Maine Counselor Dump Question 1 Complaint

A guidance counselor in Maine wants a state office to toss a complaint made against him charging that he violated professional standards by appearing in a commercial to support Question 1, the ballot initiative that passed earlier this month and repealed the marriage equality law.

Donald Mendell could lose his license because of the complaint filed by another social worker October 19 with the state office of licensing and registration, according to the Kennebec Journal.

Ann Sullivan, who filed the complaint, "argues that Mendell, a Nokomis High School guidance counselor, 'does not have the right as a licensed social worker to make public comments that can endanger or promote discrimination," the Journal reported.

However, in a written response sent to the office on Friday, Mendell called the complaint "frivolous" and asked for it to be dismissed, citing the approval of Question 1 by 53% of voters earlier this month.

"I cannot be in violation of the ethical standards for social workers when I advocate in favor of the very public policy the state of Maine has on marriage, and has had since its first days in the Union," Mendell wrote, according to the Journal. "This board should have no part of this politically-motivated effort to misuse the code of ethics to demonize a fellow social worker holding a different view."