I hope people review the Maine Republican Party platform before voting. It threatens long-accepted traditions in Maine public schools. Two areas are of special concern.
First is local control of curriculum. Maine schools have long provided abuse prevention programs and education about the human body. The GOP platform “prohibits school district personnel, volunteers, or hired special interest groups from presenting sexually-based material of any kind to students prior to grade 12.”
The party defines doing so as sexual abuse, for which the school department or individual educator can be sued.
Second is school vouchers. The party wants vouchers to be used at any private school, regardless of quality of education or religious affiliation. Vouchers would be paid for by taxpayers and reduce state funding currently going to public schools.
Republicans, who claim they support less government, are threatening each community’s control of its public schools.
Do we need that?
Susan Martin, Auburn
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