An inside look at a district’s push to embrace Trump’s stance on transgender students

Kristian Moravec and Daniel O’Connor pored over nearly 1,000 pages of emails, text messages and other documents to bring you an inside look at one school district’s push to embrace Trump’s stance on transgender students, and the conservative policy groups that influenced that choice. You can read their story, and see the texts for yourself.

In other education news, Kristian reported on UMaine’s plans to cut faculty and staff to address a $19 million shortfall. And on the conservation front, Delger Erdenesanaa looked at salmon restoration efforts on the Narraguagus River, and Derrick Z. Jackson brought us a roundup of how things went on Maine’s seabird research islands this summer — with lots of striking photos of puffins and razorbills, both of which had a good year.

Plus: Daniel O’Connor brought us the latest on a debate over an evangelical group that has drawn the ire of Kingfield residents for chanting in the woods. And our team at Monitor Local reported on the Maine Library Commission, the Washington County budget debate, support for a solar moratorium in Jay and more.

Next weekend is the Common Ground Country Fair in Unity. We’ll have a booth there all three days. Please come say hi, pick up some swag and share your story ideas!

— Stephanie

Join us at the Common Ground Fair from September 25-27! We'll be asking fairgoers what matters to them and the answers will help us shape our reporting.

An inside look at 1 Maine school district’s push to embrace Trump’s stance on transgender students: Newly public emails and texts show how school leaders sought advice from conservative organizations and then debated behind the scenes over their new rules to exclude transgender students from sports. Read this story by Kristian Moravec of The Maine Monitor and Daniel O'Connor of The Maine Monitor & Bangor Daily News

Endangered salmon may soon swim freely up a downeast river. But as the climate changes, a comeback isn’t guaranteed: Cherryfield rallied to remove the last dam on the Narraguagus after decades of habitat rehabilitation by local conservationists and landowners. They are committed to decades more. Read this story by Delger Erdenesanaa

UMaine to cut faculty and staff: Maine’s flagship public university announced on Thursday that it plans to eliminate positions to address a $19-million shortfall. Read this story by Kristian Moravec

Seabird researchers report good year for razorbills and puffins: Seal Island saw a record 127 razorbill nests, while Eastern Egg Rock saw a record 213 puffin burrows. Read this story by Derrick Z. Jackson

The chanting group that alarmed a Maine town wants local support before it returns: Residents of Kingfield are trying to prevent an an evangelical group that set up camp in town three times this summer from coming back. Read this story by Daniel O'Connor of The Maine Monitor and Bangor Daily News

Read the texts and emails of school leaders grappling with the legality of their new transgender student policy: More than 900 pages of emails, texts and other documents shed light on the outside influences that shaped the Sullivan-based school board’s decisions about transgender students and a state lawsuit. Read this story by Kristian Moravec

Maine Library Commission adopts sweeping standards for public and school libraries. Read this story by Judith Meyer

Washington County budget panel faults commissioners for sending preliminary spending plan with no cuts. Read this story by Judith Meyer

Jay hearings show strong support for solar moratorium and mobile home rent limits. Read this story by Bob Neal

Buckfield hearing shows growing support for withdrawal from RSU 10. Read this story by Marna Miller

Calais City Council votes to pursue financing to buy armory. Read this story by Ethan Bien

Wilton Board of Selectpersons reconsiders path forward on ATV ordinance. Read this story by Bob Neal

RSU 73 board of directors unanimously approves contracts for bus drivers, custodians, office employees. Read this story by Bob Neal

Lubec shellfish warden resigns, urges hiring a successor with enforcement experience. Read this story by Ethan Bien

Join The Maine Monitor for an examination of Maine's housing challenges through a building lens, particularly what the state's building permit does, and does not, tell us about the effort to fix it. Monitor housing reporter Caitlin Andrews will moderate the panel discussion Oct. 1 at the Belfast Free Library at 6 p.m. Both in-person and Zoom options are available for attendance; click the banner to register.

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