Lawrence King was a slight, (100 lb.) 15 year old gay boy who was living in a group home for abused, neglected, and emotionally disturbed adolescents. He attended E. O Green Junior High school in Oxnard, California. His time at the group home, Casa Pacifica, was marked by a degree of acceptance and social support that he had never experienced before. The staff at Casa Pacifica encouraged Lawrence to be himself. He began to wear eye shadow in public. At some point he expressed his attraction to classmate Brandon McInerney, age 14. At 8:15 AM, on February 12th, Brandon rushed into the computer lab at E. O. Green JHS with a small calibre hand gun and shot Lawrence King twice in head in front of a room full of his horrified classmates.
This video is a response to Lawrences murder.
Here's how E. O. Green JHS responded:
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Dear Parents and Guardians:
A tragedy occurred Tuesday, February 12, at approximately 8:15 am at E. O. Green School in which one student was shot. It has been reported by Oxnard Police Department that the victim has died. The entire E.O. Green staff and the District are saddened by his passing.
Please be advised that school will be in session tomorrow. We will have both our professional staff members and District Crisis Team to assist students and staff throughout the day through group and individual service at E. O. Green School.
Please observe your own child for any signs which indicate he/she may need assistance in dealing with this tragedy. Below you will find a list of community agencies that are also available to assist those who need help.
Ventura County Behavioral Health / Ventura County Health Care Agency
www.vchca.org/bh 805-981-6830
Interface Family Services at www.icfs.org 805-485-6114
City Impact www.cityimpact.com 805-983-3636
If you have any further questions please contact E. O. Green School office at 805-986-8750 or the Hueneme District office at 488-3588.
Dr. Jerry Dannenberg
As an educator with 25 years of experience, I feel pretty confident when I say: Had this tragedy involved the quarterback from the school's football team, or the student body president, or the son of the town's mayor, or the daughter of a member of the alumni board....a lame ass letter with social services phone numbers would not have been the response. But a queer boy with no family? Thank God for this video. I only hope that it will bring a little light to the darkness of some kid's heart who feels so threatened by a harmless expression of affection that he or she believes violence is the appropriate response.
The execution of Lawrence King was a failure on several levels. Obviously, the school bears some responsibility for minimizing the known danger that Lawrence faced. A greater failure is that of our elected officials and public leaders who failed to openly condemn this latest example of anti-gay violence, made more significant because it occurred in a school classroom. By not publicly opposing society's hatred and exclusion of gays, they in essence condone the violence that adversely impacts tens of thousands of school children across our country who daily balance their true sexual orientation and gender identity with expected norms. Teaching the acceptance, equity, and normalcy of GLBTQ people must begin in elementary schools. The popes, presidents, preachers, police and others who deny equity and acceptance of gays are complicit in Lawrence's murder.
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