It Is Just A Poster

Sun Journal Photo

But it is stirring up trouble in Maine. It is all about sex, it isn’t all about sex as they scream across the aisle. 

Now did the poster have any sexually explicit photos on it? Nope.

Now did the poster have any sexually explicit words on it? Nope.

Now did the poster have any vulgar language on it? Nope.

So what did it have on it?

It had definitions! Definitions that you can find in any dictionary.

It is a little poster with definitions on it is stirring up so much anger. The drama began back in September with a poster posted on a wall…

RSU 9 community debates gender-identity poster

The informational sign hangs in guidance offices at Mt. Blue middle and high schools, and the tech center in Farmington.
Sun Journal
By Kay Neufeld
September 14, 2022


A gender-identity poster displayed in guidance offices at Mt. Blue middle and high schools will remain, the vice chairwoman of the Regional School Unit 9 board told those speaking for and against it at Tuesday night’s board meeting.

The posters, created by the LGBTQ+ youth advocacy organization OUT Maine, and titled “Gender 101,” explain the concept of gender, assigned-at-birth biological sex, and offers definitions for “intersex,” “transgender,” “cisgender,” “gender non-conforming” and “gender fluid.”

Of the 30 people addressing the board during public comment Tuesday, 16 supported keeping the posters at the two Farmington schools, 12 called for their removal, and two had no clear stance.

Some argued the posters were informational and potentially life-saving. Others said they were “offensive” and “propaganda.”

Oh it is corrupting our little children’s minds… Um… It is junior and senior high schools! They hear worst words on the playground.

Referring to Superintendent Chris Elkington review of the poster last month, Vice Chairwoman Debbie Smith of Weld said, “At this point, the superintendent’s findings will stay as they were stated.”

Elkington acknowledged in his Aug. 29 written report of his review that “I understand this is a highly sensitive subject. The discussion/presentation of gender issues among students, parents, and community members is one that generates intense emotions among many members of the public in RSU 9 and around our state.”

He said his discussions with district staff revealed that the “Gender 101 Poster is not part of any lesson, unit, or a curriculum plan that we teach in RSU 9. The poster is purely informational.”

Oh but it is making them think! They might get ideas! It might be "grooming" them?

In Mr. Elkington review he said about his “investigation” that,

Concern was voiced that OUT Maine is a political organization. I spoke to Maine Dept. of Ed. (MDOE) staff about this concern and was told that OUT Maine is a resource that the Department has used and has recommended to school systems for years. In fact, OUT Maine resources have been listed on the MDOE Website under the last two administrations (Lepage & Mills).

Of course many of the outraged parents are living with their 1950s science notion of biology. The Sun Article goes on to say,

Those calling for removal of the poster said there were only two genders, the poster was political “propaganda” contained “inappropriate” content,” was “immoral” and “offensive” and went against the word of God.

[...]

“If you want the science, the science is you’re either born with an X or a Y chromosome — you’re male or female. This is politics when you get into this stuff,” he said, “As for being safe spaces, I’ve got no problem for kids being booted out of school if they’re bullying anybody.”

So what did the school system decide?

In another article in the Sun Journal they wrote,

Regional School Unit 9 directors voted 12-2 Tuesday to continue displaying a controversial gender identity poster in the hallway windows of the guidance offices of Mt. Blue middle and high schools.

Some directors and community members said they wished to see it moved to a more discrete location within the offices.

Directors, students, school staff and community members who attended the meeting overwhelmingly spoke in support of the poster’s current location and in support of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer students at the meeting.

So they had backbone and stood up to a bunch of bullies that wanted their minority view to prevail.

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Then we have this voter at a school board meeting, the Daily Beast reported...

An Arkansas school board meeting went off the rails Tuesday when a speaker insisted before the entire room that members of the LGTBQ+ community “deserve” death.

[...]

“God gave them over to a depraved mind so that they do what they should not be doing,” the gray-haired man says in a video clip recorded by a meeting attendee. “They invent ways of doing evil. But let me remind you that those who do such things deserve death,” the speaker bellows as he reads off a prepared speech. At that point, some people in the audience turn their heads and exchange looks, seemingly surprised at the speaker’s rhetoric.

“The LGBT community, not only continues to do these very things, but also approves of those who practice them,” the speaker claims.