April 15, 2009

Carl Walker-Hoover's Mom Speaks on Suicide and the School Yard Bully


The Advocate shared an exclusive interview with Sirdeaner Walker, the mother of Carl Walker-Hoover, the 11-year-old student who killed himself last week following relentless bullying at school:

On April 6, Sirdeaner Walker came home, walked up the stairs to the second floor of her home, and saw her son suspended from a support beam in the stairwell, swaying slightly in the air, an extension cord wrapped around his neck, according to police. He apologized in a suicide note, told his mother that he loved her, and left his video games to his brother.

Walker said her son had been the victim of bullying since the beginning of the school year, and that she had been calling the school since September, complaining that her son was mercilessly teased. He played football, baseball, and was a boy scout, but a group of classmates called him gay and teased him about the way he dressed. They ridiculed him for going to church with his mother and for volunteering locally.

"It's not just a gay issue," Walker said. "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. Maybe I'm not. What do I do?"
Days prior to Carl Walker-Hoover's suicide, he confronted a female bully who verbally accosted him... serving as a catalyst to his suicide. The school’s response was to have the two students sit beside one another during lunch for the next week to encourage conversation.

Carl's mom is demanding action from the school. Perhaps it is time for each of us to look at our own situation to ensure that there aren't any young 'uns experiencing this inner turmoil in our own neighborhoods.

What say u?

1 comment:

wisdomteachesme said...

greetings villager!

as you can see, this topic is very close to my heart,
for a number of reasons.

his mother is so on point with her words. my heart prays for her lose and hurt.
he was the same age as one of our daughters.

I am always on alert doing all that i can to ensure one of our daughters safety at school and in her g.s. troop. (a few entitiled thinking whites are in the troop)

being that she is special needs--(but does not 'look it')--as many people think a person has to look with disabilities...

our other daughter often comes to her aid to confront bullies at school when she is able.
we have informed her that she is not 'responsible' for the other--but if she sees and hears taunts and mistreatment to go get a teacher immediately!
And to come let us know what has happened-so that we can follow up on what was done to stop and what will be done to prevent this from happening again.

our special needs child is not always able to repeat to us what has happened to her in details.
she is often targeted to the point of retaliating because she gets pushed to a point in which she can't take it anymore.
And i go right to the teacher that was 'suppose' to be in charge and question every move made or not made that allowed this to occur.

once or twice they have tried to say that our daughter has 'done something'--that mentality has stopped being pushed at me as i Always push back with- if you had stopped the boy/girl from messing with her (as she does not bother anyone) then she would not have felt she had to take up for herself! That would be your job! Please that is part of the contract you signed to be a teacher and or admin!

So with my repeated announcements that i WIll come and Walk her to all her classes and sit in on all her classes (also with making phone calls to DPI-the bully's are taken care of.
Of course, when nothing is done at home to intervene and reteach these children Not to bother any child--then the people at her school have to start over protecting and disciplining the bullies.
That is fine with me-As they know I Will be up in the building all day every day!
Another thing parents can do (which i have also stated fiercly) is that i will have these children arrested for harrassment and assualt if they continue to taunt her and physically touch her!

Oh yeah! a phone call from the police station saying you need to come get your child will be made! Lets go to juvie court in a blink!

How Ever--What Ever it takes to get these parents attention that they Need To train, teach and to RAISE their children I will use to the 9's!

Another point that is happening is that our girls are 'maturing' and Some of the boys are like wild dogs
touching and cornering the girls between them to 'feel them up'!
That crap will not happen either! we both will be up in the school and calling the police to press charges the minute it begins with our girls.
it has been reported to us that it happens to other girls in the classroom.
I reported this to the principal and the teacher that it is not acceptable behaviour and they say they can't do anything unless the girls it happened to report it.
the one daughter that told us about it has tried to get her friends to tell on the boys--but she is scared!
So i called her mother and told her what was going on!

I will not stand for another generation of Some young boys sexually harrassing the girls and the adults acting like it's no big deal!
We'll see about that when i bring charges up on your young little wild untrained boy or girl!
They have no boundries at all concerning what is acceptable behaviour when it comes to the girls and the boys that are in school minding their business doing their work as they have been taught and raised to do from home.

saying my prayers, and waiting for some fool to step too close to our daughters!
It's going to take Jesus to hold me Back!

i dont' play that crap with our daughters or any other girls that i know this is occurring with.

ok, i went longer than i thought. :D
again, i guess you see this is a topic close to my heart! Seen too much of this crap when i was teaching!
Teach your girls & boys to come home and tell you what is happening to them in school!

Ask questions about their day so thay know you care and that you want to know how their day went!
Ask their friends about anything you 'Think' has happened! they will tell you--you can tell by the body language!

I Encourage All parents to
Make sure you have a good relationship with your children because some boys & girls can be the biggest azzholes esp. once they hit middle school and have to take gym and are in that locker room!

Be involved with your childs education--be on the scene and be seen!
Even if your child gets into trouble now and then--they are children who make wrong decisions-stay on top of the situation!
Keep an eye on them while at home and out in the neighborhood--a lot of these kids live around each other.
We are fortunate that we are somewhat secluded where we live--so we dont' have that problem.
Chaporone at school events if you can--Be on the scene and be seen!

on feet of faith & peace,
WTm