(The Lion) — A rural Maine school district near the Canadian border reversed its transgender student policy after a health teacher threatened to resign over it, citing her Christian faith.
The Maine School Administrative District 14, which operates East Grand School, voted unanimously last week to repeal the policy and reject the resignation of teacher Tammi Matula. Matula had submitted a letter stating she could not comply with the transgender policy because it conflicted with her beliefs.
“This policy would require me to lie to students about how God created them, violating my faith and my duty to love and care for my students,” Matula said, according to The Maine Wire.
“It would force me to facilitate students of one sex sharing bathrooms and locker rooms with members of the opposite sex, and it would require me to ignore biological reality in my classes and on the playing field. As a Christian and a teacher who cares about my students, I cannot do this.”
Matula had reportedly requested to review the policy before signing her teaching contract this year. She and other teachers argued they were unaware of the policy, which mandated that teachers affirm students’ self-identified gender; allow bathroom use based on gender identity rather than biological sex; and not disclose a student’s gender transition to parents.
The Maine Wire reports similar policies exist in school districts across Maine.
The rules came under scrutiny after Matula’s resignation prompted about 150 people – a significant turnout for a district with roughly 300 students – to attend a school board meeting last week.
Many parents expressed outrage, and some board members were surprised to learn of the policy, according to The Maine Wire. After Matula’s letter was read and received a standing ovation, with no attendees advocating for the policy, the board voted to repeal it.
The district adopted a new policy recognizing only two sexes, maintaining separate men’s and women’s facilities and aligning with the Trump administration’s interpretation of Title IX, which prohibits sex-based discrimination in education. This interpretation, outlined in a February 2025 executive order by President Donald Trump, seeks to exclude biological males from women’s sports.
Maine is currently in a legal dispute with the federal government, which has threatened to withhold funding from the state over its Title IX violations.
Following the vote, Superintendent Margaret White resigned, reportedly due to her support for the original policy.
The social media account Libs of TikTok praised Matula’s bravery and courage, posting, “THIS is the kind of teacher we need across America.”
(Image credit: X/Libs of TikTok)
