Posted on 02/15/2008 10:29:06 AM PST by paltz
(CNSNews.com) - A 14-year-old California boy is charged with a hate crime as well as attempted murder for shooting a 15-year-old boy who "sometimes wore makeup, high heels and other feminine attire," as the Associated Press reported.
The victim, Lawrence King, is brain dead, and prosecutors expect this to become a murder case very soon. They want to try the young suspect as an adult.
King was shot in the head Tuesday morning while sitting in class at a junior high school in Oxnard, Calif.
California has some of the nation's most liberal anti-discrimination, anti-bullying and "diversity" laws, including several that apply to schools and took effect on Jan. 1.
Homosexual activists have seized on Lawrence King case.
"Ten years after Wyoming college student Matthew Shepard was brutally murdered because of his sexual orientation, a 15-year-old gay California student is brain dead after a student allegedly shot him because of his sexual orientation and gender expression," the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network said in a news release. (The group says it's main focus is ensuring safe schools for all students.)
According to GLSEN, the 14-year-old suspect was among a group of students known to bully and harass King, who reportedly told classmates he was homosexual.
"As a nation, we've had our heads in the sand for far too long," said Kevin Jennings, executive director of GLSEN. "We need to do everything we can to prevent something like this from happening again."
GLSEN says the problem of "anti-LGBT bullying" must be addressed in the nation's schools. "We must confront the fact that LGBT [lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender] students are much more likely to be threatened with a weapon and much more likely to feel unsafe at school than other students," Jennings said.
Judy Shepard, executive director of the Matthew Shepard Foundation, said the attack on King "underscores the fact that we cannot let hate go unchecked in our schools and communities." She urged "all parents and teachers to educate their children and students about acceptance, understanding and compassion."
California leads on LGBT issues
As GLSEN itself noted, California is one of only 10 states that protect students from bullying and harassment based on sexual orientation. It is one of only five states that protect students from bullying and harassment based on gender identity/expression.
"Safe schools laws and policies are vitally important, but simply having a law is not enough," Jennings said on Thursday. "Schools need to implement staff development and training to address anti-LGBT bullying and harassment. Schools also need programs that teach young people respect and tolerance."
Too much emphasis on sex, some say
But some conservative groups say California has gone overboard when it comes to "sexual indoctrination" in the schools.
The California-based Campaign for Children and Families has just launched an appeal urging parents to removed their children from public schools.
The group argues that home schools and church schools "are the only way to rescue children from sexual indoctrination."
CCF points to two news laws, SB 777 (The Student Civil Rights Act) and AB 394 (The Safe Place to Learn Act), which took effect on January 1.
SB 777 bars any classroom instruction or school-sponsored activity that "promotes a discriminatory bias" against sexual orientation and gender. (According to CCF, the bill "functionally requires public school instructional materials and school-sponsored activities to positively portray cross-dressing, sex-change operations, homosexual 'marriages,' and all aspects of homosexuality and bisexuality, including so-called 'gay history.'")
AB 394 requires that school districts be monitored to ensure they are complying with laws regarding student safety and harraasment. (CCF said AB 394 "requires public schools to distribute controversial material to teachers, students, and parents which promotes transsexuality, bisexuality, and homosexuality, all under the guise of 'anti-harassment' training.")
"This is the type of gender-bending education which students may have to endure unless their parents rescue them from the increasingly negative public school environment," said Randy Thomasson, president of Campaign for Children and Families, at a news conference earlier this week.
CCF has set up a RescueYourChild Web site to help parents who are concerned about the new laws.
Get your kids out of public school.
Wasted money.
“’As a nation, we’ve had our heads in the sand for far too long,’ said Kevin Jennings, executive director of GLSEN.”
Well Kev, your head has certainly been in something for too long. Doubt it would pass for sand though.
What about the bullying done by LESBIANS, to straights?
No excuse for a shooting, but the kid was a little more than “gay”. He wore dresses, high-heels, lipstick, and fingernail polish to school.
Once every 10 years. This is nearly epidemic.
What is the ‘difference’ in punishment between cold-blooded, premeditated murder of someone you love and cold-blooded premeditated murder of someone you hate?
That doesn't justify shooting the kid, but the school district officials who allowed his harrassing behavior should bear most of the responsibility.
ARGH, ya beat me!
LEAVE LAWRENCE ALOOOOONEE!
Weird kid, for sure
weird , for certain, to be kind to him... insane is probably more accurate. his family was probably the same.
But *****NO***** "hate crime" conviction with any jury on which I sit.
It seems unlikely that this effeminate boy was doing much bullying. As no doubt he was being harassed much more than he was harassing.
If the situation were reversed and the freak had killed the straight kid, they would have a million excuses why the freak shouldn't be punished.
The kid should not be tried as an adult.
The administration should be put on trial for letting such abominable sick costume displays n school. When kids are allowed to act out their pathologies, nothing good results.
He should have shot the parents..../sarc. Seriously, why would parents allow this. My three boys better not come home and ask to wear makeup and women’s clothes. I might have a heart attack. However, at 18 they can do whatever but not under my roof.
Remember, these kids are forced by state law to attend these schools. It's the school's choice to inflict sexual offense on the kids.
Obviously one young child was harrassed to the point he felt it necessary to defend himself with a firearm.
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