A group of 30 state and national organizations has banded together to condemn last week’s social media posts by some elected officials that drew unwanted attention to a transgender student-athlete in Maine.

The debate that started online soon became the impetus for a showdown between Gov. Janet Mills and President Donald Trump, after which the Trump administration threatened to withhold education funding and launched a series of investigations.

The coalition of organizations said in a joint statement that as the debate inevitably continues, lawmakers should leave children out of it.

“Our organizations stand united in declaring that adults should never harass, ‘out’, or instigate attacks on minors,” the organizations wrote Tuesday. “All children deserve our safety and protection, so they can feel safe at home, at school, and in their communities.”

The list of organizations includes EqualityMaine, the Maine Women’s Lobby, the Maine Medical Association, the Maine Council of Churches and many more.

Gia Drew, executive director of EqualityMaine, said posts by Rep. Laurel Libby, R-Auburn, that included photos of a transgender athlete at Greely High School who competed in a track meet last week were “inexcusable.”

“Using pictures of kids for your own political gains, I think that goes against what most Mainers think,” Drew said. “But it’s not just about one person or one athlete. All young people who might be trans or nonbinary or don’t fit some mold, I worry about how they are going to navigate their lives.”

Libby did not respond to an interview request Tuesday but has defended her posts and resisted requests that she take them down. When asked last week if her posts could have effectively targeted the athlete and put them in harm’s way, Libby did not answer and instead said the state’s policy is putting girls at risk.

“It’s not fair to Maine female athletes to have to compete against male athletes,” she said. “Frankly, it’s outrageous and that’s the focus here.”

The Press Herald is not identifying the student-athlete who has become the latest target in a highly charged national debate, but members of the School Administrative District 51 community have been similarly dismayed by the attention.

“It’s really troubling for people to watch a student be placed in the center of a debate like that,” said Tig Filson, chair of the Cumberland Town Council. “And when you have that amplified at a national level, featuring voices far removed from our community, it’s really painful for people.”

Filson described her community, and especially the school community, as tight-knit and said the biggest reaction from townspeople has been compassion for the student and family that has been outed by conservative media.

“People want to make sure they know they are supported and feel safe,” she said.

Filson also spoke about the matter at the Town Council meeting Monday evening.

Andrea Berry, who chairs the select board in North Yarmouth, which is part of SAD 51, said adults engaging in this debate online and elsewhere are overlooking the impact on students.

“There is so much hate and prejudice that’s being bandied around by members of local community, but much more by people at the state and federal government level,” Berry said. “I wish people understood that kids are feeling this, and it’s really affecting young people’s ability to feel safe, feel seen and feel valued.”

Jeffrey Porter, the district’s superintendent, said late Tuesday that he’s been buoyed by the support for students in the community. Prior to Monday’s return to school, he worked with police to increase their presence on campus. Thankfully, he said, things have been uneventful.

“There has also been some inappropriate feedback (mostly from outside the community) that has been disheartening, especially considering they’re from grown adults who should know better,” Porter said. “Despite the unwanted national attention, we are trying to move on and create as normal of a school week as possible for our students.”

FOCUS ON STUDENTS MISPLACED

Even community members who have spoken out against transgender athletes being allowed to compete say the focus on specific students is regrettable.

Nancy Storey, a Cumberland resident and former executive director of the Maine State Golf Association, has posted numerous times on Facebook since last week and also shared a letter she wrote to state officials. She doesn’t agree with the state’s policy but also doesn’t want individual students to be thrust into the debate.

Storey said in an interview that she feels strongly that biological males should not compete against girls, but she doesn’t blame the school or the Maine Principals’ Association for allowing it. Both, she said, are following state law, but Storey thinks that law didn’t account for some of the challenges that have arisen.

“As to why I feel as strongly as I do, I remember the days when, if girls wanted to compete, they had to play with the boys,” she said. “My first rec basketball was with boys because there was no girls team. I was an eighth grade girl playing against sixth grade boys, and they were still stronger than me.”

This isn’t the first time conservative lawmakers in Maine have used an underage athlete to make a political point about transgender rights. Last year, many drew attention to a cross-country runner, although that didn’t reach the White House.