BY BTL STAFF
Over 100 Michigan faith leaders from across multiple denominations have signed an open letter to Michigan lawmakers announcing their support of a proposed set of guidelines authored by the state board of education.
The interfaith letter was written in response to the recent threats of legislative backlash following the announcement of the Michigan State Board of Education Statement and Guidance on Safe and Supportive Learning Environments for LGBTQ Students. If passed by the board, the guidance will provide K-12 schools with an optional set of guidelines they can adopt that suggests trans students use gender appropriate bathrooms and that the school establishes a gay-straight alliance, just to name a few.
In a collective expression of support for LGBTQ students, over 100 leaders from various faith traditions have come together to affirm that Michigan's children deserve equal protection and treatment in their schools under the law.
"We, the undersigned faith leaders, who live and serve in the state of Michigan, affirm that all people should be treated fairly and equally under the law, and that all people, including those that identify as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual or Transgender, are children of God, deserving of love, dignity and equal treatment. From a variety of religious traditions, with diverse approaches to spiritual life, we converge in a spirit of love and humility urging our elected officials to update the laws in Michigan so that every person in our state is protected from discrimination," the letter reads.
State Sen. Tom Casperson and a small number of conservative state lawmakers have announced plans to issue various measures, including a possible "bathroom inspection" bill targeting transgender students, in direct response to the guidance. From Atlanta and Three Rivers to Bad Axe and Detroit, leaders of many faith walks throughout Michigan have responded with a firm "no" to any such legislative proposals, siding with LGBTQ students and those children's parents and allies.
Reverend Dan Scheid of St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Flint is one of the 103 signatories on the letter. He joined the Episcopal Church in Flint in 2015 and serves as the senior pastor of the congregation. Previously the Grand Rapids native served as rector of St. Augustine of Canterbury Episcopal Church in Benton Harbor and told MLive in February 2015 that he has preached about social justice, racial harmony and LGBT equality.
"As a priest in the Episcopal Church and as someone with a personal stake in seeking justice and equality for LGBTQ people — especially, in this case, transgender students — I wholeheartedly endorse adopting policies in our schools to respect the dignity of LGBTQ students and to ensure their physical and emotional safety," Scheid said.
Transgender and gender non-conforming youth experience a higher risk of violence, bullying and harassment than their cisgender peers. The state board guidelines were introduced with this in mind and seek to provide a more inclusive school environment for Michigan's youth.
"As faith leaders serving the most vulnerable and the most harmed by injustice in Michigan, we cannot support any bill that turns its back on the people we are called to serve the most. Transgender children are the most likely of the LGBT community to be victims of the forms of discrimination," the letter continues. "As faith leaders, it is precisely because we believe so deeply in the sanctity of our religious traditions and religious liberty that we stand against the use of these principles to condone prejudice, injustice and the unequal protection under our state laws."
To read the full letter and see the full list of signatories, visit https://www.equalitymi.org/media-center/news/open-letter-over-100-mi-faith-leaders-address-mi-lawmakers.
