by Jessica Carreras
Michigan citizens gathered on May 13 in Lansing to lobby for the passage of Senate Bill 159 – the anti-bullying legislation with enumeration – and though they shared a common cause, their reasons for being there were as diverse as the groups the bill aims to protect. Some came representing the disabled community. Others were there to support LGBT, or overweight, or poor youth. Some came to assure that black kids are treated the same as white. And some came because of one little boy or girl they knew who didn't deserve to be bullied anymore.
Donna Anderson of Brighton was one of those attendees. Anderson came not in support of one particular group, but because of her own granddaughter's experiences with bullying in a Northville school. "This third grader was actually sexually harassing her, and this little girl is coming home and telling her parents about these gestures and things that this little boy is doing at recess," Anderson explained. "(My daughter) went to the school and…kept insisting that they do something about it."
The school's response was one that bullied students and their parents know too well. The school administrators laughed the incident off, telling them that it was "normal." Eventually, after much persistence, the school suspended a student for three days. That student? Anderson's granddaughter.
Anderson was left with one question: "Both her and her sister go to parochial school now and they're doing well there, getting great marks, they're singing, they're dancing…they're pretty happy kids today. But why didn't that happen at a public school?"
The All-American Lobby Day was hosted by Phil Volk and members of the Michigan Democratic Party LGBT and Allies Caucus. Attendees included Michigan Equality Co-Directors Michelle Brown and Julie Nemecek, Triangle Foundation Executive Director Alicia Skillman, Project Light founder Adam Taylor and around 20 community members.
The day included a training session instructed by Mark Brewer, chair of the Michigan Democratic Party, as well as time to meet with Sen. Glenn Anderson (D-Westland), who introduced the legislation being lobbied for.
Anderson was also present at the press conference held that afternoon in the Capitol, during which he, Volk and several other legislators, such as Rep. Rebekah Warren, voiced their support for the bill. "I want to thank everyone for being here," Anderson said. "This is American democracy in action. This is extremely important."
American democracy for Donna Anderson was as simple as making her voice heard – even if she didn't sway the opinions of the Republican senators she lobbied. "I think that when I meet with these two Republican Senators, I expect their staff to be very non-committal," Anderson said before her appointments with legislators. "I expect it's going to be a 'no' vote, but maybe I can give them a chance to think about some things. I don't really expect to change their minds."
Jen Chapin-Smith, a lobbyist and longtime supporter of the legislation, urged participants in the day to continue their support of the legislation, and to write letters to their representatives and senators. "It only takes nine letters to sway a legislator's vote," she explained.
Volk echoed her sentiments about the need for continued support. "It's a diverse group, and we're very thankful that so many people think this is relevant. We have to make a strong stand to tell the administration of every school board that this is not acceptable."
