Jean Phoenix Irons McLaughlin
ME · Lewiston School Committee Member, Ward 1
Phoenix McLaughlin is a Lewiston School Committee member who has worked as a policy manager at the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development and served on the city Finance Committee. Top priorities are fully staffed schools with less turnover and a strong budget.
Where Jean Phoenix Irons McLaughlin stands, based on their records
Supports
Government Efficiency (3 records), Civil Rights (1 record), Public Infrastructure (1 record)
Mixed record
Government Spending Reduction (3 support · 4 oppose), Public Education Quality (3 support · 2 oppose)
Track record
Track record — Government Efficiency
Government Efficiency · 3 support
Voted for Megan Parks over Meghan Hird for School Committee chair; Parks won 5-4. Also seconded final approval of the committee self-evaluation policy, which passed 9-0.
January 13, 2025Supports Government Efficiency
Source: drive.google.com
Made the motion to approve a first reading of a new policy for the School Committee to evaluate itself. It passed 5-1, with 3 members abstaining.
January 6, 2025Supports Government Efficiency
Source: drive.google.com
Made the motion directing the superintendent to sign a net energy billing subscription contract to save on school energy costs. It passed 8-1.
August 26, 2024Supports Government Efficiency
Source: drive.google.com
Track record — Government Spending Reduction
Government Spending Reduction · 3 support · 4 oppose
Voted for the superintendent's plan to cut $1,169,000 from the 2026-27 school budget. It passed 8-1.
May 18, 2026Supports Government Spending Reduction
Source: drive.google.com
Voted for the 2026-27 school budget of $129,710,257. It passed 8-0.
April 22, 2026Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: drive.google.com
Made the motion directing the superintendent to sign a net energy billing subscription contract to save on school energy costs. It passed 8-1.
August 26, 2024Supports Government Spending Reduction
Source: drive.google.com
Seconded the motion letting the superintendent buy 287 Main Street from Central Maine Healthcare for $1 million. The motion passed 7-0.
July 15, 2024Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: drive.google.com
Voted against two motions to use more school savings (fund balance) to lower the budget: $2 million, then $1.5 million plus cutting 5 new positions. Both failed 4-5.
June 13, 2024Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: drive.google.com
Proposed the budget changes the School Committee adopted after voters rejected the school budget. The plan cut about $1.13 million and moved $650,000 from a special education reserve.
May 29, 2024Supports Government Spending Reduction
Source: sunjournal.com
Seconded a motion to add a cultural broker staff position, paid from funds for multilingual students. The motion passed 8-1.
January 22, 2024Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: drive.google.com
Track record — Public Education Quality
Public Education Quality · 3 support · 2 oppose
Voted for final approval of a policy on student use of cell phones and other personal devices in school. It passed 5-2.
June 15, 2026Supports Public Education Quality
Source: drive.google.com
Voted for the superintendent's plan to cut $1,169,000 from the 2026-27 school budget. It passed 8-1.
May 18, 2026Opposes Public Education Quality
Source: drive.google.com
Voted for the 2026-27 school budget of $129,710,257. It passed 8-0.
April 22, 2026Supports Public Education Quality
Source: drive.google.com
Proposed the budget changes the School Committee adopted after voters rejected the school budget. The plan cut about $1.13 million and moved $650,000 from a special education reserve.
May 29, 2024Opposes Public Education Quality
Source: sunjournal.com
Seconded a motion to add a cultural broker staff position, paid from funds for multilingual students. The motion passed 8-1.
January 22, 2024Supports Public Education Quality
Source: drive.google.com
Track record — Civil Rights
Civil Rights · 1 support
Made the motion giving final approval to school policies on choosing library and class materials, nondiscrimination, and harassment and Title IX complaints. It passed 8-0.
May 5, 2025Supports Civil Rights
Source: drive.google.com
Track record — Public Infrastructure
Public Infrastructure · 1 support
Seconded the motion letting the superintendent buy 287 Main Street from Central Maine Healthcare for $1 million. The motion passed 7-0.
July 15, 2024Supports Public Infrastructure
Source: drive.google.com
Track record — General
General · 8 records
Was elected chair of the Lewiston School Committee by a 9-0 vote.
February 2, 2026
Source: drive.google.com
Voted against adding a rule that no other flags be shown in schools unless tied to a lesson; it failed 4-5. Then moved the first reading of the pledge, flag, and student dress policies, which passed 5-4.
December 15, 2025
Source: drive.google.com
Voted against hiring an outside investigator to check whether a fellow member gave up a seat by moving out of the member's ward. The motion failed 4-5.
November 24, 2025
Source: drive.google.com
Made the motion approving the union contract for school food service managers, which passed 8-0. Also seconded giving the teachers' union (LEA) president 10% release time, which passed 8-0.
June 30, 2025
Source: drive.google.com
Voted against a 2024-25 school budget plan that used $1.1 million of school savings plus $603,706 in cuts. The plan passed 5-3.
June 17, 2024
Source: drive.google.com
Voted against expelling a student (Student D) with continued services. The expulsion passed 5-4.
February 26, 2024
Source: drive.google.com
Won the Ward 1 seat on the Lewiston School Committee with no opponent, replacing Bruce Damon.
November 7, 2023
Source: sunjournal.com
Received the endorsement of the Lewiston Education Association, the local teachers' union, for the Ward 1 School Committee seat in the 2023 election.
October 28, 2023
Source: sunjournal.com
Past race Jean Phoenix Irons McLaughlin ran in:
- School Committee Ward 1 · November 3, 2026 · Lewiston, Maine · incumbent