F*CK YEAH! #Resist!!! #Maine Department of #Education refuses to sign letter saying #DEI programs have been removed

by Stephanie Grindley, WGMEThu, April 24th 2025 at 5:12 PM

PORTLAND (WGME) -- "Maine's Department of Education says it will not sign a letter saying all #DEI programs have been removed from Maine classrooms.

"This is a response to a directive sent out on April 3 by the U.S. Department of Education. It said all state education agencies and local school districts needed to sign off on new Title VI certifications.

"The Maine Department of Education responded Thursday in a notice sent to all Maine schools, saying the Maine Department of Education and schools already comply with #TitleVI of the #CivilRights Act.

"The notice says Maine already submits regular certifications in return for federal funds.

"The notice goes on to say in part, 'After consultation with the Office of the Maine Attorney General, it was determined that signing the new certification would bind the Maine DOE to language of executive orders or other federal guidance without the force of law, and that lacked clarity regarding what was, or was not, prohibited. These were critical considerations, given the potential consequence of a loss of federal funding.'

"The Maine Department of Education says it's not signing the certification and is not collecting signed copies from schools. It went a step further and asked Maine school districts not to sign off on their own behalf.

"The Department of Education adds that it remains committed to faithfully implementing education programs in accordance with all federal laws."

https://wgme.com/news/local/maine-department-of-education-refuses-to-remove-dei-programs-from-maine-classrooms-civil-rights-act-title-vi

#Resist! Four Maine college presidents sign national letter decrying Trump education 'overreach'

Riley Board, Portland Press Herald, Maine
Tue, April 22, 2025

"Four Maine higher education leaders have signed on to a letter accusing the Trump administration of 'unprecedented government overreach and political interference.'

"Safa Zaki of #BowdoinCollege, Garry Jenkins of #BatesCollege, David Greene of #ColbyCollege and James Herbert of the #UniversityOfNewEngland all added their names to the letter, published Tuesday by the American Association of Colleges and Universities. More than 230 presidents of colleges, universities and scholarly societies throughout the country have signed so far.

" 'We are open to constructive reform and do not oppose legitimate government oversight,' the letter reads. 'However, we must oppose undue government intrusion in the lives of those who learn, live and work on our campuses. We will always seek effective and fair financial practices, but we must reject the coercive use of public research funding.'

"Though the letter primarily represents private institutions, leaders from a handful of state colleges and universities signed on, including University of Massachusetts Amherst Chancellor Javier Reyes and Eastern Connecticut State University President Karim Ismaili. A spokesperson for the University of Maine system declined to comment.

"In recent months, the Trump administration has pulled or threatened to pull federal funding from higher education institutions that don't comply with his agenda on #StudentProtesters, admissions practices and #TransgenderAthlete policies.

"The administration has also revoked the visas of hundreds of international students. On Friday, the American Civil Liberties Union [#ACLU] of Maine filed a class-action lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security [#DHS] and other agencies behind the visa revocations, asking that a judge restore the visas of any New England students who have had them wrongfully removed, and protecting future students from the same actions."

Read more:
https://www.yahoo.com/news/four-maine-college-presidents-sign-224700038.html

#PineTreeActivism Calendar
Scheduled Events

Details confirmed as of Tues Apr 22, 10:00PM

Share/Repost so Mainers know where to #RESIST! Submit events to ptactivism@gmail.com

APR 25, Fri 4-5:30PM (& every Fri) – Biddeford Mechanics Park, Main & Water St by the bridge, #BiddefordME #StopTheCoup Protest at Mechanics Park - Bring a sign, bells, drums and loud voice! #Indivisible/Biddeford Saco Area SURJ.org: https://www.mobilize.us/mobilize/event/773479/

APR 24, Fri 5-6:30PM – #SouthParisME Junction of Fair St, Norway & Main St. Bring #Kilmar Home, End the Abductions, We have to put a stop to this! Organized by #MoveOn: https://www.mobilize.us/mobilize/event/779567/

APR 26, Saturday – ALL DAY EVERYWHERE Independent #Bookstores across America #IndieBookstoreDay – Indies need our support to thrive & build community spaces for all...mega-retailers do not.

APR 26, Sat 10-12PM – #EastMachiasME Municipal Building, 571 Main Street - Maine Town Hall With Troy Jackson, steadfast advocate for #labor and hardworking Mainers.. Registration preferred: washingtoncountymainedems@gmail.com

APR 26, Sat 10-2:00PM – Augusta United Community Living Center, 12 Spruce St, #AugustaME OPEN HOUSE – STUFF the TENT, Support the #Unhoused Supported by @maineresists.bsky.social

APR 26, Sat 10-11:00AM – #PortsmouthNH 2454 Lafayette Rd, Take Down TeSSla! – Hosted by #OccupySeacoast NOTE: Please don't park in the lot; park on the side street next to the mall and do not block bus stop, fire hydrants or driveways. Thank you!

APR 26, Sat 11-12noon (& every Sat) – #PortlandME at Portland City Hall this week, 389 Congress St 4/26 & 5/24 only All others at Monument Square .EVERY SATURDAY-11AM-MONUMENT-SQUARE PROTEST against this admin's assaults on the representative democracy. Speakers welcomed. Bring a friend. Creative signs applauded.

@teslatakedown @AIF_Massachusetts

#MayDay event in #PortlandMaine!

May Day
#NationalDayOfAction
#StopTheBillionaireTakeover

Thursday, May 1
3:30 - 6pm EDT

USM Portland Campus | Green Space in front of McGoldrick Center for Career & Student Success
35 Bedford St.
Portland, ME 04101

Organized Locally by the Maine May Day Committee.

@Todd : "We’ll begin at 3:30 on the Portland campus of the University of Southern Maine to speak out against Trump’s threat to our public universities. And, we’ll march on the boss to demand the UMaine system bargain in good faith and sign a union contract with graduate student workers represented by the United Auto Workers. The two go hand in hand.

Next, we’ll march to the Post Office on Forest Ave to oppose Trump’s threats to privatize it and hear from workers threatened with mass layoffs. Then up past Portland High School and the Portland Public Library in solidarity with educators and students opposed to Trump’s destruction of the Department of Education and his attacks on LGTBQ+ and immigrant students. Finally we’ll march up Congress Street during rush hour to the Portland Museum of Art to support funding for the arts and hold a final community rally starting around 5:00 pm. We’ll have a program of speaking out against Trump’s attack and offering ideas about how to deepen solidarity between all the different parts of our movement for democracy and justice.

We need your help. Please attend the march if you are able. It’s a big state, so if you can’t get to Portland, please support or organize another action in your town or region hosted by the Maine Education Association and the Maine AFL-CIO or any other community group that steps up to stand up. Strength in solidarity."

@AIF_Massachusetts

Full post:
https://kolektiva.social/@Todd@pineandroses.org/114362039249759162

Also seen at #PortlandME 's #April19th rally. Signs with #PrincessLeia / #GeneralLeia and #Resistance, and one with a cut out for a face that read, "Resistance Bitch Face"!

So, someone commented on hubby's BlueSky post that the #April19th #PortlandME rally was BIGGER than the #April5th rally (it was getting bigger as we were leaving at a little after 1pm...)

Some great photos of the #PortlandME #April19th protest! Leave it to #MainePublic to have some great coverage!

Thousands return to Portland as part of another day of rallies across Maine

Maine Public | By Nicole Ogrysko
Published April 19, 2025 at 5:15 PM EDT

"Thousands of people gathered in Monument Square in Portland Saturday to protest what they say are threats to democracy, human rights and the U.S. Constitution from the Trump administration.

"The rally was one of many that took place in more than a dozen towns across Maine and organized as part of a national day of action by groups across the state."

Read more / view photos:
https://www.mainepublic.org/politics/2025-04-19/thousands-return-to-portland-as-part-of-another-day-of-rallies-across-maine

#Protesters rally in #PortlandME, advocating for protection of rights amid Trump tensions

Story by Allyson Lapierre, WGME

PORTLAND, Maine (WGME) -- "Making their voices be heard on a day of #revolution, a rally on Saturday pays tribute to the #250thAnniversary of the 'shot heard around the world,' a day that marks the start of the Revolutionary War.

" 'They’re taking away my Social Security and my #MaineCare away from me...which side are you on?' Olivia McDermott, who has #DownSyndrome, said.

"McDermott came to advocate for herself and others who have #disabilities who depend on #SocialSecurity and #Medicaid.

" 'I get really upset that this is happening to me and other people with #disabilities. They go to school like this, and I don’t want people to feel uncomfortable about it,' McDermott said.

"Olivia's mom, Maura Mcdermott, is a #SpecialEducationTeacher. She's worried the $Trump administration could take away those benefits.

" 'We need to not cut the services. We need to expand #MedicaidForAll people, and we need to #TaxTheRich. Enough of this,' Maura said.

"Other protestors voiced concerns about state politics, specifically about Maine senators.

" '#SusanCollins had better vote 'no, no, no' to the #SAVEAct because those are all voting rights, and we need voting for next election,' Nina McKee, a Scarborough resident, said.

"Despite the anniversary of the #AmericanRevolution, protesters on Saturday said there's little to feel #patriotic about.

" 'I can’t even express the need for us to stand up against what is happening in our country. It is beyond consumption,' McKee said.

" 'There’s no good thing going on right now, so any change is for the better,' Duncan Potter, a Brunswick resident, said."

Source:
https://www.msn.com/en-us/politics/government/protesters-rally-in-portland-advocating-for-protection-of-rights-amid-trump-tensions/ar-AA1Df4zJ

Very cool! Hubby's photos were linked in The Guardian! (He had posted them to Bluesky and tagged #50501Movement)

Protesters fill the streets in cities across the US to denounce Trump agenda

Organizers call for 11 million people to march and rally in this weekend’s effort to ‘#ProtectDemocracy’

by Robert Tait and Edward Helmore, April 19, 2025

"Opponents of Donald Trump’s administration mobilized from the east coast to the west, including at rallies in #PortlandMaine, and #PortlandOregon, decrying what they see as threats to the nation’s democratic ideals."

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/apr/19/anti-trump-rallies-protests

Archived version:
https://archive.ph/hoXQe