A high school English teacher in Maine is under investigation by both law enforcement and school authorities following her social media posts advocating violence against President Donald Trump and his supporters.
JoAnna St. Germain, who teaches at Waterville Senior High School in Waterville, Maine, started posting a series of controversial messages on Facebook on Tuesday, April 29, 2025. In her first post, St. Germain urged the Secret Service to address the president and his followers.
“The Secret Service has the perfect opportunity, if they choose to step up and take it,” she wrote in the public post. “You are the ones with power. Coordinate. Take out every single person who supports Trump’s illegal, immoral, unconstitutional acts.”
St. Germain defended her comments by arguing she was not advocating assassination since she does not view Trump as legitimately elected. She claimed Trump “has shamelessly bragged openly about stealing the election” and “is making plans to give himself a third term,” according to multiple sources.
The teacher escalated her remarks by suggesting she would take violent action herself if she could. St. Germain wrote, “if I had the skill set required, I would take them out myself,” and emphasized, “I’m making this post public for a reason, I promise you.”
Despite backlash from her posts, St. Germain stood by her statements in subsequent messages. She clarified her focus was on Trump’s inner circle, not all Republicans.
She informed her Facebook audience that she was aware her comments could have professional consequences. In a follow-up post, she stated: “I believe Trump and every sycophant he has surrounded himself with needs to die,” and compared the administration to Nazi Germany, as reported by various sources.
In another message, she acknowledged that her superintendent “will have to fire me” but maintained she felt “zero shame about what I’ve said.”
The posts quickly attracted attention from authorities. The U.S. Secret Service confirmed awareness of St. Germain’s statements but declined further comment, stating, “As a matter of practice we do not comment on matters involving protective intelligence.”
Waterville Police Chief William Bonney confirmed the situation in a statement, noting that the Waterville Police Department was aware of a social media post reportedly made by a Waterville School Department employee regarding Trump supporters. While he refrained from commenting on active matters, Chief Bonney emphasized that the department was collaborating with federal law enforcement and the school to prioritize community safety, with a focus on protecting young people.
Waterville Public Schools Superintendent Peter Hallen sent an audio message to families on Wednesday morning acknowledging the situation. Hallen stated that steps had been taken to ensure everyone’s safety and that the incident was being actively investigated in collaboration with the appropriate authorities.
As of Thursday, St. Germain was not present in class, according to students at the high school. Seniors noted that she had been absent on Wednesday and Thursday following her posts.
The situation has caused concern in the local community. Stevie Black, a parent of a Waterville public school student, told local media, “Honestly, it made me uncomfortable. Because that’s somebody that’s teaching our children.”
Another Waterville parent, Joe Labbe, said he contacted St. Germain after seeing her posts. According to Labbe, St. Germain acknowledged during their conversation that she “no longer belongs in the classroom” because she “takes the news of the day so seriously that she’s not able to put it away.”
Tobin Thibeau, a senior at Waterville Senior High School, said students were generally upset by the situation, telling reporters, “I haven’t seen anyone who agreed with what was said.”
School officials have not publicly disclosed whether any disciplinary action has been taken against St. Germain. The school’s website still listed her as an English teacher as of Thursday evening.
This incident arises amid heightened political tensions across the United States, with increasing concerns about political rhetoric and threats against public officials.
