Children’s, Mental Health, & Social Service Groups Join Forces to Support LGBT Students

Children’s, Mental Health, & Social Service Groups Join Forces In Open Letter

to the Michigan Legislature Supporting LGBTQ Students

In a collective show of support for LGBTQ students, several helping profession organizations representing tens of thousands of MI child, health, and human service professionals outline concerns of trauma and other poor health outcomes if anti-LGBT bills come to fruition.

April 28, 2016 - Detroit, MI – Today, 10 organizations (including NASW-Michigan) have signed an open letter to Michigan lawmakers affirming their support for the safety and well-being of all students. The letter was written in response to the recent threats of a legislative backlash following the Michigan State Board of Education Statement and Guidance on Safe and Supportive Learning Environments for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning (LGBTQ) Students guidance released for public comment on March 14^th of this year, since extended to May 11, 2016 (http://everyvoicecountsmi.org/).

"The same positive and supportive school climate that we create for LGBTQ students will also improve educational outcomes for all Michigan students," said Donna Secor Pennington, LMSW, the Communications Liaison for the Michigan Association of School Social Workers (MASSW)."The increased risk for depression, anxiety and substance abuse, as well as the alarming increased in suicide attempts for LGBTQ students in unsafe environments, makes this a matter of urgent concern for MASSW."

State Senator Tom Casperson has announced plans to issue various measures, including a possible “bathroom inspection” bill targeting transgender students, in direct response to the guidance. These organizations have affirmed that students in Michigan have a right to attend schools free of bullying and harassment and a right to educational environments devoid of discrimination and that do not violate their privacy. In this letter, the organizations whose members will likely have to deal with the physical, emotional, and psychological fallout in their practices, if such anti-LGBT bills pass, make clear their support for the LGBTQ student guidance and oppose any legislative regulating bathroom use by transgender students.

“The NASW supports efforts to provide safe and secure educational environments that promote an understanding and acceptance of self, where all youth are free to express their identity and obtain an education free from discrimination, harassment, violence, and abuse,” says Allan Wachendorfer, LLMSW, Director of Public Policy for the National Association of Social Workers - Michigan Chapter, explaining the association’s backing of the letter.

This letter comes one week after over 150 Michigan Faith Leaders for Equality signed on to an open letter to Michigan lawmakers defending LGBTQ students and supporting policies better ensuring them safe and supportive educational environments. 

Open Letter: Children’s, Mental Health, & Social Service Groups to the MI Legislature Supporting LGBTQ Students

May 4, 2016

To the Michigan State Legislature,

We the undersigned support the Michigan State Board of Education (SBE) draft guidance document, "Safe and Supportive Learning Environments for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning (LGBTQ) Students" and oppose legislation intended to regulate bathroom use by transgender and gender non-conforming students.

As organizations representing thousands of Michigan professionals dedicated to ensuring the health and well being of Michigan's children and families, we believe the proposed guidance is necessary to support the mental, physical, and emotional health of our youth and their families. We believe the proposed legislation regarding bathroom use will prove harmful to children. The proposal assists school districts in adhering to state and federal laws intended to reduce the bullying and violence experienced by students, particularly LGBTQ youth. Accordingly, we are disappointed in the recent attacks on the Michigan SBE and its proposed guidance, one whose only goal is to help ensure a safe, orderly and respectful learning environment that will benefit all Michigan youth.

Our values in Michigan are to protect children, teach them a sense of fair play, and create the most supportive educational environment possible for all youth to succeed. The SBE's proposed guidance aligns with our values as mental health, social service professionals and advocates, as well as residents of this state. As those who work with children often traumatized by events in schools, any reasonable measures proposed to reduce incidents harming children should be supported. More than reasonable, the Michigan SBE is proposing best practices and safety strategies already proven in other states.

LGBTQ students are our sons, daughters, nieces, nephews, and grandchildren. Often, they are our clients. Under federal law, they have a right to attend schools free of bullying and harassment. They have a right to educational environments devoid of discrimination and that do not violate their privacy. They have a right to be affirmed by educators who are prepared to be supportive of their academic achievement and aspirations. Under Title IX of the Educational Amendment Act, Title IV of the Civil Rights Act, and Michigan's own anti-bullying policies, all schools should properly address the rights of LGBTQ students and support the victimized student when bullying occurs. Unfortunately, data proves this is not happening in many Michigan schools. The SBE proposed guidance recognizes these realities and proposes remedies to the challenges facing schools, LGBTQ youth, and parents. This is progress that should be supported.

In our work, we see many parents, families, and schools struggling with these issues and wanting to do the right thing by all of our youth. As residents of this state, we want to see Michigan be a leader in protecting children, not in harming them. We believe the Michigan SBE's proposed guidance is a first, essential step toward getting us closer to the goal of ensuring all Michigan children have safe and affirming educational environments. One step we simply cannot afford to do without.

Signed by,
National Association of Social Workers - Michigan (NASW-MI)
Michigan Association of School Social Workers (MASSW)
Mental Health Association in Michigan (MHAM)
Michigan School Health Coordinators Association (MiSHCA)
Association for Children's Mental Heath
Michigan Disability Rights Coalition
The Arc Michigan
UNIFIED - HIV Health and Beyond
HIV/AIDS Alliance of Michigan
Lansing Area AIDS Network
Michigan Coalition for HIV Health and Safety
Community AIDS Resource and Education Services