The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights has launched a federal civil rights investigation into the Owasso school district where 16-year-old Nex Benedict was bullied before his death. https://twitter.com/HRC/status/1763711938364678282 From The Advocate:
HRC President Kelley Robinson spearheaded the complaint to U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona last week, urging the department in a letter to use its enforcement mechanisms to prevent future tragedies and hold those responsible for Benedict’s death accountable.
Robinson said in a press release announcing the investigation, “We appreciate the Department of Education responding to our complaint and opening an investigation—we need them to act urgently so there can be justice for Nex and so that all students at Owasso High School and every school in Oklahoma can be safe from bullying, harassment, and discrimination.”
The Department of Education’s letter to Robinson highlights the serious nature of the allegations against Owasso Public Schools, indicating a thorough examination of whether the district failed to appropriately respond to reported harassment, in line with Title IX, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and Title II of the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990.
As I’ve previously reported, Nex was assaulted in a high school restroom by three other girls on February 7. Following the incident, they were taken to the ER for treatment and then released to go home. They died the next day. The cause of death has not been determined as yet. Nex was initially identified as nonbinary. But, during a vigil held in his memory, friends clarified that Nex preferred he/him pronouns and identified as transgender. https://twitter.com/TheAdvocateMag/status/1763685710874226731 https://twitter.com/thehill/status/1763734980281155865
Discover more from The Randy Report
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.