Oklahoma banned trans students from bathrooms. Now a bullied student is dead after a fight

[Eliot Rosewater]

Source: Independent

Whenever Oklahoma teenager Nex Benedict was bullied at school for being transgender, their mother Sue Benedict would encourage the 16-year-old to rise above their tormentors.

“I said ‘you’ve got to be strong and look the other way, because these people don’t know who you are’,” Ms Benedict told The Independent in a phone interview.

“I didn’t know how bad it had gotten.”

The bullying had started in earnest at the beginning of the 2023 school year, a few months after Oklahoma governor Kevin Stitt signed a bill that required public school students to use bathrooms that matched the sex listed on their birth certificates.

A few weeks ago, on 7 February, the bullying allegedly erupted in violence when Nex suffered severe head injuries during a “physical altercation” at Owasso High School, according to the Owasso Police Department.

Read more: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/nex-benedict-dead-oklahoma-b2499332.html

---

Have not done breaking news before, hope I did it right.

This is the goal of MAGA and the GOP, if you are different in any way you change or die, that is their motto.

[marble falls]

1. Why is it any GOP efforts towards law always leads to further disorder ...

... I'd like it very much if the Governor got a good solid beatdown over just wanting to take a piss.

This story just breaks my heart. I know the bullies got all their 'conviction' and taste for laying hands on weaker individuals from dad: everyday at the table, every weekend watching NFL, Hockey, WWW, cage fights and every night watching Fox.

I'm still mourning a friend of mine who got stabbed because he came out of work at a Men's Health Collective. He was murdered in 1974.

[electric_blue68]

2. Damn. It's not right. Strength to the family & friends

[Pas-de-Calais]

3. Daughter attends okstate. Keeps her views quiet

[dickthegrouch]

4. The entire legislature and the lobbyists

Should be charged as accessories to this murder.

[Maraya1969]

53. I know that LGBT+ is not recognized as protected like race but can you think of another way "they" can be

be blamed? I like your idea of charging the entire legislature for murder. I am just wondering if we can add this person to a list for a hate crime.

EDIT - I found this although I don't think it will make much of a difference. https://www.readfrontier.org/stories/five-things-to-know-about-oklahomas-hate-crime-law/

The state can’t prosecute hate crime cases based on gender or sexual orientation, but local law enforcement still does much of the legwork of investigations, referring cases to federal prosecutors, and reporting incidents to the FBI.

Oklahoma’s hate crime law doesn’t include protections for gender or sexual orientation. And while the federal statute covers more protected classes, it only applies in specific situations.
Since 2018, hate crimes based on sexual orientation have been reported to the FBI more often than crimes based on gender or gender identity. From 2015 to 2019, about 24% of crimes included in a U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics self-reported survey were based on gender. But according to FBI data for that same time period, an average of about 2% of reported crimes nationwide were based on gender identity, and an average of about 0.6% were based on gender.

Oklahoma is one of 32 states without a requirement in statute that police complete training on investigating hate crimes and working with victims. Though some agencies reported offering hate crime-related training, the topics they covered were varied.
The state Council on Law Enforcement Education and Training created training objectives that must be taught in every police academy across the state. But their civil rights standards don’t require officers to be taught about the federal statute that covers hate crimes based on gender and sexual orientation.

[maxrandb]

5. This just makes me ill

[sop]

6. The authorities haven't yet charged those responsible for this attack.

Apparently, violence directed at transgender kids isn't a crime in Oklahoma.

[bluestarone]

7. Our country is being ripped to shreads!!

TFG and all his accomplice's (TRAITORS,RUSSIAN THUGS, CONGRESS PEOPLE)are the ONLY ones to blame. WE are gonna be so lucky to put the countries pieces back together again. SHAME on ALL these traitorous bastards.

[sellitman]

8. Oklahoma is one of the reddest states in the country.

I worked for a business headquartered there and made quarterly visits there. I never felt comfortable.

[AdamGG]

31. I believe it's the only state in the country where Obama didn't carry a single district in 2008 or 2012

I forget if the stat was that he didn't carry a single voting district or a single county. Either way, it's pretty uniformly red. Even far right states like Wyoming and Idaho have some ski resort towns that are more liberal.

[Elessar Zappa]

42. I thought Oklahoma City is blue?

[AdamGG]

48. It surprised me when I heard it reported in 2008, but

per the electoral map in the Wikipedia link below, every county was red. I would have thought that OK City and Tulsa might have enough African Americans to turn them blue, but they're apparently still outnumbered by Magats. It's when you break it down by county that it's all red. If you break it down by precincts, there's a couple tiny blue spots.

That NBA team should have stayed in Seattle.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2008_United_States_presidential_election_in_Oklahoma

[róisín_dubh]

59. I lived there for 7 years

While I did my PhD. Norman is great. The rest of the state can get in the bin. I haven’t stepped foot there since 2016 and seriously doubt I ever will again.

[Demobrat]

9. This is just heartbreaking

WTF is wrong with people? Why can’t they just live and let live?

[dawn5651]

10. whoever did this to nex should be charged...and if they haven't been charged why is the school protecting

the murderer/murderers

[KatyaR]

12. Because most of the press here is withholding the truth.

They're stating "undisclosed cause of death." No mention of them being non-binary. There was also another student who was attacked alongside her, and a lot of this info is coming from that student and the family. They're also waiting on autopsy/toxicology reports, insinuating that drugs could have been the cause of death.

Basically, it's being reported as

[dawn5651]

47. my heart goes out to nexs family

[ShazzieB]

11. No words, just 😿😢

[Wicked Blue]

13. 'Rising above it' accomplishes nothing

That's what my mother advised me to do when I was bullied from third grade into high school.

[vercetti2021]

24. I'd rise above it

Lay a finger on me, you're meeting god that same fucking day.

[Wicked Blue]

39. I wish I could have done that

but I was the smallest, skinniest, youngest kid in my grade.
Sigh.

[I_UndergroundPanther]

38. I was bullied

Rose above until I couldnt anymore only when I started hurting them did it stop.

Rising above just tells a narcissistic bully that you are weak.
The bullies dont have the moral capacity to see you rise above it they communicate through fists and insults.

So you have to have the final word. Its no different than chickens in a coop fighting out thier hierarchy.
Its only bullies narcissists and republicans that believe in a social hierarchy.

[pfitz59]

14. The victim was an enrolled Cherokee tribesperson

ironic since many native tribes accepted transgender folk as just another kind of human. The Oklahoma Superintendent of schools is a RW nutsack of the worst sort. Sadly the state's leaders adore what he's done. Now there is blood on his hands. I'd sue him personally if I were the victim's parents.

[moniss]

17. Given the way the state government

feels about the tribes it is a good possibility that the state is trying to "cook" this some way into being "inconclusive" or a "self defense" thing so they can avoid charging the perpetrators.

[70sEraVet]

15. These people who are supposed to be so pro-life.....

They sure do go out of their way to make sure there's plenty of dead kids around! If they're not being marginalized and bullied to death, like this poor kid, they're dying from the many mass shootings.
My heart goes out to the parents who have to bury these kids.

[DVRacer]

16. This is my High School

https://www.facebook.com/share/dP5nXDNa2geEAA6b/?mibextid=WC7FNe

This is what was shared to the community. So many unanswered questions still.

[Chellee]

18. I couldn't see your link.

This is all I got.

This content isn't available right now
When this happens, it's usually because the owner only shared it with a small group of people, changed who can see it or it's been deleted.

[DVRacer]

20. Update

Update on Student Passing from Owasso Public Schools.

Owasso Public Schools has cooperated fully with the investigation by the Owasso Police Department surrounding the death of a high school student on February 8, 2024. The district has limited its statements on the matter to this point due to the ongoing investigation in an effort to not disrupt police, and out of respect and for the confidentiality of all involved.

However, the speculation and misinformation surrounding the case has intensified in recent days. While there will still be pieces of information that the district will never be able to share due to federal privacy laws, we are reaching out to you today to address some of that misinformation, particularly statements that call into question the district’s commitment to student safety & security. We understand the importance of ensuring a safe and inclusive environment for all students and know that the information below doesn’t change the facts that a fight occurred on school grounds and a student passed away the next day.

We have worked with police to ensure that the information provided below will not disrupt their investigation.


On the afternoon of Wednesday, February 7, 2024, a physical altercation occurred in a restroom at the Owasso High School West Campus.
Students were in the restroom for less than two (2) minutes and the physical altercation was broken up by other students who were present in the restroom at the time, along with a staff member who was supervising outside of the restroom.
Once the altercation was broken up, all students involved in the altercation walked under their own power to the assistant principal’s office and nurse’s office.
District administrators began taking statements from the students present in the restroom and began contacting parents/guardians of the students involved in the physical altercation.
Following district protocols, each of the students involved in the altercation was given a health assessment by a district registered nurse. Per district protocols, students needing further support are transported to a medical facility either by ambulance or by a parent/guardian, depending on the severity of the injuries and preference of the parent/guardian.
While it was determined that ambulance service was not required, out of an abundance of caution, it was recommended to one parent that their student visit a medical facility for further examination.
Per district protocols, the parents/guardians of students involved in a physical altercation are notified and informed of the option to file a police report should they choose. Should they choose to file a police report, school resource officers are made available to the parents/guardians either at that time or they can schedule an appointment, if they choose, at a later date. These practices were followed during this incident.
Physical altercations between students are unacceptable. Any student/s engaging in such action, jeopardizing the safety of others, will receive disciplinary consequences. These consequences can include out of school suspension for first offense. Due to federal privacy laws, we are unable to disclose the exact nature of disciplinary action taken against any student. That information can only be given to the parents/guardians of the student being disciplined. Any notion that the district has ignored disciplinary action toward those involved is simply untrue.
Additional counseling services were provided to students at the high school on Friday, February 9, and continue to be available for all students & staff.


We understand that for many, additional questions remain, however these are the facts that we are able to communicate at this juncture. We will continue to cooperate fully with the Owasso Police Department’s investigation.

The loss of a student, a member of the Ram Family and the Owasso community, is devastating. We recognize the impact that this event has had on the entire school community and it is our priority to foster an environment where everyone feels heard, supported, and safe. If there is ever a concern about student safety or well-being, please reach out to a teacher, counselor or principal at your child’s school. As we continue to mourn the loss of this student, our hearts go out to their family and they will continue to be in our prayers. We are here to support them and everyone who has been affected by this situation.

[bucolic_frolic]

37. "a staff member who was supervising outside of the restroom"

That's vague.
Faculty should be like retail employees with on-site, real time cell communications.

[sunflowerseed]

52. Do you live in Owasso?

[DVRacer]

54. I live in Broken Arrow

But my day to day life is in Owasso and other than my military service has been since 1971. I’m getting updates about the case from Chief Dan Yancy. I think it’s been made public but the cause of death may not have been from the fight although it occurring maybe a contributing factor physiologically. I do have to be careful with what I share at times. The national attention worries me about the safety and welfare of the whole student population.

[Demobrat]

22. Wow. That's some world class CYA happening there.

They must have a lot of practice.

[Wonder Why]

25. Yeah! They must have completed BS400 level classes already.

[sybylla]

19. I bet those who assaulted them won't be charged as adults, either.

Fuckers.

[cab67]

21. according to another article -

the Oklahoma State Board of Education released the following statement:

"The safety and security of our students is my top priority as well as the first responsibility of Oklahoma schools. I mourn the loss of our student in Owasso and pray for God’s comfort for the family and the entire Owasso community. As part of Oklahoma’s comprehensive School-Based Mental Health Implementation, I have committed all available resources from OSDE to assist Owasso Public Schools during this tragedy and await the full results of the ongoing investigation of the incident by law enforcement."

Odd, since the Abrahamic deity whom these people want to bring peace to a bereaved family is often used as a rationale for creating the hostile environment that apparently led to their bereavement.


https://www.koco.com/article/nex-dagny-benedict-owasso-high-school-student-death-oklahoma/46873784

[SKKY]

35. SAY THEIR FUCKING NAME YOU HOMOPHOBIC PRICKS!!!!!

[ejbr]

23. fight equals ambush n/t

[Chi67]

26. Ugh!

Every GQP idiot in that state is responsible. And that horrible Libs of TikTok woman is too.

[EndlessWire]

27. By now, the cops know

the names of the three attackers. They have interviewed all witnesses.

Or, they should have.

"These consequences can include out of school suspension for first offense." This is laughable. They killed this kid. Those three are going to be charged with something that will surely preclude a return to school. They should be.

I am curious as to why the victim was discharged from the hospital when an overnight admission was probably warranted. I wonder what the autopsy showed. At any rate, I agree that the HS and the cops are dragging their feet in order to be PC. This isn't that hard to figure out. Now, they are looking for s/s of drugs or something in the victim. Like, medical care for differently gendered youth? Something they can hang an excuse on? Justify beating a kid to death?

Poor, little kid. At least someone in that bathroom stood up for you. The more things go on, the more I think that if I had a kid, I would find a way to home school them. It just isn't worth the risk.

[Hermit-The-Prog]

28. Once again, the 14th Amendment's "equal protection of the laws" is ignored.

Oklahoma's law should never have been signed. None of the christofascist laws stemming from this "culture war" should withstand any scrutiny at all.

How much death and misery will be enough for these self-righteous barbarians?

[Chi67]

32. In case you haven't noticed

The GQP wants all us LGBT people dead. Have we heard any GQP politicians in Oklahoma condemn this? No. Why? Because they love it. Don't think for one minute any of them feel one bit of remorse. Because they don't.

https://www.dailydot.com/debug/nex-benedict-ryan-walters-oklahoma/

[DFW]

29. Assault with intent to kill:

The Republican version of “Pro-Life.”

[area51]

30. Outrageous.

Those kids need to be charged with murder.

[Chi67]

33. Yep

And their parents should face charges as well. They likely enabled this.

[KY_EnviroGuy]

34. Trying to out-Texas Texas and....

out-Florida Florida. Mandatory Bible study, book burning 101 and shooting range classes coming soon.....

RIP to his precious child and condolences to the family.....

[TxGuitar]

36. Oklahoma surpassed TX and FL years ago

Probably the most Republican states ever. Totally and completely red. No islands of blue.

[electric_blue68]

57. Woah. Yeah, I know it was more a red State than not but wow!

[Paladin]

40. How about we restrict this unspeakable tragedy to the state where it happened?

Or is that just too Goddamned much to ask for?

[LeftInTX]

41. Awful!!!

[Novara]

43. I hope his/her mother sues the school and the governor

[TexasBushwhacker]

45. Her grandmother adopted her when she was very young

From what I could gather, her biological parents have never been in her life.

[dlk]

44. This is the goal

Republicans want license to harm and even kill people they don't like.

[angrychair]

46. I don't like the word "fight" at all

Because that is the narrative of the school but it was NOT a fight.
From my understanding, they were forced into the bathroom and beat to death, slamming their head repeatedly against the floor. Those children were so full of hate and violence they murdered Nex.
Then the school tried to cover it up. Even suspending that poor child after they were on their way to the hospital, dying, because the state made it a crime to use the restroom.

[Abolishinist]

49. Absolutely horrible.

Later in the article posted I learned about Chaya Raichik, what a worthless person. I did notice that she/it has been mentioned before on DU, this from yesterday https://www.democraticunderground.com/10723130 , this from several years ago
https://www.democraticunderground.com/113757854

"LGBTQ advocacy groups have described Nex’s death as a “hate crime”, and linked it to the “hateful rhetoric spewed by leaders in our state” and the Libs of TikTok account run by far-right social media influencer Chaya Raichik.

Ms Raichik, a New York-based former real estate agent, became a cause celebre among conservatives for using her Libs of TikTok account to post edited, anti-trans videos that target public school teachers and librarians.

An Owasso High School teacher who Nex had greatly admired resigned in 2022 after they were featured in one of Ms Raichik’s posts."

Googling her/its name brings up tons of disgusting info.

[Ohioboy]

50. I know it's not the same, but

I remember being in fights just because my hair was long in the early 70s. There's always some asshole who wants to hurt anyone who is different. Nowadays those assholes have the backing of law makers and wanna be dictators.

[OMGWTF]

51. I've been on a long mission to visit all 50 states and will complete my tour in September with five

remaining shithole states, starting in OK, then KS, NE, IA, and ending in ND. I am making this trip as fast as possible and will fly home to my beautiful blue state from the beautiful blue state of MN. As insane as it sounds, I am making this trip when I'm sure to be surrounded by fidiot MAGAts due to the election. I don't plan to talk to anyone, just drive through and GTFO.

In September 2016, I did a trip from Pittsburgh to Cleveland to Chicago to Memphis to NOLA and only saw one Hillary sign the entire time. Thank Goddess our NOLA Airbnb host was a liberal.

[DVRacer]

55. Local update 2/21

OPD UPDATE:

Since February 7th, 2024, the Owasso Police Department has been actively involved in an investigation into a physical altercation that occurred at the Owasso High School, and Owasso Public Schools has been cooperative throughout the investigation. The students involved in the incident were all juveniles and juvenile files are confidential and inaccessible to the public in most circumstances. From reports, records, and statements of witnesses, it appears that:

On February 7, 2024, a physical altercation occurred in a restroom at the Owasso High School West Campus.
The physical altercation was broken up by other students who were present in the restroom and a school staff member who was supervising outside of the restroom.
All students involved in the altercation walked under their own power to the assistant principal’s office and nurse’s office.
School administrators began taking statements from the students present in the restroom and began contacting parents/guardians of the students involved in the physical altercation.
Each of the students involved in the altercation was given a health assessment by a registered nurse at the school and it was determined that ambulance service was not required.
While it was determined that ambulance service was not required, the school nurse recommended that Nex Benedict visit a medical facility for further examination.
On the afternoon of February 7, 2024, an Owasso School Resource Officer was assigned to respond to Bailey Medical Center where Nex Benedict was being examined. The School Resource Officer interviewed Nex and their parent concerning the altercation at the Owasso High School.
The following morning, the School Resource Officer followed up with the parent.
On the afternoon of February 8, 2024, Owasso Fire Department medics were dispatched to a medical emergency involving Nex Benedict, who was transported to the St. Francis Pediatric Emergency Room where they later died.
While the investigation continues into the altercation. preliminary information from the medical examiner’s office is that a complete autopsy was performed and indicated that the decedent 𝐝𝐢𝐝 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐝𝐢𝐞 𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐥𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐮𝐦𝐚. At this time, any further comments on the cause of death are currently pending until toxicology results and other ancillary testing results are received. The official autopsy report will be available at a later date.

This Investigation is ongoing.

[electric_blue68]

56. Horrific! And this Chaya "person" is some piece of work. Strength to Nex's family & friends

[Zeitghost]

58. Update appears to indicate suicide

Horribly tragic no matter how they passed.

[Chi67]

60. Ugh!

That makes it even worse!

[sakabatou]

62. If true, JCWTF...

[marshall]

61. Sadly I wonder if Nex would have been safer in the boys' bathroom

It’s likely, based on what I’ve heard, they would also have been targeted by boys.