CNN's AC360 Reports on Carl Joseph Walker-Hoover and Bullying

Last night on CNN, Anderson Cooper's AC360 reported on the tragic story of Carl Joseph Walker-Hoover, the 11-year-old boy who committed suicide after months of harassment and anti-gay bullying.

There is a great quote from the mother, who describes her son as "beautiful and flamboyant" and says she "never asked him if he were gay." The Advocate published an interview with the mother on Monday. That's the same day Carl Joseph Walker-Hoover was laid to rest.

Transcript HERE.
Watch CNN's report AFTER THE JUMP.

Carl Joseph Walker-Hoover would turn 12-years-old on Friday. Read his obituary here.

Did You Read ... ?
Carl Joseph Walker-Hoover's Mother Speaks Out Against Homophobia [R20]
Anti-Gay Bullying Drives Mass. Student to Suicide [R20]
Mother Calls for State Investigation [R20]
Funeral for Carl Joseph Walker-Hoover [R20]

Comments

[Shane Moseley]

Rod, I was hoping you would catch report and I wasn't near computer and didn't know how to email you!

Randi Kaye did very good job and very sensitive.

I was upset when mom showed cards she received from kids who bullied her son.

Heartless.

[02134]

Just horrible and so awful. This child was taunted by classmates because they thought he was gay. Who knows if he was, he was only 11,, he didn't know. His mother tried to persuade her son to turn the kids in, but he refused. He didn’t want to be a “snitch.’

Horrible this child chose to die rather than a) be harassed at school or b) be further ostracized as a “snitch?”

[Thurmond]

This story just breaks my heart. I have a 10 year old little brother and am thankful my parents are in a position to make their voice heard if stuff like this happens to him.

I especially feel for the mother who had keep taking her son to school knowing he was bullied and was powerless to stop it. That’s the worst feeling for any parent. The school administration is definitely at fault and should be sued.

[Katt]

This is sad and despicable. My heart goes out to his family.

[Tandio]

The interview with the mother is so, so bittersweet. You can tell that she had some idea her son could possibly grow up to be gay, but she knew he was too young to know. She called him "dramatic and flamboyant"

Carl went to church, played football and baseball...just talented on so many levels.

[King Drive]

WWJD?

Jesus would never condone harassment and bullying of a child. that is real talk.

And we as black gay men and black people need to be vigilant and fight against this. Our community has many priorities wrong. This was a sweet young boy who never hurt anyone and look what they did to him.

[Kevin]

"Beautiful and flamboyant."

Mama usually knows even before we figure it out.

I don't pray much nowadays but I will pray for her.

[Ravenback]

On top of all the sadness of this story, it really struck me when his mother said that her son wanted to become President of the US so he can make things better. It just hit me that the dream of becoming the President inhabiting a young black kid's mind is so realistic today. I'm sad because the world has been deprived of a potentially talented spirit who cold have affected people in such an uplifting way.

[Rahsaan]

oMG

The quote about little Carl wanting to grow up and be president was just so heart wrenching.

I'm just crying inside over this story.

[Derrick from Philly]

I commented on young Carl's tragedy, but I avoided the details. I knew why. It's heart-wrenching. Even children who are brutally abused by parents rarely try to end their suffering through suicide (not many that we know of). He wanted love, and the people at that school gave him pain.

[Silva]

This is so sad I couldnt see the story last tonight. This just makes me sick to my stomach that no one tried to help the mother at all. I know some people will say kids will be kids but if my kid was doing this to someone it would stop right away i would handle that. It just shows you some parents aren’t in their kids lives anymore.

[FQ]

Such a sad story, and unfortunately I am hearing more and more about young gay boys commiting suicide. Or teens who are called gay but they don't know if they are.

They say that most people about to take their own life will cry out for help before they do it. It is that cry for help that is usually not taken seriously, and it needs to be!

[Jai]

I was bullied and hit by a boy in middle school who called me gay all the time. my teacher saw it and did nothing, my Mother went to the principle and he did nothing, finally my Parents went to the School Board and found out this boy who had been bullying all these children in my school had been kicked out of other schools and NEVER should have been allowed in our school, he was kicked out!

But the Principal, the teacher who saw this happen denied it! My school friends who went forth to tell the board they saw this happen and how many other times they had seen this kid throw desk across the room and hit other children and no one did a thing!

[GRANT]

I can't help but think about what I have seen in my lifetime.

I used to teach at a middle school in New Jersey. One day a new student was introduced in the class. Several weeks later, in the boys locker room, there was a fracas. Some of the bigger boys were attempting to rape the new student–because he “looked gay.” The really sad part about it is that the new student was transferred to our school because of an actual rape that he had received at the hands of some bullies at the old school. Bullying is at epidemic proportions.

It is soooo sad that this child took his life.

[Demetri]

It is a horrible feeling to be treated like that. Many of us black gay boys were treated like that. You all remember when you were young your feelings were hurt very easily and you were very impressionable! These children who are bullied grow up to feel insecure and not worthy. That is the problems with self esteem , substance abuse and depression in our black gay community.

While their bullies grow up to be grown up bullies.

[Lewis in Louisville]

She repeatedly asked for help? Sue their friggin’ arses off.

[Kelvin]

The anti-bullying law only protests the administration from being held accountable. Nothing in the act protects the kids.

My cousin who is much younger and gay, he was attacked with brass knuckles and had 4 witness. The school did nothing about it.

[xavier]

It was sad to watch yesterday the interview with carl's mom. The most heart wrenchin' part is having to cut her own son down from the ceiling and calling the police to take her dead child away. I too was bullied at that age, but my mother went up to the school and confronted my bully whose parents she knew and told him to leave me alone. I never had a problem with him again. There were times I wanted to commit suicide but by the grace of god... pray for carl's family and others out there.

[Mike in Miami]

I feel for the mom of this young man. I know what it's like to be bullied in school.

I still remember when kids wrote 'FAG' on my locker and the school didn't take it down till the next damn day.

[Jackson]

This story is tragic and makes me cry. I WAS IN private (Catholic) school and it happened. I started there in 6th grade and was afraid to go to school and come home. But I didn't want to let the bullies win! The calleed me fag, faggot,, queer ... Thank God I did not harm them self, I stayed through 8th grade.

[Lamar]

Parents need to change the way kids are thinking that bullying, assault and stealing are acceptable. They are not. The schools reprimand someone if they get something stolen.

Also we in the African American community need to stop idolizing thug culture and teaching our young people that if you are not a thug you are a punk. AND THAT INCLUDES BLACK GAY MEN!

[Former COGIC]

This is a terribly sad story. Bullying is not taken nearly as seriously as it should be by schools. And in many cases, homophobic and antigay bullying is ignored. The parents of the children who are bullies help promote this - the idea that children need to accept the fact that bullying is inevitable and that they just need to learn how to handle it.

This makes people who are different, especially young gays and lesbians believe that they deserve this and always will be targets. They are not.

RIP Carl, you deserved a rich and full life and could have been your generation's Obama.

[Culver PC]

This realy hit home. I have been in the same circumstances and although I obviously did not take my life it has caused me to tremendusly hurt myself physically and mentally. I am in therapy 3 times a week.

I think the schools really need to begin to take bulling seriously. Hurting kids and calling the fa*g and f*aggot is WRONG and HURTS THEM! It is NO JOKE!

[Baby Phat]

Prayers and condolences to the family. And thank yous to Rod 2.0 family for sharing and being so welcoming toward this little boy.

[Antwan]

law enforcement needs to investigate the school and get down to the bottom of this.

the administrators that were informed of the situation and the kids responsible for the torture of this boy need to be dealt with to send a message to our communities that this kind of cruelty is not going to be tolerated.

and bless you mrs walker, you are a strong and decent black woman and raised your son right.