More than 350 LGBT groups and activists have signed a letter calling for the removal of Oklahoma’s top education official in response to the death of nonbinary teen Nex Benedict — despite there currently being no evidence that the death was related to an altercation that happened at her high school or that the incident was related to her gender identity.
The groups, led by Freedom Oklahoma, GLAAD, the Human Rights Campaign, and GLSEN, sent a letter to the Oklahoma Legislature urging the immediate removal of Oklahoma State Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters.
“Superintendent Ryan Walters is responsible for fostering a culture of violence and hate against the 2SLGBTQI+ community in Oklahoma schools,” the groups wrote in a letter on Wednesday. “Just a month ago, he passed an emergency rule to prevent an Oklahoma teen who was fearful of being bullied from changing his gender on school files. He called for the firing of a principal who performed in drag on weekends, which led to violent threats against the educator.”
“We urge you to protect the students of Oklahoma and immediately correct course by impeaching and removing Superintendent Walters and investigating the impact of Walters’ policies and rhetoric on Oklahoma students and schools. It is imperative that all students in the state are supported,” concludes the letter, which was signed by several celebrity activists, including Kristin Chenoweth, Demi Lovato, and Cynthia Nixon.
In coverage of Benedict’s death, the media and LGBT activists quickly adopted the narrative that the 16-year-old teenager died after an attack at her school that was motivated by anti-LGBT hate. However, the existing facts fail to sustain this narrative.
While Benedict did have an altercation in the girls’ bathroom of Oklahoma’s Owasso High School, it was not clear whether she was beaten because of her gender identity. Additionally, police said preliminary autopsy results found that the teen “did not die as a result of trauma.”
Benedict told police three girls beat her after Benedict poured water on the girls for laughing at her and her friend. She claimed the girls had previously mocked her and her friends “because of the way that we dress.” Benedict’s grandmother, Sue Benedict, said Nex hit her head on the bathroom floor during the altercation.
Benedict can be seen on camera walking through the school’s hallways after the attack. The teen later went to the hospital and was discharged before passing away the next day.
Walters, for his part, has defended the state’s policies.
“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,” Walters said in a statement.
“We have witnessed the radical left and their accomplices in the media use the tragic death of a student to push a political agenda and a false narrative. It is despicable and harms our students and communities,” he added. “I will continue to fight for parents and will never back down to the woke mob.”