99 House members sign up for sex-harassment course

All 99 current members of the Arkansas House of Representatives attended or signed up to attend a voluntary harassment-prevention training course, according to House staff members.

More than 85 members attended one of three 90-minute sessions held Wednesday, according to copies of the sign-in sheets. A fourth and final session will be held next week, according to House spokesman Cecillea PondMayo.

A dozen members who were absent Wednesday are scheduled to attend.

While the training was voluntary, House Speaker Jeremy Gillam, R-Judsonia, said lawmakers were told ahead of time that the sign-in sheets would be disclosed under the state Freedom of Information Act, so that those who missed the sessions would be able to be publicly identified.

Still, Gillam said he had always been confident that the members would show up without being “coerced.” The speaker, who attended the second session, said he found the class helpful.

“The biggest takeaway was you have to put yourself in someone else’s shoes,” Gillam said. “Even in the simplest gestures of kindness.”

He said one example that resonated with several lawmakers was how some people may be “huggers,” while others may feel uncomfortable with the gesture.

The training came as prominent people in government, business and entertainment have been embroiled in accusations of harassment and sexual misconduct.

The “Me Too” movement has led to women recounting their experiences with sexual harassment and assault.

Late last year, Gillam declined to release records about a complaint against one lawmaker to The Associated Press, after Attorney General Leslie Rutledge said it was her opinion that Gillam had correctly interpreted the document as an “employee evaluation” that was not subject to release.

In a phone interview, Gillam said he believed the House had a good policy for addressing complaints of harassment but that a review of the policy would be “an ongoing thing.”

House staff members were mandated to attend the harassment courses, which were conducted by Cross, Gunther, Witherspoon & Galchus, a Little Rock-based employment law firm.

The House also provided a copy of the slide-show presentation given, which included hypothetical scenarios of sexual, gender and race-based harassment.

One slide noted that harassment is more likely to occur in workplaces with mostly male employees.

There are 18 women in the Arkansas House, less than a fifth of the total membership.

“It’s absolutely helpful because we need it. I think it’s a good first step,” said Rep. Vivian Flowers, D-Pine Bluff, who took the course Wednesday afternoon. As a staff member for the Bureau of Legislative Research before holding elected office, Flowers said, men she worked with — she declined to identify them — put their hands on her inappropriately.

“I learned a few things that I’m still unclear about in terms of current law,” Flowers said. “I’m just unclear as to what would happen [now] … if someone violated these rules.”

Others who took the course said they were already well-versed in the subject matter.

“Quite honestly, I didn’t learn anything in that class yesterday I didn’t already know and was taught in the Bible,” said Rep. Kim Hammer, R-Benton, who otherwise said he agreed with having lawmakers take the course.

Hammer said he took issue with some parts, namely the recommendation that men not offer to walk women to their cars at night.

Another lawmaker, Rep. Brandt Smith, R-Jonesboro, said the course was a reminder that parts of “Southern culture” — he used the example of referring to women as “honey” — had become outdated.

“Even though I might not mean anything derogatory by it, it just doesn’t sound good to speak to staff or colleagues in those terms,” Smith said.

Of a dozen lawmakers who spoke to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, all said they supported having training, but not all felt that harassment was a pervasive issue in the Arkansas Legislature.

“I’ve always felt like I was treated like a peer here,” said Rep. Robin Lundstrum, R-Elm Springs. “I think 99 percent of the men in this world are absolutely wonderful and I think men have gotten a really bad rap and I’m kind of tired of men getting a really bad rap.”

Similar training was not offered in the 35-member Senate, but Senate President Pro Tempore Jonathan Dismang, R-Searcy, said he has discussed offering training during its next orientation, which occurs before members are sworn in after they are elected.

“And we have not had an issue or ever had a reported issue in this chamber of something like that,” said Dismang, who has served in the Senate since 2011 and was in the House from 2009-10.