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Lawsuit filed against 5 Maine school districts over transgender policies

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Lawsuit filed against 5 Maine school districts over transgender policies


PORTLAND (WGME) – The Maine Human Rights Commission has filed a lawsuit against five Maine school districts, claiming they are violating the civil rights of trans and gender-nonconforming students.

The move comes as the Trump administration and the state are already at odds about how to handle transgender policies in school.

“This has been the law in the state for 20 years,” MHRC Executive Director Kit Thompson Crossman said. “That in turn chills those students’ and their families’ exercise of their rights under the act.”

Defendants in the lawsuit include MSAD 70 in the town of Hodgdon, RSU 24 in Sullivan, RSU 73 in Livermore Falls, the Baileyville School District and the Richmond School Department.

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According to the commission, both SAD 70 and RSU 73 this year officially approved a policy to recognize only two sexes.

In September, Baileyville adopted a policy that “multiple-occupancy bathrooms, locker rooms and other sensitive areas shall be separated by sex,” and that certain athletic teams shall also be separated by sex.

In the same month Richmond adopted a policy requiring participation in athletic activities to be restricted based upon the students’ biological sex.

All those actions align with President Donald Trump’s executive order issued in February titled “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports,” and were supported by several people speaking during school board public comment periods.

“The people that are sending their children to us, and they’re asking us to take care of them throughout the day, we need to listen to them,” MSAD 70 Superintendent Tyler Putnam said.

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The changes conflict with the Maine Human Rights Act, which prevents discrimination on the basis of someone’s gender identity.

“What it’s done is create a lot of fear for kids, and their friends and family, who are trans,” Equality Maine Executive Director Gia Drew said.

Drew says they support the lawsuit but believe it’s unfortunate it had to go this far.

“Federal law hasn’t changed with the new President and despite his executive orders, that doesn’t change the law either,” Drew said. “So Maine law still is in place here.”

Members of Maine’s Republican Party believe the districts are just following Trump’s orders.

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“The state of Maine is waiting on a lawsuit that the federal government already has against us for disobeying Title IX, and I just thought that this was kind of unprecedented and really a step in the wrong direction,” Maine House Republicans Assistant Leader Katrina Smith said.

The commission says the districts will now have a chance to respond to the lawsuit, but they were not sure how long that would take.

CBS13 tried Tuesday to reach all five school districts named in this lawsuit.

The only one to respond was RSU 24, which had no comment.



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Maine

Tennessee forward & Maine native J.P. Estrella enters transfer portal

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Tennessee forward  & Maine native J.P. Estrella enters transfer portal


Tennessee forward J.P. Estrella, a Scarborough native and former South Portland standout, announced earlier today that he is entering the transfer portal.

Estrella shared the news in a social media post, writing that his time at Tennessee “means more to me than I can put into words” and that he’ll “cherish the time I spent there.”



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Maine

This Maine Restaurant’s Lobster Roll Is 3 Feet Long… Yes, Really!

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This Maine Restaurant’s Lobster Roll Is 3 Feet Long… Yes, Really!


This iconic spot is a “road-trip-worthy” Maine destination, but can you handle their newest addition?

Spring has sprung, which means plenty of people will take a well-deserved break from the daily grind and hit the open road. If you’re heading out to explore some cool Maine traditions—and you love lobster rolls—we’ve found the perfect stop.

The Taste of Maine restaurant has been serving up delicious seafood since 1978. They’re famous for a few things: a giant inflatable lobster that covers about 75% of the roof, and their claim to fame—the “World’s Largest Lobster Roll.”

These legendary lobster rolls are 22 inches long, and over the years, many customers have taken on the dare of finishing one. If you succeed, you earn membership in the “Clean Plate Club”—no easy feat given the size of this lobster roll.

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But this year, Taste of Maine has gone even bigger. Introducing the “Monster” Lobster Roll: 3 feet long, packed with 2½ pounds of fresh Maine lobster meat—tail, claw, and knuckle—all on a 6-inch roll. This colossal creation carries a price tag of $259.99.

Read More: Maine Amusement Park Reveals New Family Attraction For 2026

Located at 161 Main Street in Woolwich, Maine, Taste of Maine is now open for its 48th season.

One of the best things about Taste of Maine is watching people take on these enormous lobster rolls. Guests love filming themselves attempting to finish them, including a Guinness World Records titleholder for “World’s Largest Mouth Gape.”

Spring Hours:

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Monday: Closed
Tuesday: Closed
Wednesday: 11:30 AM – 8:00 PM
Thursday: 11:30 AM – 8:00 PM
Friday: 11:30 AM – 8:00 PM
Saturday: 11:30 AM – 8:00 PM
Sunday: 11:30 AM – 8:00 PM

To see just how long Taste of Maine has been a local favorite, check out this classic TV commercial from the 1980s!

New Arcade in Brewer, Maine Opens This Month

Game on, Brewer! The arcade of your dreams is almost here. Get ready to press start!

Gallery Credit: Arlen Jameson

12 New Restaurants That Opened in Maine in February 2026

Gallery Credit: Sean McKenna

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Maine lawmakers should prioritize childcare

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Maine lawmakers should prioritize childcare



To the Editor;

Access to affordable child care plays a direct role in whether Maine families can work, pursue education, and maintain stability. The Child Care Affordability Program helps keep child care costs within reach for working families.

To the Editor;

Access to affordable child care plays a direct role in whether Maine families can work, pursue education, and maintain stability. The Child Care Affordability Program helps keep child care costs within reach for working families.

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At Penquis, we serve 270 children from 266 families across dozens of communities through our child development programs, including Head Start, Early Head Start, and child care. We see firsthand how access to child care determines whether parents can work, pursue education and build long-term stability for their families, particularly in communities facing workforce shortages and rising cost of living. 

Child care availability alone is not enough. We can have programs and facilities in place, but if care is not affordable, it remains out of reach for families who are already struggling.

Without it, the cost of child care places an unsustainable burden on Maine families, consuming as much as 29% to 39% of income for single-parent households and 10% to 13% for two-parent families. CCAP is one of the few tools that effectively addresses this challenge by ensuring child care costs are affordable, capping costs at 7% of income for those with the lowest incomes, and expanding access for many more families.

Investing in CCAP supports children’s healthy development, enables parents to participate in the workforce, and strengthens Maine’s economy. We urge state leaders to prioritize this $15 million investment in the supplemental budget and ensure that affordable child care is accessible to the families who need it most.

Kara Hay
president and chief executive officer

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Penquis

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