Former assistant principal Joy Epstein came under fire for testifying that King’s issues were being handled well by administrators and that few people had complained about King wearing women’s high-heel boots, scarves and makeup—a claim refuted by Crowley and others. On Monday, the jury first heard that Epstein herself was a lesbian, although “testifying teachers had danced around the subject for weeks.”
While it seems many teachers at King’s school cared for the boy, who may have had behavioral problems—or was simply struggling through the pains of coming out—their testimony suggests the chief priority was getting him to fit in.
[Teacher Shirley] Brown said when King came to school with thick pancake and eye makeup, she told him to take it off. “He looked like a clown, and if a girl came into my class like that, I would tell her to go to the bathroom and wash it off,” Brown testified. “I would talk to any student who was doing anything that was making themselves a target.”
How about talking to the kids who are doing the targeting? Sadly, it became clear Monday that wasn’t Brown’s agenda. When prosecutor Maeve Fox asked her what she said to school administrators about King’s disruptive attire and behavior Brown replied: “I said something to the effect of, ‘Gay rights? What about the rights of the sixth-, seventh- and eighth-graders who come here and are not ready for this information?'”
God, yes—because having to look at a funny little kid in makeup and high heels is about the worst thing that can happen to a 16-year-old. Far worse than, say, having your brains splattered against the lockers. (Brown also testified that she witnessed a group of boys chasing King in a “potentially unpleasant situation,” but chose not to step in.)
Exactly who is on trial here, anyway? Was King a troubled kid who acted inappropriately in school? Probably. But if that means you get a bullet to the head, we would’ve been six feet under before junior prom.
Image via HerryLawford
Don't forget to share:
Help make sure LGBTQ+ stories are being told...
We can't rely on mainstream media to tell our stories. That's why we don't lock Queerty articles behind a paywall. Will you support our mission with a contribution today?
Cancel anytime · Proudly LGBTQ+ owned and operated
The trial of Brandon McInerney, who killed 15-year-old gay high-schooler Lawrence King in 2008, is well underway. This week, testimony from teachers has provided surprising background not just on the incident, but on King’s life and the prevalent culture at E.O. Green Junior High School in Oxnard, CA.
“He desperately wanted to be liked but didn’t have the social skills to get along with his peers,” special-ed teacher Susan Crowley said about King. “He often said things that were one note off the mark.”
As reported in the Ventura County Star:
Jeff
When I went to my very small, very Midwestern high school with a purple mohawk, I was cornered by a group of farm boys who started kicking me, punching me, and calling me faggot. When I went to the nurse to get my black eye and cut scalp looked at, she told me “Well, if you didn’t dress like a fruitcake, this wouldn’t happen.” I then got called to the principal’s office and was told “What do you expect?” by the office aide. By the time I got to the principal, I was thinking of schools I could transfer to. He sat me down, came and looked at my wounds, and sat down across from me. He shook my hand and said “You have much bigger balls than anyone else at this school.” He was my ally for the next three years, and between him and my art teacher, I never had a problem again. It’s horrible that so-called educators should be allowed to say some of the things they do to kids.
Jess
Gosh, this story is just so sad. I’m from one town over from where this happened, and it’s just so unsettling. The way the story was handled by the church my mother attends was disgusting, too. Of course, everything the handled was disgusting.
I’m just glad my school was so accepting of lgbt kids, despite it being such a conservative town.
The crustybastard
So the teachers also blame the victim?
Lovely.
Alex
I am glad that we are finally at a point where this is being taken seriously. In the past when gay kids were killed or bullied, it did not receive much attention.
JKB
It seems that the teachers wanted to protect a socially awkward child. I am concerned that the one teacher did not get involved when he was being chased in a threatening way, however. Sad, sad case.
EdWoody
I fail to see how any of the quoted testimony supposedly justifies shooting a minor to death.
John
Am I the only one wondering HOW the HELL a young kid like that could repeatedly leave the house with high heels and caked on eye make up? It IS wrong for a kid to come to school dressed like a clown. Once maybe, but over and over? Where the hell was this kids mom? Where were the parents??
Rob
This story just gets more and more sad. Glad its finally in court though.
Mr. Enemabag Jones
And people wonder why I hate teachers. They are some of the worst bullies kids will ever have to deal with.
desdemona
If sixth, seventh and eighth graders are not ready for ‘this information’ (I assume the information that gay people exist)… then WHY THE F*CK DO THEY TEACH SEX-ED AT THAT AGE?!
Kev C
The problem is that teachers are dumb cow-like creatures who follow procedures, guidelines, schedules and rules and are unprepared for handling real world situations. Anything that would require Thinking.
Kyle
@Kev C:
As a future educator, I find this to be a completely ridiculous assertion.
I realize that there are crappy teachers out there–there’s no avoiding that in any profession. Recent legislation has led to teachers being required to follow inane schedules, procedures, and guidelines.
But there are some of us who care. I will be a gay teacher and I will be out to my students. I will not accept a position in a school district that does not accept that.
Many educators are simply ignorant of LGBT issues, from what I’ve found. “Diversity” in schools normally means students of varying ethnic backgrounds, completely forgetting about this huge demographic of students.
The situation is slowly getting better, but many districts and states are limited on their abilities to approach the subject. Nonetheless, degrading teachers with such a stereotype is frankly offensive and ignorant.
Kev C
@Kyle: Don’t give me that We Slowly Making Progress spiel. It’s 2011. We live in the most diverse, multicultural society in history. And yet these teachers are blaming King for being different and not conforming. As a taxpayer, I would prefer that we screen against such backwards and clueless teachers. Dead students means they failed as teachers.
B
No. 6 · EdWoody wrote, “I fail to see how any of the quoted testimony supposedly justifies shooting a minor to death.”
The quoted testimony is relevant to the trial if the defendants are looking at a hate-crime enhancement. If the victim was indistinguishable from other kids in physical appearance, behavior, etc., so nobody had a reason to suspect he was gay, the defendants would not be convicted of a hate crime, which provides an additional penalty beyond what the defendants would get for the murder itself.
No. 10 · desdemona wrote, “If sixth, seventh and eighth graders are not ready for ‘this information’ (I assume the information that gay people exist)… then WHY THE F*CK DO THEY TEACH SEX-ED AT THAT AGE?!”
The brain and penis each develop at their own rates, and when the penis “wants” to do its thing, it won’t first ask the brain if the brain is read for “this information”. That’s why they are getting sex education at that age: whether their brains are ready or not, they are at the point where they really are going to need it.
Jean
@John: I don’t know, maybe at work trying to keep a roof over their heads and food in their bellies.
Keith PW
This is a very sad story and it’s distressing that teachers testified in this manner. But, it’s important to remember that when it comes to social issues, teachers often reflect the community as a whole. We will never have 100% of our teachers believing that the GLBT community deserves rights until all communities believe it. Many teachers are awesome at dealing with these issues, but just like police officers, fire fighters, politicians, and even the clerk at Target – we don’t control how they think and what they believe.
Riker
Poor little kid, he was waaaay ahead of his time. This country doesn’t know what to do with kids who aren’t dumb jocks or vapid cheerleaders. Lawrence King lived – and died – his authentic self. God help the USA.
o
I just can’t believe that students would have a problem with a pink scarf in 2011.
Lee
So, the woman, a employee of the school, saw a lone boy being chased by a group of angry boys but chose not do anything???
Hmm…If she were being chased by a group of angry boys, would it be OK for anyone noticing her situation ignore it?
What happened to basic decency?
Henry
Doo-doo Brown is doo-doo.
adam
@John: He was in some kind of foster home. His parents were messed up so he’d already been removed from their care.
We don’t know the circumstances with his guardians in foster care. He may have put on the make up and heels after leaving home. They may not have been able to control him enough to stop him from doing that, or they may have been using what control and influence they had on other bigger issues with him. They may have felt coming down on him about something linked to sexual identity was inappropriate or would get them in hot water.
So What
@Jeff: You are a liar! You made up that whole lame story. No “farm boys” beat you, no nurse called you “fruit cake”. Why lie just to bolster you view and make a silly point?
Jill
@Kev C:I am a school psychologist who happens to be transgender. I’ve worked with teachers in a variety of places around the USA over the last 35 years. My experience is that many of the teachers I work with are knowledgeable about a few ethnic cultures, and are usually most knowledgeable about the diversities that define themselves. That is a lesbian teacher may be quite knowledgeable about women’s issues, and issues gay students face, but much knowledgeable of diversities with which has little directly lived experience. There is great variation among teachers. Some seek out those experiences that will give them a glimpse of the lived experience of other minorities, and if anything, they may at least be sympathetic. Teaching is a demanding job. The typical model of training once a teacher is on the job is brief one-day workshops. This is not the way to learn about diverse groups, including the needs of LGBT youth. There are alternatives, like Critical Friends or Professional Learning Communities, that can push more teachers in developing effective knowledge of the needs of diverse students. I think most teachers who are not themselves LGBT know little of the issues, and the T in LGBT is the least commonly known. Gender non-conforming students seem to attract a large amount of harassment. Combine that with being a student who has a cognitive disability, and you have a perfect storm. What many students with disabilities need is a good deal of social coaching. If there is proscription against LGBT students or against talking about LGBT issues, either formally or informally through the building culture, effective coaching simply will not happen. Not coaching to have him turn off his feminity, but coaching to avoid being harassed or killed. And the taunters/bullies/perpetrators for sure need to be addressed. That should start with a building climate and formal rules that forbid harassment on the basis of perceived gender orientation or sexual orientation, with training for all students and quick sanctions for those who violate those rules.