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On Friday the U.S. Division of Schooling knowledgeable Human Rights Marketing campaign President Kelley Robinson that the division will open an investigation in response to HRC’s letter relating to Owasso Public Faculties and its failure to reply appropriately to sex-based harassment which will have contributed to the dying of Nex Benedict, a 16-year-old nonbinary teenager of Choctaw heritage.
This investigation was triggered by a proper criticism made final week by Robinson, who wrote to Schooling Secretary Miguel Cardona and requested his division to make use of the enforcement mechanisms at its disposal to stop comparable tragedies from going down sooner or later and to assist maintain accountable these chargeable for Benedict’s dying.
The letter from the Division of Schooling reads: “the U.S. Division of Schooling, Workplace for Civil Rights (OCR), is opening for investigation the above-referenced criticism that you simply filed in opposition to the Owasso Public Faculties (the District.) Your criticism alleges that the District discriminated in opposition to college students by failing to reply appropriately to sex-based harassment, of which it had discover, at Owasso Excessive Faculty through the 2023-2024 faculty 12 months,” mentioned Robinson.
“Nex’s household, neighborhood and the broader 2SLGBTQI+ (two-spirit, lesbian, homosexual, bisexual, transgender, queer and intersex+) neighborhood in Oklahoma are nonetheless awaiting solutions following their tragic loss. We recognize the Division of Schooling responding to our criticism and opening an investigation — we want them to behave urgently so there might be justice for Nex, and so that each one college students at Owasso Excessive Faculty and each faculty in Oklahoma might be protected from bullying, harassment and discrimination,” Robinson added.
Based on the letter, OCR is opening the next points for investigation:
- Whether or not the District didn’t appropriately reply to alleged harassment of scholars in a way in step with the necessities of Title IX.
- Whether or not the District didn’t appropriately reply to alleged harassment of scholars in a way in step with the necessities of Part 504 and Title II.
HRC despatched a second letter to the Division asking it to promptly start an investigation into the Oklahoma State Division of Schooling, in addition to the present State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Ryan Walters. As well as:
- Robinson wrote to Legal professional Basic Merrick Garland asking the Division of Justice to start an investigation into Nex’s dying.
- Robinson wrote to Dr. Margaret Coates, superintendent of the Owasso Faculty District in Oklahoma, calling for the superintendent to reap the benefits of HRC’s Welcoming Faculties program — essentially the most complete bias-based bullying prevention program within the nation to supply LGBTQ and gender inclusive coaching and assets — and providing to carry consultants to the district instantly.
The complete textual content of the letter from the Division of Schooling in response to HRC might be discovered right here.
The complete textual content of the preliminary letter from Robinson to Cardona might be discovered right here.
Story courtesy of the Washington Blade through the Nationwide LGBTQ Media Affiliation. The Nationwide LGBTQ Media Affiliation represents 13 legacy publications in main markets throughout the nation with a collective readership of greater than 400K in print and greater than 1 million + on-line. Be taught extra right here: https://nationallgbtmediaassociation.com
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