Gay 13 Year Old Asher Brown Shoots Himself In The Head After Suffering Years Of Unchecked Harassment At School; School And School District Denies Any And All Culpability

It is hard not to understate how horrific the Houston Chronicle report that 13 year old Asher Brown, an eighth grade straight-A student at Hamilton Middle School in Cypress, Texas took his own life last week is, the young man with the mile-wide smile shooting himself in the head after enduring constant harassment and torment from other students, “bullied to death” his parents say all because he was gay. According to the Chronicle, Brown was found on the floor on his stepfather, David Truongs’ closet at the family’s home around 4:30 pm Thursday, September 23rd, using his stepfather’s 9mm Beretta to kill himself. That morning he came out to Mr. Trurong, who said he was as supportive as the moment allowed, saying “We didn’t condemn it.” His parents tell a tale of chronic cruelty that went unchecked by those who were meant to protect the boy, saying that Asher had been called names, routinely harassment, and tormented from fellow students since he enrolled in the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District run school two years ago, the latest incident occurring the Wednesday before he took his own life, another student tripping Brown as he walked down a flight a stairs at the school, the boy hitting the stairway landing, while another student kicked his books everywhere, and proceeded to kick Asher down the remaining flights of stairs. His parents say they made several visits to the school to complain about the harassment, and his mother Amy says she made repeated phone calls that were never returned. Monday, Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District denied having received any complaints from Brown’s parents, district spokesperson Kelli Durham saying no students, school employees, or the boy’s parents ever reported any incidents of bullying. That statement has rightly infuriated Mr. and Mrs. Truong, Amy saying “That’s absolutely inaccurate – it’s completely false. I did not hallucinate phone calls to counsellors and assistant principals. We have no reason to make this up ... it’s like they’re calling us liars.” David Truong added “We want justice. The people here need to be held responsible and to be stopped. It did happen. There are witnesses everywhere.” Funeral services for Brown are Saturday.