Tag: maine

‘Not a cult’: Holy war erupts as judge bans mom from taking daughter to Christian church

A mother whose constitutional rights were violated by a Maine judge hearing a custody dispute has taken the fight to the state Supreme Court.

The case involves a radical ruling from Jennifer Nofsinger, a judge who heard a custody case, who ordered that the mother was not allowed to take her 11-year-old daughter to an evangelical Christian church.

That was based on “objections” from the child’s father, who like the mother and daughter was not identified in the report from Liberty Counsel, which is working on the case.

Chairman Mat Staver said, “Calvary Chapel is not a cult. This custody order banning a mother from taking her child to a Christian church because of its biblical teachings regarding marriage and human sexuality violates the First Amendment. The custody order cannot prohibit the mother from taking her daughter to church. The implications of this order pose a serious threat to religious freedom.”

The judge granted the father, who objects to the Christian teachings of the church, “the sole right to govern the girl’s religious activities.”

The high court is being asked to reverse the “unlawful custody order” and to restore the mother’s First Amendment right to pass on her religious beliefs

The judge adopted the ideology of a leftist teacher from California who was hired by the father. That teacher, Janja Lalich, told the judge “that cults usually have a charismatic, authoritarian leader who teach about a ‘transcendent belief system’ that offers answers, and ‘promises some sort of salvation.’ She further testified that she had ‘studied’ Calvary Chapel Church and found that the church’s pastor was a ‘charismatic’ speaker, spoke ‘authoritatively’ in his messages, and that he asserted his messages were objective truth.,” Liberty Counsel reported.

That meant, Lalich claimed, the church was “cultic.”

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Feds Investigating Maine DOE Over Allegations That Schools Are Hiding Gender Transitions from Parents

The U.S. Department of Education has launched an investigation into the Maine Department of Education over allegations that schools in the state may have violated federal law by hiding student gender transitions from parents.

The probe, announced on Friday, will look for breaches of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).

The U.S. D.O.E. said in a press release:

This investigation comes amid reports that dozens of Maine school districts are violating or misusing FERPA by maintaining policies that infringe on parents’ rights. The districts’ policies allegedly allow for schools to create “gender plans” supporting a student’s “transgender identity” and then claim those plans are not education records under FERPA and therefore not available to parents.

This action, alongside SPPO’s investigation initiated yesterday into the California Department of Education, is in furtherance of U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon’s directives to strengthen FERPA enforcement by taking action against schools misusing FERPA and clearing the backlog of complaints submitted to SPPO that accumulated under the Biden Administration.

A spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Education said in a statement, “We take seriously any allegations that schools or state agencies may be denying parents their lawful rights to access their children’s education records. This investigation will determine if Maine’s policies and practices align with federal law.”

“Parents and guardians have the right to access their child’s education records to guide and safeguard their child’s mental, emotional, and physical well-being. Any policy to the contrary is both illegal and immoral,” said Secretary of Education Linda McMahon. “A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to meet with several young people who shared their detransitioning stories. It is deeply concerning to hear that teachers and school counselors in Maine are reportedly encouraging and helping students to undergo so-called ‘gender transitions’ while keeping parents in the dark. The Trump Administration will enforce all federal laws to safeguard students and families.”

Parents Defending Education Founder and President Nicole Neily said of the investigation, “Under the previous Administration, we were fighting to protect our children from irreversible ‘sex changes’ – a path too often facilitated by school personnel who we entrusted with our children. We are proud to stand with President Trump and Secretary McMahon to hold school districts accountable and ensure no child is socially transitioned behind parent’s backs by teachers or administrators,”

Maine’s Department of Education has not yet issued a statement addressing the matter.

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Trump’s Dept. of Education Says Maine Violated Title IX by Allowing Males on Female Sports Teams

President Donald Trump’s Department of Education on Wednesday announced that the Maine Department of Education (MDOE) is violating federal civil rights law by allowing boys to play on female sports teams.

The department’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) sent a letter to MDOE Commissioner Pender Makin notifying her that MDOE has policies and practices that are in violation of Title IX, which prohibits discrimination based on sex in education programs and activities receiving federal funding. 

The OCR launched its investigation after a transgender-identifying boy claimed the victory in the Maine Class B championship for the Greely High School girls’ track and field team in February. The high school boy was allowed to perform on the girls’ team, despite Trump’s executive order barring males from participating on female sports teams.

Following Trump’s order, Maine officials publicly said they would not comply, siding with transgender-identifying males over women and girls and citing state law allowing students to play on teams that match their “gender identity.”

“The outcome of OCR’s investigation of MDOE confirms that it has violated federal antidiscrimination law by allowing boys to compete in girls’ sports and boys to occupy girls’ intimate facilities.” Acting Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Craig Trainor said in a statement. 

“Today’s findings and proposed resolution agreement demonstrate to MDOE and any other entity receiving federal funding that the Trump Administration will not tolerate unlawful discrimination against girls and women,” he continued. “If Maine does not swiftly and completely come into compliance with Title IX, we will initiate the process to limit MDOE’s access to federal funding.” 

The OCR proposed a resolution agreement with the MDOE to resolve the Title IX violations and has offered the department ten days to voluntarily agree or “risk imminent enforcement action including referral to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) for proceedings and termination of funds, the DoE said. The OCR’s letter specifically stated that “[s]hould MDOE fail to direct the public school districts in its jurisdiction to adopt and implement policies and practices that comply with Title IX, OCR may initiate additional investigations into such school districts.”

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Maine Court Rules Against Family Of Child Vaccinated Without Parents’ Consent At School

The Maine Supreme Judicial Court has upheld a lower court ruling that school medical staff who gave a COVID-19 vaccine to a minor without obtaining parental consent cannot be held liable.

On March 4, the court ruled that school medical staff were protected under the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act (PREP Act).

The PREP Act provides a liability shield to “covered persons” — including those who administer COVID-19 or other countermeasures — during a public health emergency. COVID-19 vaccines are covered under the PREP Act because they were rolled out under emergency use authorization (EUA).

In November 2021, J.H., a minor, was given a dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine at Miller School in Waldoboro, Maine.

In May 2023, J.H.’s parents Siara Harrington and Jeremiah Hogan, who said they did not consent to the vaccination, sued Lincoln Medical Partners, MaineHealth and pediatrician Dr. Andrew Russ.

The lawsuit, originally filed in Lincoln County Superior Court, challenged the PREP Act’s liability shield. The complaint alleged battery, negligence, false imprisonment, infliction of emotional distress and tortious interference with parental rights.

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Maine Boy Scores Dominating Win in Girls’ Pole Vault Championship as Governor Defies Trump Over Banning Men from Women’s Sports

While Maine Governor Janet Mills defies Trump over his perfectly constitutional order banning men from women’s sports, girls continue to have their glory stripped away from them in the Pine Tree State.

As Jim Hoft reported earlier this month, Trump signed a landmark executive order that ensured biological men could not compete in women’s sports.

The executive order directs the Department of Education to enforce Title IX based on biological sex, threatening to withhold federal funding from educational institutions that allow transgender women to compete in women’s sports. In the event that the Department of Education is dismantled, other agencies will take over.

On Monday night, a biological boy calling himself “Katie Spencer” from Greely High School in Cumberland, Maine, easily won first place in the girls’ state championship meet.

Fox News reported that he outleaped every female by at least half a foot.

Adding insult to injury, Spencer’s pole vault was the main reason his track and field team won the Class B state championship meet by ONE POINT.

Maine GOP State Rep. Laurel Libby also revealed another outrageous fact on Facebook: “Katie Spencer” had competed as John Rydzewski in the boy’s pole vault just one year ago and won fifth place. He then started competing as a girl in June 2024.

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DOE Launches Investigation into Maine Just Hours After Governor Sparred with Trump at White House Over Men in Women’s Sports

The Department of Education launched an investigation into Maine’s compliance with Title IX laws just hours after the governor sparred with President Donald Trump over men playing in women’s sports.

Democrat Maine Governor Janet Mills clashed with the president at a meeting of the National Governors Association (NGA) on Friday.

The fight was over Trump’s landmark executive order signed on February 5, which ensured that biological men could not compete in women’s sports. States that allow it will be subject to losing federal funding from the Department of Education.

Mills released a statement on Friday vowing not to follow the order and asserting, “The State of Maine will not be intimidated by the President’s threats.”

“If the president attempts to unilaterally deprive Maine school children of the benefit of federal funding, my administration and the attorney general will take all appropriate and necessary legal action to restore that funding and the academic opportunity it provides,” Mills added.

Trump called the governor out for her remarks during the meeting.

“Is the governor of Maine here?” Trump asked.

After confirming she was present, Trump asked Mills if she intended to defy his executive order.

“I am complying with state and federal laws,” Mills replied.

“Well, we are the federal law,” Trump replied. “You better do it. “You better do it because you’re not going to get any federal funding at all if you don’t.”

“By the way…your (state’s) population doesn’t want men playing in women’s sports. So you better comply because otherwise, you’re not getting any federal funding,” he added.

Mills, attempting to act tough, responded that she will see him in court.

“Good. That should be a real easy (case) one,” he stated. “And enjoy your life after governor because I don’t think you’ll be in elected politics.”

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Maine law firm tells schools to ‘destroy’ student records that reveal immigration status

In a “Client Alert” sent out the day after President Donald Trump was sworn into office, a progressive Maine law firm told public school officials about steps they can take to resist the Trump administration’s deportation efforts, including destroying student records that may expose immigration status.

The advisory email from the Portland-based Drummond Woodsum law firm, obtained by the Maine Wire, stated, “The Trump administration has pledged to conduct large-scale immigration enforcement actions targeting undocumented immigrants, which may have ramifications for schools. While the situation remains dynamic and subject to change, we understand that our clients are seeking information now and therefore we will address some specific issues below based on the current legal landscape.”

The advisory noted that “historically, immigration enforcement actions have not been conducted on school premises” under “sensitive location” policies issued by Customs and Border Protection and Immigration and Customs Enforcement “unless there are exigent circumstances or prior supervisory approval,” with schools being among these locations.

“However, the Trump administration has suggested it will repeal and/or disregard that policy. In light of this, school officials should generate a plan for what to do if immigration officials seek to conduct activities at school, and provide appropriate training to those who may come into contact with the officials.”

The Department of Homeland Security has since reversed these guidelines, saying that “This action empowers the brave men and women in CBP and ICE to enforce our immigration laws and catch criminal aliens — including murderers and rapists — who have illegally come into our country.”

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Disgusting way woke activist destroyed Dunkin’ worker’s life just because he supported Trump

A Maine liberal journalist has admitted to falsely accusing a Donald Trump supporter of providing drugs and alcohol to a minor to get him fired from his job. 

Chris J. Barry, 56, who goes by the moniker Crash Barry, confessed to making harassing phone calls to right-wing activist Nick Blanchard’s place of work.

The two men appear to have a lengthy feud over their differing political views, including 35-year-old Blanchard’s involvement in the January 6 Capitol riot and his local school board meetings protests.

Barry owned up to the fraudulent calls in a Substack post titled ‘Mea Culpa,’ claiming Blanchard’s celebration of Trump’s inauguration pushed him over the edge.

First, the journalist confessed that when he learned Blanchard was hired as a manager at a local Dunkin’ Donuts, he decided to call to the establishment.

He did not divulge the details of the call but said, ‘According to my source, the owner ran a background check on him and the job offer was subsequently withdrawn.’

Barry then admitted that Blanchard’s posts on Inauguration Day infuriated him so much that he ‘decided to teach the a**hole a lesson.’ 

‘I wanted to teach the son-of-a-b***h a lesson. Give ‘em a taste of his own medicine, so to speak.’ 

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Officials Issue Warning After Oddly Colored Snow Falls on Town: ‘Avoid Ingesting or Direct Skin Contact’

The picturesque sight of snow blanketing a Maine town became something far less attractive.

On Tuesday, residents of Rumford found that instead of fluffy white stuff covering yards and fields, they looked upon brown snow, according to WJW-TV

The town posted an explanation on Facebook, saying the local paper mill was to blame.

“The Town has confirmed that due to a malfunction at the Mill there was a release of spent black liquor which resulted in precipitation of brown or tan colored snow. This is mostly in the areas of Town nearest to the Mill,” it posted.

The post said the snow should be left alone.

“The pH of this substance is 10 which is alkali and therefore a skin irritant. Although it is non-toxic it should not be touched or otherwise put in contact with skin,” the post said.

“We have been in contact with the Mill and they have already rectified the issue and have informed their regulators. In the meantime we are also notifying the school district to let kids know not to play with ‘brown snow,’” the post said.

“It is likely advisable to keep your pets away from this snow. We are hopeful the rain tomorrow will wash most of the substance away and flush it off the ground and people’s homes or property,” the post said.

The post said that Maine Department of Environmental Protection tests showed the pH of the snow was around 8, compared to water, which has a pH of 7.

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Psychic and Police Share Details on Discovery of Human Remains in Maine

In an update to the curious case of the psychic who located mysterious human remains in Maine, the medium and local authorities have shared enlightening new details on the remarkable discovery. Laurencia Bourget sparked headlines earlier this week when it was revealed that, while helping a family with a decades-old missing person cold case, she zeroed in on an abandoned bowling alley where a skeleton was subsequently found. The unfathomable turn of events understandably raised eyebrows as it would appear to be undeniable evidence for the reality of psychic phenomena. Since news of the odd discovery broke, the medium as well as the police department where the remains were found have come forward with insights on what unfolded.

Explaining how the wondrous event came about, Bourget explained to a local TV station that she first received the psychic tip three years ago when she heard a voice reference a bowling alley. The message fell through the proverbial cracks until earlier this month when the mysterious communication occurred again. “It was very obvious when I heard it for the second time,” she recalled. The clarity of the communication was significant enough that she reached out to Dick Moreau, whom she has been working with in an attempt to find answers to the 1986 disappearance of his daughter Jennifer.

When Bourget and members of the Moreau family searched the location, the psychic quickly stumbled upon some clothing in a forested area behind the bowling alley. “I saw what looked like a stick sticking out of the sleeve,” she said, “so I went and grabbed it and pulled it out, and it was a bone.” Reflecting on the “emotional” experience, Dick mused that “she felt strongly, and we went there, and sure enough, we found a body.” Sadly, in a strange twist of fate, the remains were later found to be from a yet-to-be-identified man and not Jennifer Moreau, leaving her family yearning for closure to the cold case.

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