When Children Abuse Another Child For Being Gay - They Do It "Because He is Happy"

[TheBigotBasher]

A retired Superior Court judge hired by hired by the DeKalb School System to investigate school failings with regard to the death of 11 year old Jaheem Herrera. Jaheem was taunted at school for being gay as he had a pink lunchbox.

Retired Judge Thelma Wyatt Cummings Moore found nothing wrong with children using "gay" to taunt Jaheem. At a press conference, the judge said, "The children use ‘gay’ for anything and everything. The clothing is gay, the gesture is gay, what they say is gay, and that is a term they use. Now with these students we asked them, ‘Well, what does gay mean?’ They said ‘gay means happy,’ and this is many of the students."

Does she have no understanding that children would have said that to ensure that they do not get in to trouble?

Despite reports of bullying on the day the boy killed himself, Judge Moore concluded it was the recent family deaths Jaheem was dealing with that led him to hang himself.

This was a badly hurt and mixed up child. The school failed in its duty of loco parentis. Yes, children do use, "that is so gay" in a light hearted way. It is not always a term of abuse. However they are also quite prepared and do use it as a term of abuse. Those on the receiving end know the difference. This should have been as obvious to Judge as it is obvious to anyone else.It is not what things are said, it is how they are said. The judge should be ashamed of herself.

I hope that there will be a more through investigation into the tragic death of this poor child.



http://www.sovo.com/2009/5-29/news/localnews/10158.cfm

http://www.queerty.com/anti-gay-bullying-claims-another-jaheem-herrera-11-kills-himself-20090421/