Augusta, ME – Republican members of the Maine Legislature’s Education and Cultural Affairs Committee today released a letter (attached) to Maine Attorney General Aaron Frey, urging the immediate withdrawal of a Civil Rights Team Project (CRTP) video currently promoted for use in Maine schools.
The video, hosted by the Attorney General’s office, is intended as a recruitment tool for student civil rights teams in grades 3 through 12. Lawmakers raised concerns about its graphic and emotionally manipulative content, including disturbing imagery and dramatizations of bigotry, which they believe are inappropriate for children.
“We strongly oppose the use of this video in schools,” the members stated. “The imagery of students being sliced into pieces, accompanied by unsettling sounds, along with references to loss of self-worth, crosses a line. Such content risks being perceived as indoctrination or grooming, and undermines parental rights.”
The legislators also questioned why the Department of Education has not reviewed the material for age-appropriateness. With ongoing legal proceedings over federal directives regarding gender identity and civil rights, they warned that continued circulation of the video could harm Maine’s legal standing.
“As elected members of the Education Committee, we believe all school resources must be carefully vetted to ensure they are age-appropriate, respectful of parental authority, and aligned with current law,” the lawmakers concluded. “Until that happens, this video should not be used in Maine schools.”
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