ARUNDEL — Regional School Unit 21 director Ryan McQueen said he submitted his resignation from the school board.

McQueen, who was elected unopposed to a partial term in June, had come under fire in the past few days in connection with his social media posts.

The school board and Superintendent Dr. Terri Cooper issued a statement Tuesday afternoon regarding Twitter posts made by a school director, though the statement did not name the individual. “We are aware of disturbing and offensive posts made online by a sitting school board director,” the RSU 21 statement noted, in part. “The posts on Twitter were hateful toward transgender people, people of color, and women. Individual board members do not speak for the board or the RSU 21 school district.”

Early Wednesday evening, March 22, McQueen said he had taken his resignation letter to the Arundel Municipal Building, and expected Town Manager Keith Trefethen would receive it Thursday morning. He said it is effective immediately.

“RSU 21 put out a slanderous statement based on their opinion of the post, not what the post actually said,” McQueen said, in part. “It’s sad to see how far people will go to silence people who don’t agree with them … nothing I say will stop this from interrupting all the hard work we as a board have done in the past year. And now I have resigned. I did not volunteer for this position to be attacked and slandered.”

RSU 21 School Board Chair Erin Nadeau on Tuesday, March 21, said in issuing the statement, the board wanted it to make clear that it does not condone the online postings that were brought to their attention. “We are committed to supporting our staff and our students,” said Nadeau. “It was important to the board to share this statement right out front.”

Screenshots of the Twitter posts recently began circulating among parents and complaints were made to the RSU 21 school board, which held an executive session Monday, March 20.

McQueen’s Twitter account settings were apparently changed sometime on Tuesday. One must now be an approved follower to access the content.

On Wednesday, Arundel resident Sarah Cote took initial steps to begin the process of a recall vote to oust McQueen.

Parents who spoke to the Kennebunk Post had screenshots of the postings and expressed dismay at their content. One mother, Jane Anderson, said she was concerned about what McQueen might try to accomplish as a member of the school board’s policy committee.

Another parent, Sarah Lynn, said she believed the best course of action would be for McQueen to resign.

The RSU 21 School Board has 12 elected directors. Arundel has elected three including Nadeau, Ken Levesque – and now, a vacant partial term that expires in 2024. Kennebunkport has three board members, and Kennebunk has six.