11 Boy Commits Suicide After Homophobic Bullying

International News, By Christian Taylor, 15th April, 2009

An 11 year old boy from Massachusetts, US, committed suicide after relentless homophobic bullying at school. Carl Joseph Walker-Hoover was found dead at his Springfield home last Monday night after hanging himself with an extension cable.

His mother, Sirdeaner L Walker, discovered his body after returning home from church. According to newspaper The Republican, she will ask the state to investigate the New Leadership Charter School, saying that they’d failed to protect him from more than six months of bullying from classmates. He’d been called “gay, a ‘fag’” and they’d also made fun of his clothes. The school said that Carl had been too afraid to name the bullies.

“I am broken-hearted,” said Carl’s mother. “We worry about the economy and about Iraq, but we need to be worried about our schools… I have been homeless, but Carl and I made it through. I was a victim of domestic violence and we made it through. The one thing we couldn’t get through was public school.”

In 2007 a similar case took place in Ohio, when a 17 year old student, Eric Mohat, shot himself after years of homophobic bullying. The parents of the deceased student have filed a lawsuit against Mentor High School for not protecting their son against abuse. They’re not seeking money, but are pushing to have their child’s death recognised as “bullicide”, and also want the school to implement an anti-bullying program.

Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLESN) Executive Director, Eliza Bayard, told LiveSteez, “As we mourn yet another tragedy involving bullying at school, we must heed Ms. Walker’s urgent call for real, systemic, effective responses to the endemic problem of bullying and harassment. Especially in this time of societal crisis, adults in schools must be alert to the heightened pressure children face, and take action to create safe learning environments for the students in their care. In order to do that effectively, as this case so tragically illustrates, schools must deal head-on with anti-gay language and behaviour.” Bayard added, “as was the case with Carl, you do not have to identify as gay to be attacked with anti-LGBT language.”

GLESN says that this is the fourth suicide of a middle-school aged child linked to anti-gay bullying this year.

Your Thoughts

naughtylion

said ages ago

a hate crime is viewed as being especially heinous... committed with more malice, and is often seen as senseless to general society. harsher penalties, to put it simply. :)

ilbonito

said ages ago

Fair enough.

ammonite

said ages ago

What a gorgeous little boy.

ammonite

said ages ago

[QUOTE="http://www.samesame.com.au/news/international/3882/11-Boy-Commits-Suicide-After-Homophobic-Bullying.htm"]The school said that Carl had been too afraid to name the bullies. No no no. When I was in primary school, I was bullied verbally and physically for 3 things - being fat, being smart, and being gay. I told my parents and teachers about the first 2, but I never ever told anyone about the gay teasing, no matter how bad it got... But I wasn't afraid of naming the bullies - I had done it before many times, and it never occured to me that they would ever seriously hurt me or kill me in retribution - we were just children! I was afraid of the ADULTS - what their reaction would be. And most of all I was afraid that it was true.

sexypants911

said ages ago

While there is a problem and society needs to address this issue, adolescents cant be charged for name calling- its a natural part of life. I am not encouraging the behaviour, but another penalty that is not as harsh should be put in place instead to combat the problem, instead of further holding back an already struggling legal system. Besides, the kid probably is feeling regret and remorse atm

jordan

said ages ago

I think someone asked earlier what we can all do to make a difference. First of all, nothing that happens in schools doesn't happen in the real world, I don't think the answer is to say 'lets legislate'. They're just little communities that reflect what we're doing to each other in the wider community. So lets fix that! If someone makes a homophobic joke at work, or wherever, say something. When people say things like "that's gay" correct them. If you see advertising or know of policies that aren't right, make some noise. If someone weak is being picked on by someone who is a bully, stand up for them. Become 'over-sensitive' if that's what it takes. As we know, lives are at stake. This boy killed himself because he didn't have hope. If you do something to make you a beacon of hope for someone, that's how you save lives and change minds - which will ultimately change our society.

DavidL

said ages ago

Well said! We can change the world by changing those around us.

xxxVioletxxx

said ages ago

That poor young boy! This is heartbreaking! :( Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia really need addressing in society, and it should start at the schooling level and earlier in the home. There were similar instances to the article in and around my hometown: 1. A young teenage boy was severely raped in a toilet block at night. The poor boy was on his way home from a party. He had to flag down a car on a main road for assistance and somehow the story made the front page of the local paper. When he didn't show up for school, the students guessed who it was from the story. He later committed suicide from homophobic taunts as many of his peers said things like "how would you let that happen?!" I'm not sure of the boys sexuality, but what happened to him was disgusting, both from the purpetrator and the reaction and lack of support from his peers! 2. Another young man jumped in front of a train. It was later discovered that he was struggling with coming to terms with his sexuality, and was resorting to substance abuse to cope, culminating into depression and enevitably his suicide. 3. A young woman in my year at school, was taunted cruelly for years for being a "dirty dyke lezzo", by a young man (who later came out gay after we graduated, oddly enough) and his moronic cronies. She looked kind of butch and masculine, but was actually straight. They harrassed her continually, and even touched her inappropriately at times. No one said anything to defend her out of fear of the same cruel harrassment. I'm ashamed to admit I was too scared to stand up for her, as I had my own secret of being attracted to both genders. I still feel guilty for not helping. 4. A young man of 16 in my year, who was struggling with his attractions to men and women. He was having family trouble as well. His friends were very verbally homophobic too. He couldn't talk to anyone. The poor guy overdosed and hung himself that year. I really liked him (more than just liked and never said), his darkness and his odd sense of humour. Can't write any more without feeling sad. 5. One of my first gay friends told me how she was bullied. She had grown up in a small town on a farm in Tasmania. The other students guessed that she was gay, and harrassed her daily, until the point that she started smoking pot excessively and put a shotgun to her head. Thankfully, she saw her little sister playing in the distance at the time, and she couldn't do that to her siblings and thought life must have more to offer. 6. I now work with a woman who was teased and physically abused at school for being a lesbian, when she is straight, purely because her older brother was gay! Homophobic comments etc really hurt her, as she loves her brother dearly and it reminds her of those horrfic times. Ideas for how we can change things: To quote Brian from Queer As Folk "be the best gay man that you can be". (or words to that effect). We should all be the best damned Gay, Lesbian, Transgender, Bi, Queer that we can possibly be. We need to be open and honest about who we are and who we love. Stand up for our GLBTI siblings and educate the misguided and ignorant. Kill them with kindness, if possible. Most importantly we need mentors in the community. We need the older members to guide us through the hard times and to let us know that it is okay to be who we are. Loving and f*cking another consenting adult does not harm anyone! We also need to share our experiences with dealing with homo/bi/transphobia. What works and what doesn't. Apologies for the essay, but seeing this post about the death of this young boy has struck a chord with me.

ammonite

said ages ago

was that all in Darwin violet?

xxxVioletxxx

said ages ago

No, another state. Like most in Darwin, I didn't grow up here. 4 of the people mentioned were from where I grew up. 3 are now sadly deceased.

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