The Michigan Department of Education and state Board of Education’s proposed “Safe and Supportive Learning Environments for Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Questioning Students,” has spurred nearly 9,000 comments from residents across the state, although many may be from the same respondents. Several legislators from Oakland County took time to share their views with Downtown newsmagazine. The other Oakland County lawmakers failed to respond to repeated calls to their offices. MICHIGAN HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES • Rep. Kathy Crawford (R-Lyon, Northville, Novi, South Lyon, Walled Lake): no response. • Rep. Joseph Graves (R-51st, Groveland, Fenton, Holly, Rose): “The State Board of Education’s misguided policy suggestions were made without any input from parents or educators. They go way beyond the scope of the board’s reach and take away important parental rights.”
transgender in the legislature, so we are missing that critical voice in this discussion. “We are trying to figure out how best to address the needs of students. We can either make things better for transgender students, or we can make things worse – which is what I think the Casperson bill will do – or we can do nothing and let suicide rates excel. I prefer we do something.” • Rep. Jim Runestad (R-White Lake, Milford, Highland, Springfield, Waterford): “I am firmly opposed to the construct of these guidelines, which are framed in protecting from danger these children who have various gender identities, but it goes way beyond the scope of the safety of these children and into social engineering and advocating calling them one name in front of the children and another in front of parents. In my view, it violates the rights of other students. I think it’s a policy rife with potential abuse from boys in particular who may want to take advantage of this.”
Township, Rochester, Rochester Hills) A spokesman for Webber said the Representative isn’t commenting on the guidelines at this time, but encourages people to comment on the policy at the department of education’s website. • Rep. Robert Wittenberg (D-Farmington, Farmington Hills, Ferndale, Hazel Park, Huntington Woods, Lathrup Village, Madison Heights, Oak Park, Pleasant Ridge, Royal Oak Township, Southfield): “As legislators, we should be doing everything we can to provide all of our state’s children with safe, secure and fully-funded schools that have the resources they need to provide an excellent education. It saddens me that instead of creating a safe learning environment for all students, we are being sidetracked with this unnecessary and narrow-minded proposal. We must make sure that all students are protected from intolerance and discriminatory practices, and feel comfortable in their learning environment.” MICHIGAN SENATE
• Rep. Christine Greig (D-Farmington, Farmington Hills): “I personally applaud the Department of Education putting out these guidelines. We are trying to make Michigan a top state and grow the state. You don’t do that by excluding people. It’s another example of not living in the real world. That won’t help the economy or our sense of community. It’s playing on illogical fears.” • Rep. Tim Greimel: (D-Auburn Hills, Keego, Orchard Lake, Pontiac, Sylvan Lake): “I encourage Senator Casperson to focus on adequately funding schools and improving academic achievement instead of picking on kids who are often bullied already.”
HOW LAWMAKERS REACT TO NEW SCHOOL POLICY FROM STATE
• Rep. Martin Howrylak (R 41st, Troy, Clawson): no response. • Rep. Bradford Jacobsen (R-Addison, Brandon, Oakland, Orion, Oxford): no response. • Rep. Klint Kesto (R-Commerce, Wixom, West Bloomfield): “We need to make sure parents are involved. Parents are the number one supporters of their children, and you’re creating a different scenario with this policy, and they should be involved. For the schools not to have to notify parents, I think, isn’t the correct policy.” • Rep. Michael McCready (R-Birmingham, Bloomfield Township, Bloomfield Hills, West Bloomfield): “I still have more to learn about it, and want to hear from residents. I’m not sure what to make of it.” • Rep. Jeremy Moss (D-Southfield, Lathrup Village, Beverly Hills, Bingham Farms, Franklin): “I think the Republican Party is a little too obsessed with bathrooms. Nobody is
• Rep. Jim Tedder (R-Clarkson, Independence Waterford, Lake Angelus): no response. • Rep. Jim Townsend (D-Madison Heights, Royal Oak): “LGBTQ students face hardships and challenges that some lawmakers refuse to recognize, but it is important that we put ourselves in the shoes of every student and help provide an environment where every child feels safe, accepted and can learn and excel. Sen. Casperson’s bill fails to consider the circumstances that confront many LGBTQ students who are already twice as likely to be threatened at school. Research indicates that more than half of LGBTQ students feel unsafe at school. The Board of Education is attempting to create a safer and more accepting environment for all students, while Sen. Casperson’s misguided legislation will only increase the hostility toward LGBTQ students.” • Rep. Michael Webber (R-Oakland
• Sen. Vincent Gregory (D- Farmington, Farmington Hills, Ferndale, Hazel Park, Huntington Woods, Lathrup Village, Madison Heights, Oak Park, Pleasant Ridge, Royal Oak Township, Southfield): no response. • Sen. Marty Knollenberg (R-Berkley, Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills, Clawson, Rochester Hills, Rochester, Royal Oak, Troy): no response. • Sen. Mike Kowall (R-Commerce, Lyon, Milford, Northville, Novi, Orchard Lake, South Lyon, Walled Lake, West Bloomfield, White Lake, Wixom) “We send our kids to school to learn, to prepare them for life and jobs, and not be in a position to be terrorized, afraid or made extremely uncomfortable. We need to stop and think about these things before we allow anything to happen. If they need to find accommodations, I think Tom (Casperson) is on the right track on that. The last thing you want to do, if you have a child in that situation, is turn it into a bullying situation. We are doing all we can to stop bullying. I think this will just increase it. I think it will blow up at everyone’s face.” • Sen. Jim Marleau (R-Addison, Auburn Hills, Beverly Hills, Bingham Farms, Bloomfield Township, Franklin, Independence, Keego, Oakland Township, Orion, Oxford, Pontiac, Southfield Township, Sylvan Lake, Clarkston): “Personally, I don’t have an opinion. I want to get more information, and we’ll learn as we go.” • Sen. David Robertson (Brandon, Fenton, Groveland, Highland, Holly, Lake Angelus, Rose, Springfield, Waterford): Sen. Robertson said through a spokesman he did not support the proposal.