The superintendent of a Maine school district reversed course and granted an anti-critical race theory parent access to his daughter’s graduation following a report from The Daily Wire.
Cumberland, Maine, parent Shawn McBreairty was served with a “prohibitive conduct warning” informing him that he was not allowed on school property amid his ongoing battle with the school district. He “illegally” hung a poster of a school board member on the fence of a middle school, which prompted the conduct warning.
To attend on-campus events, such as his daughter’s high school graduation, McBreairty needed clearance from the district’s superintendent Jeff Porter. The two began feuding in June of 2020.
On May 26, Porter informed The Daily Wire that he had granted McBreairty access to attend graduation “with expectations forthcoming.”
“As a superintendent, I have good reason not to let him attend this event,” Porter said. “However, as a parent I believe that granting this request is important and have chosen to use this lens in making this exception.”
Porter reiterated this in an email to McBreairty. The superintendent informed the father that he will provide him with expectations before the graduation ceremony.
“I am tentatively approving your request to attend the [Greely High School] graduation on June 6, with conditions,” Porter said to McBreairty. “I will get those conditions to you in the next week or so prior to graduation, which will include expectations to be followed at the event. In the meantime, your continued adherence to the criminal trespass order is necessary.”
McBreairty said that he will not abide by conditions placed upon him for attending his daughter’s graduation. He wishes to attend the event “in the same regard with every other parent and family member there.”
The father told Porter that he wishes to attend the June 1 school band concert without conditions and have access to the 2021 senior pictures. McBreairty demanded a “written, public apology” from Porter as well.
McBreairty is a leader with the nonprofit No Left Turn in Education, which advocates against the implementation of critical race theory in the classroom. The father of two became fearful that critical race theory would be implemented in his daughter’s school district after it hired the diversity, equity, and inclusion consulting firm Community Change Inc. The district claims it has since cut ties with Community Change Inc.
Upon learning about the implementation of critical race teachings, McBreairty became more active in school board meetings. The school board’s equity lead, Ann Maksymowicz, allegedly tried to silence McBreairty for opposing critical race theory.
At one school board meeting, a community member used a three-minute comment period to recite the Pledge of Allegiance. Maksymowicz refused to stand for the Pledge and McBreairty snapped a picture, which he posted on Facebook, Twitter, and used to create a large poster board in his yard.
In November, local activists placed a bed sheet on the fence at the middle school across the street from McBreairty’s house. “Honk if you support the school board,” the sign read. In response, McBreairty placed the poster of Maksymowicz on the same fence. Within an hour the police responded and served McBreairty with a “prohibitive conduct warning.”