Tensions boiled over at a school board meeting in Lincoln on Wednesday night, culminating with a board member slapping a phone out of the hand of an attendee who was filming the proceedings after his public comments spurred multiple recesses and an abrupt adjournment.

A teacher in Regional School Unit 67, which covers Lincoln, Chester and Mattawamkeag, was put on leave after making a statement about Charlie Kirk, the right-wing activist who was assassinated last week.

On Tuesday, an RSU 67 official confirmed that the district is investigating a statement made by a teacher that drew complaints. The teacher has been placed on leave.

Police increased their presence at Mattanawcook Academy in Lincoln last week after they learned parents, upset about the statement, planned to converge on the campus.

Residents of the district who spoke on the topic at the meeting Wednesday night did so civilly.

They expressed mostly disdain that a teacher would make such comments, but were calm. One recognized they are not sure what each board member feels about the issue, because the board is unable to speak on personnel-related matters, and asks the public to not name personnel in their comments.

Tim Bodnar, who lives in Newport, roughly 65 miles from Lincoln, attended the meeting and also rose to address the board. He started with a prayer, but then raised his voice in critiquing the teacher’s comments and naming the teacher.

In response, board Chair Dianne Buck banged the gavel, to which Bodnar said, “You can bang that all you want, lady,” and continued. Buck banged the gavel again and declared that the meeting was in recess.

Less than five minutes later, the board reconvened and Buck asked Bodnar to continue with his comments but to follow the council rules, including not identifying personnel by name and not yelling.

Bodnar, who has garnered tens of thousands of followers on social media and was escorted out of a school board meeting in Gardiner, continued to speak, but raised his voice again, critiquing the board’s lack of action on the teacher’s comments.

“I demand counseling for the kids who were hurt by Charlie Kirk’s death that (the teacher) dissed,” Bodnar said. “He can have free speech, he just can’t have a job on taxpayer money!”

The latter received a round of applause from the audience.

Then Bodnar noticed Buck was looking away.

“She’s not even looking at me,” he exclaimed. “You’re a foul, evil woman! You’re a coward!”

“Hey,” interjected board member Andrew Funaro. “Don’t you insult that woman!”

“Why not?” Bodnar asked.

“Because she’s doing the best she can, and you don’t know what we think,” Funaro replied. “You don’t even know what we think, we haven’t made a decision yet!”

“You should have made a decision when you found out! When did you find out?” Bodnar said.

“On Friday,” Funaro said. “We’re doing the best we can.”

“It’s too slow,” Bodnar said. “The world is moving on way too fast for you, old man!”

Bodnar walked away from the podium and the board once again went into recess.

When the board members returned, it was business as usual. They spent a few minutes going over committee reports. Just as they were about to turn to their student representative’s report, another man took to the podium and began speaking.

Two police officers quickly flanked him. Bodnar came up, his phone in hand, to film the confrontation but the officers diffused the situation, talking to the man at the podium and directing him to leave, which he did.

As the board once again attempted to turn to the student representative’s report, Bodnar began calling for the man to be allowed to speak.

“You know I’m right, sir,” Bodnar said to Funaro.

“I do not know you’re right! You should go back down south and get some more clicks on your little YouTube,” Funaro said, referring to Bodnar’s following on social media and YouTube. “Isn’t that what this is about?”

Some board members once again stood up and began leaving. The audio from the live stream of the meeting was cut, but Funaro and Bodnar continued to speak to one another animatedly.

The board members who stood got back in their seats and, as Bodnar circled the room with his phone, the audio resumed.

Bodnar was once again in front of Funaro, filming him, when Funaro smacked the phone out of Bodnar’s hand.

Those in attendance erupted, drowning out what Funaro said as police officers got between Funaro and Bodnar.

By a show of hands, a majority of the board voted to adjourn the meeting.