OWASSO, Okla. — The U.S. Department of Education opened an investigation into Owasso Public Schools after the death of Nex Benedict, 16.
In a letter from the DOE to the Human Rights Campaign President Kelley Robinson, the department said it opened an investigation into the alleged failed response to sex-based harassment by OPS.
The response came after HRC drafted a formal complaint against the school. HRC said Robinson wrote a letter to Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona urging that the department help prevent other situations like this from happening again.
Here is the response from the DOE:
Human Right Campaign
Human Rights Campaign
Owasso Public Schools responded to the investigation in a statement sent to 2 News.
Owasso Public Schools received notice today of an investigation by the U.S. Department of Education Office of Civil Rights (OCR) based upon a February 21, 2024 complaint to the Secretary of Education by the Human Rights Campaign (HCR).
Today, HRC published a letter dated March 1, 2024 from OCR indicating that OCR was “opening the following issues for investigation: (1) Whether the District failed to appropriately respond to alleged harassment of students in a manner consistent with the requirements of Title IX, and (2) Whether the District failed to appropriately respond to alleged harassment of students in a manner consistent with the requirements of Section 504 [of the Rehabilitation Act] and Title II [of the Americans with Disabilities Act].”
The district is committed to cooperating with federal officials and believes the complaint submitted by HRC is not supported by the facts and is without merit.
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