FARMINGTON, Maine — Mt. Blue Middle School Principal James Black has apologized after a Facebook photo showing him dressed as a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent for Halloween sparked backlash in the community.

In a letter to Superintendent Christian Elkington, the school board, and the Regional School Unit 9 community, Black said he regretted that his costume “caused concern or discomfort.”

“It was never my intent to create harm, offend, or target any group or individual,” he wrote. “The costume was chosen in a lighthearted spirit, without consideration for the broader implications it might have.”

Black added that his "work with students, families, and colleagues has always been grounded in the belief that every child deserves a safe, supportive, and equitable lear

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