News from the Pine Tree State
Responding with action
Pride Aroostook is aiming to increase the visibility of their organization’s events and welcoming spaces for LGBTQ+ people throughout the county after a recent incident of homophobic and racist graffiti and vandalism.
On September 19, a Post Office employee reported to the police a “hate-filled slogan” painted on the Presque Isle Congregational Church, according to a report in The County, a local media source. Members of the congregation swiftly went out in the rain to clean off the graffiti. But a rainbow flag was also defaced at the church, and according to the story the vandalism is part of a “slew” of recent incidents around the county.
“This incident has shown us that we need to increase our visibility and support,” Pride Aroostook Committee Member Shawna Traugh told The County. “We are always open to having conversations with people of differing viewpoints and opinions.”
“We need to stop stigmatizing and separating people that we perceive as different than us. Uniting as a community is essential,” she added. “Pride Aroostook is here to create that safe space and that unity.”
Trans school policy
Maine School Administrative District 75 (MSAD75)—which includes Bowdoin, Bowdoinham, Harpswell and Topsham—has been working to create its first policy supporting transgender students, according to a report in the Portland Press Herald.
“The goal is to provide students, parents, teachers, administrators, support staff and all other employees of the district clear guidance on how MSAD 75 will support students who wish to affirm their gender identity within the school system,” School Board Chairperson Hutson Hayward tod the Press Herald. “Transgender and gender-nonconforming students are already a part of our schools, and have been for some time, and it is important for the district to provide guidelines and courses of action for everyone to understand and trust.”
Adopting policies that prohibit offensive speech and complaints against specific staff and students at public school board meetings is the goal of the Maine School Management Association’s new suggestions.
The MSMA is a statewide, nonprofit federation of local school boards and superintendent
“Public boards across New England have been considering so-called ‘civility ordinances’ as a way to maintain order, said Brett G. Johnson, who studied the trend as a legal fellow at the New England First Amendment Coalition this summer,” reports CentralMaine.com.
“While districts are not required to adopt the association’s policies verbatim—they can modify them as they see fit—the association is seen as a standard-setter that defines best practices for the 285 public school districts in Maine.”
Scholarship winners
The folks at the nonprofit LGBTQ+ youth advocacy nonprofit OUT Maine say they are thrilled to announce the award of scholarships totaling $31,000 to three outstanding young people to help them better their futures. This spring, OUT Maine received over 25 applications for the OUT Maine LGBTQ+ Scholarship program.
The awards went to Ronan, who is now attending New England college and majoring in graphic design; Ty, attending Bennington College in digital art and animation; and Sasha, attending Bennington College in queer studies.
“Ronan, Ty and Sasha have demonstrated excellence in their educational pursuits, volunteer work, and passion for helping,” says OUT Maine.
What’s more, OUT Maine awarded six more additional applicants with $500 scholarships in recognition of their hard work.
More: outmaine.org
Jane’s Trust grant
A generous grant in the amount of $25,000 from Jane’s Trust Foundation is helping OUT Maine continue its work addressing the mental health needs of queer youth. Says OUT Maine, the grant will support providers helping youth avoid harmful behaviors and instead build connections, skills, and hope for the future.
“Mental Health and wellness have always been a priority for OUT Maine,” says OUT Maine’s Mental Health Coordinator Maura Oakes, “We are thrilled to be able to support LGBTQ+ youth by informing our programming and resources with a focus on mental health & wellbeing.”
The Boston-based Jane’s Trust Foundation focuses on grantmaking on climate change mitigation and adaptation, social justice and special projects of interests to its trustees.
more: outmaine.org; hembar.com/janes-trust-foundation
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