Dispute at Maine school board over teacher’s comments about Charlie Kirk

A recent meeting of the Maine School Board took a chaotic turn when conservative figures confronted educators over comments allegedly made by a teacher regarding murdered activist Charlie Kirk.

The situation escalated quickly, leading to a shouting match that ended as board members forcibly took a man’s phone, and police were called to the scene. A video from the meeting captured the events.

Tim Bodner, who describes himself as a “truth slinger,” accused the Community School Unit 67 members of disseminating “communist propaganda” and demanded immediate consequences for teachers.

The exact comments made by the teacher have not been disclosed. Reports suggest that the teacher indicated they would be on vacation sometime soon.

Bodner noted that Board Chair Dianne Buck struggled to regain order during the meeting.

“You can slap everything you want, women,” Bodner remarked on a platform, flaunting his social media following of over 30,000.

As tensions rose, Bodner, embodying a confrontational persona, referred to Buck as a “foul, an evil woman” and called for support for a student who felt affected by the teacher’s remark about Kirk’s death.

Andrew Funaro, a board member, defended Buck, responding sharply, “Don’t humiliate that woman,” as documented in the video.

Following this altercation, the live stream was cut off but resumed shortly after, showing Funaro hitting Bodner’s phone away just before police intervened.

The board then voted to postpone the meeting amidst the upheaval.

In a subsequent post, Funaro stood by his actions, expressing his admiration for Kirk while condemning teachers who celebrate violence in the classroom. He described Bodner as a “known provocateur,” acknowledging some agreement with Bodner’s viewpoints on Kirk but criticizing his approach.

Funaro expressed concern for the potential threats that might emerge in schools, promising to protect board members from public attacks.

RSU 67 Principal Chris Downing mentioned in a letter that the district is considering its next steps regarding possible legal actions against employees, ensuring that they do not condone violence and affirming the safety of their schools.

After the incident, Bodner shared online a slow-motion clip of the phone incident, claiming Funaro nearly hit him.

Bodner later vented on social media about local officials and criticized RSU #67, calling it a joke.

The Lincoln Police Chief confirmed that the incident is under investigation.

The school district, which serves Lincoln, Chester, and Matawam Care—approximately 45 minutes north of Bangor—has yet to release any details about the involved teachers.

Across the nation, educators have faced scrutiny, disciplinary actions, or dismissals for their comments related to Kirk’s murder. In New Jersey, a fifth-grade teacher recently resigned after facing backlash for a Facebook post that appeared to endorse violence following his death.