A federal inquiry has concluded that an Oklahoma school district, which gained national attention following the tragic overdose of an LGBTQ+ student, consistently failed to safeguard its students from bullying and discrimination, as stated in an official release.

The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights announced on Wednesday that it had reached a settlement with Owasso Public Schools. The agreement mandates the district to reassess and potentially update its antidiscrimination policies to ensure legal compliance. Catherine Lhamon, the assistant secretary for civil rights at the department, emphasized that this “robust agreement” aims to enhance student protections moving forward.

Nex Benedict, a 16-year-old student at Owasso High School who identified as gender expansive, passed away from an overdose in February, which the medical examiner later classified as a suicide. (The term gender expansive refers to individuals whose gender identities extend beyond traditional norms, according to the National Institutes of Health.)

The family of Benedict stated that his tragic death followed a history of anti-LGBTQ+ harassment at school. He was a member of the Choctaw Nation and used the pronouns he, him, they, and them.

This case gained nationwide attention and sparked outrage among advocates for LGBTQ+ rights.

“The students and families of Owasso did not receive the fair and equitable review process required by Title IX; some students, at the very least, faced discriminatory practices that Congress has long prohibited in schools,” Lhamon remarked.

An Owasso Public Schools spokesperson, Jordan Korphage, communicated via email to YSL News that the district had fully cooperated with the federal investigation and was dedicated to implementing the recommended changes.

“We believe these measures will significantly improve the safety and inclusivity of our school environment,” Korphage asserted.

Details of the Department of Education’s Resolution

The Office of Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Education found numerous instances over three years where staff at Owasso Public Schools were made aware of potential sexual harassment involving students but failed to take appropriate action.

The lack of response from the district was deemed “deliberately indifferent” to the civil rights of its students, as per the statement released on Wednesday.

In addition to the incident involving Nex Benedict, the investigation revealed multiple breaches of Title IX protections against harassment:

• A teacher was found to have groomed female students via social media by sending messages about their appearance and requesting photos.
• A “very young elementary school student” experienced repeated sexualized harassment.
• A male student consistently bullied and harassed a sixth-grade female student with unwanted sexual comments in school and on a bus.
• Several students reported incidents involving sex-based slurs, harassment, and physical assaults.

Sexual harassment under the Title IX regulations includes unwelcome conduct based on sex that a reasonable person would find severe and pervasive enough to deny someone equal access to educational programs or activities. The Department found that Owasso schools had a pattern of inadequately addressing student harassment reports.

Human Rights Group: ‘The Owasso School District Let Down Nex Benedict’

Kelley Robinson, the president of the Human Rights Campaign, a national LGBTQ+ civil rights organization, expressed in a statement on Wednesday that the resolution agreement “clearly shows that the Owasso School District failed Nex Benedict and many other vulnerable students they were responsible for.”

Robinson stated, “The evidence indicates that officials were well aware of the hostile environment in their schools yet opted for indifference and inaction when issues were raised. Although no measures can fully alleviate the sorrow and anger felt by Nex’s family and the community, this serves as a reminder: Trans and non-binary students are valued.”