights Commission cases was filed March 6 by counsel Jack Baldacci and that the commission had 21 days to respond. Multiple public speakers and trustees raised concerns about the potential costs to taxpayers if the district were sued and about the timing of changes while a statewide citizen initiative is pending.
