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Residents in Greene will choose a new representative for Maine School Administrative District 52 in an upcoming election. The two candidates running for the position have contrasting platforms. One candidate is a long-time educator who is concerned about post-pandemic achievement gaps and teacher retention. The other candidate is a military veteran who believes school programming should prioritize limiting social emotional learning and LGBTQ+ topics. Despite both candidates being registered Republicans, their differing views reflect a national divide on education in public schools. The election will determine whether Greene residents want the school board to focus on traditional education issues or pursue controversial policies. One candidate, Bre Allard, has 17 years of experience in education and is focused on providing support to teachers and improving compensation. The other candidate, Adam Blake, believes his various professional experiences and military background give him a clear understanding of what benefits students. He is critical of the current direction of the district and believes that controversial topics such as LGBTQ+ issues and “pornographic” books are distracting students from their education. Allard disagrees with Blake’s priorities and believes that addressing achievement disparities and supporting teachers should be the focus. Both candidates acknowledge the need to repair the relationship between the school board and the community, but have different approaches. Allard sees herself as a moderate voice who can bridge division and make bipartisan decisions. Blake believes that conflicts arise because the school board is making decisions against the community’s wishes. Ultimately, the election will not only determine the representative for Greene but also send a message about the direction residents want the district to take.
