Janice R. Andrews
The US Department of Education has revealed that it is looking into potential discrimination at Owasso Public Schools, which is a major development. This choice was made in response to the untimely passing of Owasso High School student Nex Benedict, a 16-year-old nonbinary student.
Just one day after getting into a physical argument with three other pupils in a school washroom, Benedict passed unexpectedly in February. The full autopsy result has not yet been made public, despite early reports suggesting there was no trauma-related cause of death.
The investigation was started by the Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights in response to a complaint from the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), which claimed that the school district was not doing enough to handle complaints of student harassment, especially those involving sex and disability-based discrimination.
After Benedict’s unfortunate death, HRC President Kelley Robinson submitted the complaint. She praised the Department’s prompt action and emphasized the need to ensure justice for Nex and make the school safer for all children.
Jordan Korphage, a spokesman for Owasso Public Schools, argues that the complaint is without validity and that the school district is eager to assist with the federal probe.
Notably, district practice calls for involving police authorities in such cases, and Owasso School Resource Officer Caleb Thompson acknowledged the seriousness of the altercation involving Benedict. Thompson was worried that the district had “dropped the ball” in terms of managing the matter correctly.
The goal of maintaining accountability and protecting the welfare of students in the Owasso school system and elsewhere is still front and center as the inquiry progresses.
