Maine School Meeting Erupts Into Bullying and Smears Over DEI Policies: “You just straight up”

A Falmouth parent was bullied and accused of being a racist after a Jan. 18 meeting organized by Falmouth school officials.

The purpose of the meeting was to assuage parents’ concerns over the district’s diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, but rather than bringing the community together, the meeting seems to have further divided parents on a host of controversial issues.

The chaos began near the end of the hours-long meeting when one attendee expressed concern that the school was teaching her children to believe that America is a racist country.

“I don’t believe we’re a racist country — I believe there are racists in this country,” said Falmouth resident Barbara Ward.

In response to that claim, several other speakers denounced Ward, with the final speaker of the night stating, “You. Are. Racist. … You just straight up fu**ing racist,” as many in the crowd cheered and hollered at Ward.

The Falmouth school system in Maine held a meeting to educate parents on DEI programs.

But after one parent said "I don't believe America is a racist country," she was attacked and called a racist.

Full story and audio here: https://t.co/TREMLZdEHa pic.twitter.com/71eZqiSYTa

— Steve Robinson (@BigSteve207) January 31, 2023

The meeting, which included nearly 100 parents, students, and school employees, sent shockwaves through the community, leaving many parents reeling and questioning whether they want to keep their kids in the school system.

Every parent interviewed for this story, with the exception of Ward, asked to remain anonymous because they feared retribution by school officials or community members against themselves or their children.

“The level of hatred that exists was astonishing,” said one parent. “It was like the Twilight Zone.”

“If adults are behaving this way without direction and guidance, the question is what’s happening day to day with our schools,” the parent said.

Several Falmouth parents who attended the meeting and were interviewed for this story said they were actively looking for new schooling options for their kids.

“I have started looking elsewhere,” said one parent. “I know many other parents who have started the process as well and others who have already left the district.”

Multiple parents said they have shied away from speaking publicly about school issues because they are worried teachers or other school employees will single out their children.

The role academic theories about gender identity should play in public schools has become a hot topic in almost every school in Maine, as has the influence of contemporary ideas about race and racism, sometimes described as Critical Race Theory (CRT).

As part of their effort to navigate that thorny debate, school officials organized the meeting intending to educate parents about the districts’ diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, particularly on gender identity and race.

But whatever progress might have been made that night went up in flames in the final 15 minutes.

That’s when Ward raised concerns about gender identity counseling in the schools and said she didn’t want Falmouth teachers telling her children that they live in a racist country.

After that, the meeting descended into vitriol, as the next three speakers all responded to Ward with escalating rhetoric. When Ward attempted to defend herself against attack on her character, Falmouth Superintendent Gretchen McNulty instead intervened, spoke briefly about herself, and then sent everyone home.

Also present at the meeting, according to one attendee, were Jennifer Kelly, the director of learning and affirmative action coordinator; Whitney Bruce, the Falmouth school board chair; Chelsea Hunnewell, the elementary school assistant principal; and Richard Gowers, the principal of the high school.

McNulty and other school officials have made no public statements about the meeting, but interviews with several attendees suggest the meeting has only inflamed tensions in the community, stoked animosity, and led some parents to be even more concerned about the competence of the schools’ leaders.