Miss Aulee goes to the Statehouse: First-grade lobby weighs in on the session so far

• By Colleen Steffen, Executive Editor, TheStatehouseFile.com
• Apr 24, 2023

It was Take Your Little Sister to Work Day at the Statehouse File Tuesday, and we learned a thing or two looking at the General Assembly through the eyes of a 7-year-old.

Everything at the Indiana Statehouse these days ends up feeling significant.

We invited Statehouse File reporter Xain Ballenger’s little sister, 7-year-old Aulee Pittman of Shelbyville, to the Statehouse Tuesday to peek behind the scenes of the General Assembly. She sat in the Senate press box, received a pat on the head from Sen. Greg Taylor, had a small chat with Sen. Mike Bohacek, and took some notes in blue crayon.

On the schedule that day? Guns in the classroom and whether and how teachers should be trained to carry firearms.

Not even a month ago, six people, including three children, were killed in a school shooting in Nashville, Tennesee. On Friday, Aulee’s school was one of dozens across Indiana closed by a bomb threat. Aulee kicked her feet in the too-high chair. She was skipping a day of first grade to see the important people talk.

Seven-year-old Aulee Pittman, little sister of Statehouse File reporter Xain Ballenger, sat in on part of a Senate session Tuesday and took some notes on the proceedings in blue crayon:

“to day I wet with my brother to his wirk it is asum! and I lirded Abowt senators now I’m in A meeting. Senator taylor …”

At that point, she got hungry and went downstairs for some chips.

Photo by Colleen Steffen, TheStatehouseFile.com.

She got bored, of course, and left long before the senators started that particular fraught discussion. She watched “Scooby-Doo” in our basement office, ate a hot dog from the Statehouse snack stand, drew flowers and rainbows on sheets of white printer paper.

The adults talked upstairs, unseen, and she proclaimed the whole experience “asum” in blue crayon.

The end of the legislative session draws near. If building-wide burnout is a thing, the Statehouse definitely feels it. So, for a moment, we put aside the incredibly serious subjects discussed this and every day and looked around through the eyes of a 7-year-old—the one who will live out all the decisions that are only spoken of here.

Why did you visit the Indiana Statehouse today, Aulee?

I really wanted to know what my big brother Xain does in the big city of Indianapolis.

Statehouse File reporter and Franklin College journalism major Xain Ballenger showed his little sister, 7-year-old Aulee Pittman, around the Statehouse on Tuesday. Upstairs lawmakers discussed teachers carrying handguns in classrooms while downstairs Aulee found better uses for her time.

Photo by Colleen Steffen, TheStatehouseFile.com.

Do you know what he does?

I feel like he makes toys and creates things. He’s very amazing. He does the news! …

He told me he works in the Indianapolis, and I thought, whoa, that is super amazing! And I really thought before that he worked at a zoo because there’s an Indianapolis Zoo.

Important things first: Tell us about your weiner dog Luanne.

She’s very scrumpy. One thing she loves is yum yums. … Did you know there are scary clowns for Halloween now?

Unrelated: What happened at the Senate session you watched?

I think they were talking about liberty and stuff? We did do the pledge. We also do that at Coulston Elementary. I got patted on the head by one of the senators. I really liked the statue heads.

The what now?

The statue heads. [Gestures finally indicate she’s talking about the busts of dignitaries found throughout the Statehouse.] We have a lot of good art at my school, too.

I do love art class and especially my teacher Mrs. Williams. She’s so kind and awesome. Once we did something fun where we speed walked and we found eggs and they were super cute.

Do you know what legislators do? 

I think they make up laws?

What laws do you think they should make up?

I think they should make a law that kids get no orders. Kids don’t have to do what adults make them do, like wake up early to go to school … I really like my chores though. I like cleaning out my room. I make it a little game!

Aulee Pittman, little sister of Statehouse File reporter Xain Ballenger’s, took a trip to the Statehouse Tuesday to peek behind the scenes of the General Assembly.

by Xain Ballenger, TheStatehouseFile.com.

Do you think the lawmakers are doing a good job?

Yeah, we need senatives … senatives … senators.

We really need laws, like no stealing, no killing people. Terrible. Especially making scary movies to scare children. I need to make a scary clown picture to scare off burglars.

By the way, you can have one of my cookies. I am very good at being sweet. My cousin is not.

Do you think you might want to be a lawmaker when you grow up?

Hmmm … I don’t know … No, a pop star. A singer. Aaahahah woooooo!

What are you going to tell your class when you get back, Aulee?

I think I’m gonna tell them that today I went with my brother to his work and it was super awesome! My classmates are gonna be so impressed to hear about my adventures in Indianapolis.

Now I would like to hear about you! Have you ever seen a monkey at the zoo?