1 Year Ago: Anti Gay Bullying Drove Carl Walker-Hoover to Suicide

It's been exactly one year since the tragic suicide of Carl Joseph Walker-Hoover, the 11-year-old Springfield, Massachusetts boy who hanged himself after months of homophobic and anti-gay taunts. Carl was relentlessly bullied at his school for  one year, and, although he was not gay, his mother says "classmates called him gay on a daily basis, made fun of his clothes and threatened to harm him."

"It's not just a gay issue," Carl's mother Sirdeaner Walker told The Advocate. "It’s bigger. He was 11 years old, and he wasn't aware of his sexuality. These homophobic people attach derogatory terms to a child who’s 11 years old, who goes to church, school, and the library, and he becomes confused. He thinks, 'Maybe I'm like this.'"

Only weeks after her son's death, another 11-year-old boy, Jaheem Herrera, hanged himself in family's home outside home. Jaheem was also subjected to relentless anti-gay taunting although he was not gay.

In the year since then: Sirdeaner Walker has become a national advocate against bullying, appearing on Oprah, Ellen and AC 360, as well as testifying before Congress. Walker has also championed Massachusetts' proposed anti-bullying legislation. The state House and Senate recently passed anti-bullying bills and it's now in conference committee for final approval. Gov. Deval Patrick is expected to sign that bill later this month and Walker says she's planning to be at his desk when he does it.

Walker says she is upset and "disappointed" there was no criminal investigation into her son's death, unlike the very recent case of a 15-year-old Massachusetts girl who was bullied into suicide. Nine teenagers are facing a variety of charges in connection with Phoebe Prince's death. The three oldest members of that group are expected to be arraigned today.

In related news:  OUT 100 honoree Kenyon Farrow reflects on Carl Joseph Walker Hoover's death at The Grio, noting that "anti-gay bullying is a deadly threat to children of color." Farrow writes, "Where was the outrage about his death in the black community? ... Too many children grow up understanding that the best way to denigrate and socially outcast boys is to call them the f-word. We need to remind ourselves of the damage that homophobia has on the lives of black children. And let me be clear, the bullying of black lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender students, and those who are perceived to be LGBT, is not rare."

CBS 13 has a report on the one year-anniversary of Walker-Hoover's bullying suicide. Watch it AFTER THE JUMP ...

Comments

[Osiris]

R.I.P., Carl and Jaheem.

[Derrick from Philly]

Meaness and cruelty to the point where you wear another human being down. Adults do it, but when children do it...it's frightening,and sad. But it's also infuriating: no adult intervened?

I remember a time in black communities (and I guess white ones too) when children were taught that it was bad to "hurt someone's feelings"--and many children accepted that lesson. (oh, I remember the ones who didn't--but most did). I don't think you would ever hear that lesson about people's "feelings" spoken nowadays.

[A. Ronald]

Good point Derrick. It seems like being mean and cruelty for sport is accepted nowadays.

RIP little Carl and Jaheem.

[Antwan]

Thanks so much for posting this.Each time of think of that little boy and his mother my heart breaks. When will we learn people?

[Michael-Vincent Crea]

6 April 2010
Peace to Rod & ALL!

On Sunday, a little boy, maybe 5, knelt on the bus stop bench, hardly doing anything but singing to himself. His mother kept telling him not to be a girl and if he continued she take her belt and beat him.

I said he is only playing, why get so angry to tell him that. To wit, she huffed and called him sissy
and to stop playing.

I mentioned it was the 42nd anniversary of this country killing Dr. King, who spoke out about hate words hurting people.

Her husband or boyfriend, said he was getting a migraine but only asked if he was my kid. To wit I said, "I'm a pastor and all children and people have a Human rights not to be hurt..."

Dr. King told the country,
"There comes a time when silence is betrayal," on April 4, 1967 at the Riverside Church. He was killed exactly one year after his "Call to Conscience" speech.

I can only hope the likes of lovable Carl, Jaheem and others already gone too soon can inspire us to speak up at the bus stops, playgrounds and pulpits.

In NYC, morally bankrupt, money bags, multibillionaire Michael Bloomberg did not support the anti-bullying bill when it came up for a NYC Council vote but then only 25 % of the register voters went to the polls.

Silence IS Betrayal every time bullying and bigotry wreaks its ugly face.

ALL I AM,
Yours-in-One Love,
Steadfast in Spirit & in Truth,

Pastor Michael-Vincent Crea
One World Life Systems

[SouLKid]

I totally understand what Michael-Vincent Crea is talking about BUT... Its not very safe out there nowadays man. These people are mean and they can beat u up for trying to intervene.

[KP]

Those poor dear children of God. I feel for their loved ones left behind... I wasn't teased as badly as these boys apparently were, but I became suicidal in high school. By the grace of God, I am still here. We LGBT adults need to reach out to our youth and tell our stories so that they will have hope and the support they need to lead meaningful and productive lives.

[S. Flemming]

Things like this make me not want to have kids at all ... I can't even imagine.