HuffPost Greatest Person Of The Day: Sirdeaner Walker Honors Son's Death By Fighting School Bullying

When Sirdeaner Walker found out her son was being bullied and called homophobic slurs, she told his school about it.

"I thought they would handle the situation," she said. It turned out, "the school just didn't know how to or they weren't equipped to handle it. I thought it had stopped, but it continued and escalated."

Her son, Carl Joseph Walker-Hoover completed suicide in 2009. He was 11 years old. As she grieved, Sirdeaner received letters and cards from parents all over America whose children were also bullied.

"It just seemed like something needed to be done," she said.

Sirdeaner is now a board member and spokesperson for the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN). She has also testified before Congress, advocating for the Safe Schools Improvement Act, which would provide schools with resources to help deal with bullying in the 21st century, Sirdeaner said.

"This is a national health crisis that is facing our young people," Sirdeaner said. "They say 'kids will be kids', but kids today are exposed to so much more than when I was a kid. Now with the Internet and social networking sites, bullying is taking place 24 hours a day, 7 days a week."

The bill would require schools to report incidences of harassment and bullying to the parents of the victim and to the parents of the student doing the bullying.

The legislation has received criticism from conservative groups like Focus on the Family for promoting what they say is a gay agenda.

Sirdeaner bristles at the notion that the bill is about anything more than keeping children safe.

"It's very frustrating for me as a parent who's lost a child," Sirdeaner said. "This is what our children are saying in schools. They're not necessarily calling people derogatory names based on race or religion. This is the new sort of 'N word.'"

Sirdeaner said addressing bullying will help keep students in school.

"If they don't feel safe, they won't go to school," she said. "If they don't go to school, they won't graduate and if they don't graduate they will end up in the criminal justice system."

Sirdeaner speaks around the country, telling people her story and hoping it will change how students are treated.

"When they hear my story and they hear Carl's story, I just hope they don't think this is part of an agenda for some particular group," she said. "I do this because I don't want any family to suffer the way I have suffered."

Though she said there is much work to be done, Sirdeaner remains determined to make her son proud.

"My faith keeps me going," she said. "My belief that God will turn this event that happened in our lives into something that's positive and that Carl would be proud of. He would know that I'm fighting and, even though I failed him in life, I refuse to fail him in death."

WATCH Sirdeaner speak before Congress.

Comments

[Alesia Gilliland]

05:22 PM on 07/29/2011

I have been a teacher of students with special needs for 27 years. I have defended and fought for my students all these years to protect them from bullies, too. I think if would be a great idea to have to notify the parents of everyone involved. I think they should be asked to discuss specific strategies, either at the school or via conference call, which they will use to address the issue, and that these should be documented. If they know this documentation could come out in court in the future, the bullies might think twice, and the parents might take a more active role to prevent it.

[Tracy Jablonski]

03:27 PM on 07/29/2011

I am so very sorry about your son's tragic and unnecessary death. My daughter is 7 yrs old and the kids are experiencing negative comments from bullys already. The school (Blasdell Elementary) in Buffalo, NY is doing a great job stoping these behaviors right away and alerting parents. The kids have seminars frequently about bullying and watching someone being bullied. I am very proud of you for turning your son's tragic death into something great. By sharing your story you are helping so many people understand how hurtful and dangerous bullying can be. My prayers go out to your family and your journey into changing legislation. Much Love, Tracy Jablonski (Buffalo, NY)