Anna Klein-Christie is the executive director of Baxter Academy for Technology and
Science, a STEM charter public-option high school in Portland dedicated to inquiry, real-world
problem-solving and community-connected learning.

This is a serious moment to be working in public education. Where schools once served as havens for students to think creatively and grow intellectually, they are now forced to adapt to a constantly changing environment. They must face rapid technological change, shifting workforce expectations and growing anxiety in our communities.

In Maine, faculty and students are navigating the real and immediate impact of federal immigration enforcement. Despite promises of reduced aggressive ICE actions within our
neighborhoods, a lasting legacy of fear and uncertainty for some families and students will
continue regardless of citizenship status.

We expect that some children will simply not return to school. This has and will interfere with students’ legal right to an education. At a time like this, it might seem safest for lawmakers to retreat into evaluating our schools by focusing only on what can be tested or measured, avoiding anything that feels complicated or controversial, and distancing themselves from unintended public policies on a state or federal level.

Maine communities can and should demand more from our leaders. State law is clear about the role of education. Statute charges schools with teaching honesty, justice, care for others and respect for truth. Schools must help young people understand how those values support a democratic society. This calls for a repudiation of violence and a vocal commitment to collaboration, critical thinking and humanity.

At Baxter Academy, a public-option STEM high school in Portland, this shows up in both our
curriculum and the way we connect students to the real world. Regardless of what is happening around us, our faculty are working to serve as pioneers of innovation and exploration in curriculum that can be shared with other schools.

This year, a group of young engineers will be designing prosthetics that are both functional in the real world and cost-effective to produce. This unique class balances product design with the fundamentals of addressing human needs in Maine and at a partner hospital in Kenya.

Students exploring the impacts of climate change on mussel growth in the Gulf of Maine are connecting with a global scientific community while deepening their understanding of an important Maine industry. Students studying PFAS contamination and remediation of plastics in Maine’s water are learning the fundamentals of chemistry and data analysis while confronting the real consequences of urban planning and agricultural policy.

There are students constructing drones for deployment by fire and rescue teams, requiring the development of sophisticated aerodynamics and collaboration with rural fire departments. Whether working on prosthetics, marine research or search-and-rescue technology, students are asked to wrestle with challenges that do not come with clean answers.

As older students, these skills can prepare them for job shadows and internships, where they face questions with real-world impact and implications by working in anywhere from an operating room to high-precision manufacturing environments or design settings.

Whether at home or in classrooms, this innovative work must also wrestle with the challenges of artificial intelligence. Schools cannot ignore AI; we also cannot treat it as value-neutral. We can use it to support highly engaged students as they conduct research, process large data sets and develop prototypes.

But tools this powerful in academic settings require strong critical thinking skills and an understanding of truth, responsibility and limits. This is not separate from preparing students for the workforce; it is foundational.

Public schools exist for the common good. They are among the few places where students from different backgrounds are expected to work together, collaborate, explore and prepare to participate in a democratic society.

Maine’s education law reminds us that schools are entrusted with more than academic outcomes. We are entrusted with the future of young people who will inherit a democratic society, regardless of ideology. At a moment when that society feels fragile, public education remains one of the strongest tools we have to sustain it.