Maine school board meeting erupts in chaos over teacher's Charlie Kirk remarks

A regional school board meeting in Lincoln, Maine, descended into chaos Wednesday night after a board member slapped a phone from an attendee’s hand during a confrontation tied to a teacher who has been placed on leave while an investigation continues into comments about the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

The meeting of Regional School Unit 67 began after the district disclosed that an unnamed teacher had been placed on leave last week as officials review remarks about Kirk, who was killed earlier this year. Tim Bodnar, a social media personality who goes by the name the 'Truth-slinger' and has tens of thousands of followers online, repeatedly disrupted the proceedings, accusing the district of allowing what he termed 'communist propaganda' in schools. The disruption began after Bodnar opened with a prayer and began naming the teacher in question, pressing the board for action.

Board Chair Dianne Buck tried to restore order, repeatedly banging a gavel and calling for calm. Bodnar ignored rules and continued speaking, prompting Buck to recess the meeting. When the board reconvened, Bodnar resumed his commentary, attacking the board and arguing that action should have been taken against the teacher earlier, insisting, “You can bang that all you want, lady.”

The exchange grew personal as Bodnar shouted at Buck and later directed insults toward another board member, Andrew Funaro, who defended the chair. Funaro told Bodnar that he should not insult the chair, while Bodnar challenged him to justify why no decision had been made on the matter.

Police officers later moved between Bodnar and Funaro as the dispute intensified. Bodnar returned to the front of the room with his phone and began filming the interaction again, moments before Funaro and Bodnar traded barbs about the purpose of Bodnar’s visit and whether it was a matter of public accountability or online notoriety. The tension prompted a second interruption, and the audio feed from a livestream briefly cut out as the room grew louder.

At one point, Bodnar pressed for remarks from the student representative, and when the meeting resumed, he again drew attention to himself by addressing Funaro directly. "You know I’m right, sir," Bodnar said, to which Funaro replied, "I do not know you’re right!" The exchange prompted further outbursts and led to the boarding of the room by law enforcement to maintain order.

The session ultimately adjourned by a show of hands, with several attendees continuing to voice dissent as staff cleared the room. Bodnar later posted on social media praising the confrontation, writing that it was the “proudest moment of my life” and alleging that the school and town were complicit in alleged malfeasance related to the teacher’s remarks. He asserted that the district’s actions were delayed and criticized the district for slow decision-making.

Officials have not released the teacher’s identity, citing privacy and ongoing personnel processes, but they reaffirmed that an investigation into the remarks remains ongoing. The district has not indicated a timeline for a final decision on the matter. Bodnar has a history of airing grievances at public meetings, and the latest incident underscores ongoing tensions around debates over instruction, parental rights, and what constitutes acceptable discourse in schools.

The RSU 67 district did not specify any new developments in the investigation on Thursday, beyond reiterating that it remains active. In the wake of the meeting, district officials emphasized the importance of maintaining civility during public forums and urged participants to follow established procedures for public comment. The episode reflects a broader national conversation about the role of social media figures in local government meetings and the limits of free speech in a quasi-government setting.