TO HAVE THEIR VOICES HEARD. GUYS, THAT’S RIGHT. AND MUCH OF TODAY’S PUBLIC COMMENT REALLY WAS TO KEEP NEXT BENEDICT’S NAME ALIVE. AND LGBTQ ADVOCATES RALLIED HERE AT THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETING TODAY DURING A TRANS VISIBILITY MARCH ASKING FOR CHANGE IN OUR SCHOOLS. IT WAS A PACKED STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETING TODAY, ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS SUPERINTENDENT RYAN WALTERS BROUGHT UP WAS THE DEATH OF THE OWASSO STUDENT, SAYING IT’S TRAGIC ON ANY COMMUNITY. AND HE’S CONTINUED PRAYING FOR THE FRIENDS, FAMILY AND SCHOOL DISTRICT. DURING THE STATEMENT, SUPERINTENDENT. WALTERS NEVER MENTIONED NEXT BY NAME, WHICH IS WHAT MOST PEOPLE WERE UPSET ABOUT IN TODAY’S MEETING. NOW, WE HEARD FROM THE STATE’S ONLY NON-BINARY STATE REPRESENTATIVE, MARI TURNER, AND FREEDOM OKLAHOMA, WHO ALL SAID SUPERINTENDENT WALTERS STATEMENTS HAVE BEEN HARMFUL TO THE LGBTQ PLUS COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY AS THEY WORK TO PUT AN END TO ANTI-TRANS RHETORIC. ONE PUBLIC COMMENT WAS AN OUTCRY FOR THE BOARD OF EDUCATION TO REVISIT SOME OF THE THINGS COMING OUT OF THEIR DEPARTMENT, LIKE USING BATHROOMS THAT ARE ASSIGNED TO THE STUDENTS SEX. THEY SAY THIS IS WHAT IS HARMFUL TO TRANS AND NON-BINARY STUDENTS, AND THEY WERE ASKING FOR CHANGE. SUPERINTEN WALTERS DIDN’T RESPOND TO ANY OF THOSE COMMENTS, BUT DID SAY THAT HE WAS CONTINUING TO KEEP THE DEATH OF THE OWASSO STUDENT. IN HIS PRAYERS. I COULD START TODAY WITH A MOMENT OF SILENCE FOR NEXT BENEDICT, BUT I THINK YOU ALL HAVE BEEN SILENT ENOUGH FOR ALL OF US. I ADDRESS THIS TRAGIC LOSS OF A LIFE OF A STUDENT IN OWASSO AT THE LAST BOARD MEETING. IT WAS AND REMAINS AN INCREDIBLE TRAGEDY FOR THE FAMILY, THE COMMUNITY AND OUR STATE. I’M HEARTBROKEN FOR THE LOSS FOR THIS FAMILY. I’M HEARTBROKEN FOR ANY STUDENT WHO IS IN A SITUATION LIKE THAT. NEXT. BENEDICT, A NAME RYAN WALTERS THAT YOU STILL HAVE NOT SAID OUT LOUD, WE CAN’T GET NEXT BACK, BUT THEY’RE JUST AS MANY STUDENTS IN SCHOOLS ACROSS THE STATE IN YOUR DISTRICTS, IN RURAL DISTRICTS AND URBAN DISTRICTS WHO NEED YOU TO DO SOMETHING AND THEY NEED YOU TO DO IT NOW. NOW, COMING UP TONIGHT AT FIVE, WE’RE ACTUALLY GOING TO BREAK DOWN A NEW OFFICE THAT WAS JUST LAUNCHED WITHIN THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF
Public comment focused on death of Nex Benedict at Oklahoma State Board of Education meeting
During his statement, Oklahoma State Superintendent Ryan Walters never mentioned Benedict by name, which is what most people were upset about during the meeting.
![KOCO logo]()
Updated: 4:32 PM CDT Mar 28, 2024
Dozens of people attended the Oklahoma State Board of Education meeting on Thursday to speak out for Nex Benedict, the nonbinary student who died in early February a day after getting into a fight at Owasso High School.| MORE | Nex Benedict Autopsy: Oklahoma ME releases full report on Owasso teenager's deathIt's been nearly two months since Benedict's death, and most of the people who spoke during the meeting's public comment camped out last night just to have their voices heard and keep Benedict's memory alive.LGBTQ+ advocates rallied at the meeting during a Trans Visibility March, asking for change in Oklahoma schools.One of the first things State Superintendent Ryan Walters brought up during Thursday's board meeting was the Owasso High School student's death, saying it's tragic for any community and that he's continued praying for their friends, family and school district.During the statement, Walters never mentioned Benedict by name, which is what most people were upset about during the meeting.Several people from the community gathered to speak about Benedict, including Oklahoma's only nonbinary representative, Mauree Turner, as well as Freedom Oklahoma. They all said Walter's statements have been harmful to the LGBTQ+ community.One public comment was an outcry for the Board of Education to revisit some of the things coming out of the department, like using bathrooms that are assigned to the student's sex. They say this is harmful to transgender and nonbinary students and asked for change."I could start today with a moment of silence for Nex, but you've all been silent enough for all of us," Nicole McAfee, with Freedom Oklahoma, said.Walters didn't respond to any of those comments but said he was continuing to keep the death of the Owasso student in his prayers. "I addressed this tragic loss of life of a student in Owasso at the last board meeting," Walters said. "It was and remains a tragedy for the family, community and our state. I'm heartbroken for the loss of this family. I'm heartbroken for any student who is in a situation like that." Top Headlines Edmond officer captures road rage on dash cam during patrol Dispatch audio from Baltimore's Key Bridge collapse sheds light on timeline of incident 8-year-old girl died after being sucked into pipe at Texas hotel swimming pool, lawsuit says Oklahoma band asking for help after flames engulf van on highway What will spring 2024 look like in Oklahoma?
OKLAHOMA CITY — Dozens of people attended the Oklahoma State Board of Education meeting on Thursday to speak out for Nex Benedict, the nonbinary student who died in early February a day after getting into a fight at Owasso High School.
| MORE | Nex Benedict Autopsy: Oklahoma ME releases full report on Owasso teenager's death
It's been nearly two months since Benedict's death, and most of the people who spoke during the meeting's public comment camped out last night just to have their voices heard and keep Benedict's memory alive.
LGBTQ+ advocates rallied at the meeting during a Trans Visibility March, asking for change in Oklahoma schools.
One of the first things State Superintendent Ryan Walters brought up during Thursday's board meeting was the Owasso High School student's death, saying it's tragic for any community and that he's continued praying for their friends, family and school district.
During the statement, Walters never mentioned Benedict by name, which is what most people were upset about during the meeting.
Several people from the community gathered to speak about Benedict, including Oklahoma's only nonbinary representative, Mauree Turner, as well as Freedom Oklahoma. They all said Walter's statements have been harmful to the LGBTQ+ community.
One public comment was an outcry for the Board of Education to revisit some of the things coming out of the department, like using bathrooms that are assigned to the student's sex. They say this is harmful to transgender and nonbinary students and asked for change.
"I could start today with a moment of silence for Nex, but you've all been silent enough for all of us," Nicole McAfee, with Freedom Oklahoma, said.
Walters didn't respond to any of those comments but said he was continuing to keep the death of the Owasso student in his prayers.
"I addressed this tragic loss of life of a student in Owasso at the last board meeting," Walters said. "It was and remains a tragedy for the family, community and our state. I'm heartbroken for the loss of this family. I'm heartbroken for any student who is in a situation like that."
Top Headlines
