The Department of Education announced Wednesday that the Owasso School District in Oklahoma violated Title IX due to sexual harassment in its schools, a finding that comes months after the death of Nex Benedict.
The death set off alarm bells around the Oklahoma district back in February, when Benedict, who identified under the two-spirit, transgender and gender-nonconforming umbrella, died by suicide a day after a fight in the school’s girl’s bathroom.
But the federal agency found the district’s problems went back years.
Over a three-year period, the department concluded the district did not address sexual harassment complaints on multiple occasions.
The Education Department’s report found that officials received complaints including a teacher grooming a female student, an elementary student subjected to sexual remarks, a male student physically assaulting and making sexual comments at a female student and multiple other incidents of sex-based slurs and physical harassment.
The department said administrators did not follow proper Title IX protocols after receiving the allegations, such as notifying parents how to file an official complaint or offering counseling services.
“The district even failed to take these steps that the 2020 regulations to Title IX require in February 2024 after a district student died by suicide following an altercation in a restroom at Owasso High School,” it said.
The school has only conducted two Title IX investigations in the past three years, according to the federal agency, and had limited records to produce for the agency.
“Today’s resolution agreement from the US Department of Education leaves no doubt: the Owasso School District failed Nex Benedict and many other vulnerable students under their care. The evidence shows that officials were well aware of the hostile climate in their schools, yet repeatedly chose indifference and inaction when confronted,” said Kelley Robinson, president of the Human Rights Campaign.
The Department of Education has entered into an agreement with the school district that includes administrators now having to contact parents when sexual harassment is reported and telling them how to file a Title IX complaint, conducting a climate survey of the school and developing a system for properly tracking complaints.
“Owasso students and their families did not receive the fair and equitable review process from their school district guaranteed to them under Title IX; at worst, some students experienced discrimination Congress has long guaranteed they shall not endure at school,” said Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Catherine Lhamon.
“The district has signed a robust agreement to assure that students who attend school in the district will be afforded their rights under Title IX, including the right to file a complaint, learn about and receive supportive services individualized to their needs, and benefit from federal nondiscrimination protection when they experience harassment,” she added.
