Call for top Oklahoma education official to resign after Nex Benedict’s death

More than 350 LGBTQIA+ organizations are calling for the immediate removal of Oklahoma’s Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters, according to ABC News. The push for Walters’ resignation comes in the form of an open letter, which claims that Walters is “fostering a culture of violence against the 2SLGBTQI+ community in Oklahoma schools.”

LGBTQ advocates, activists and students are criticizing Walters’ policies in the wake of the death of Nex Benedict, a nonbinary 16-year-old Oklahoma high school student. Benedict died a day after reporting a bullying incident.

Walters offered his condolences but also accused critics of being politically motivated in a post on X, formerly Twitter.

I won’t back down to woke mobs. pic.twitter.com/Sfk3qJp0dU

— Superintendent Ryan Walters (@RyanWaltersSupt) February 25, 2024

“Here in Oklahoma, we had a tragedy, where a young student lost her [sic] life,” Walters said. “We have been praying for the family, for the school and for the city of Owasso ever since.”

“Unconscionably, left-wing groups and the media have been lying about the death of the student and have intentionally lied to push an agenda,” Walters added.

An investigation into the circumstances surrounding Benedict’s death is ongoing. According to NBC News, law enforcement said Benedict did not die of physical trauma. However, toxicology results are still pending, and the medical examiner has not yet publicly released a cause of death for Benedict.

Friends of Benedict told The New York Post that the teen had been the victim of bullying because of their gender identity and accused school administrators of ignoring the bullying.

Parents told ABC News that Benedict’s death has left them concerned about the environment for transgender students in schools.

In response to parents’ concerns, Walters told ABC News that he is focused on keeping kids “safe in school” and wants “every student to be protected.”

Benedict’s death is only the latest incident to spark controversy around Walters. In January, Walters received backlash from LGBTQ activists and Democratic politicians for appointing “Libs of TikTok” creator Chaya Raichik to a state library advisory committee.

Walters claimed that he chose Raichik because she exposes “the radical left” and that they push “a woke indoctrination of our kids.” Raichik’s social media account is critical of Democratic positions, and following the announcement, Raichik vowed to “get porn out of schools.”

Oklahoma’s LGBTQ policies are also facing scrutiny.

According to ABC News, Gov. Kevin Stitt, R-Okla., signed laws banning nonbinary markers on IDs, preventing transgender girls from participating in women’s sports and creating restrictions on gender-affirming care.

Meanwhile, The Oklahoman reported that Walters called for the firing of an elementary school principal who performed as a drag queen outside of work. ABC News reported that the principal eventually resigned from his position due to the public attention.

Activists, advocates and Democratic lawmakers claim Walters’ policies have harmed LGBTQ students. Walters has reportedly said that he recognizes only two genders — male and female. He has also thrown his support behind eliminating diversity, equity and inclusion programs in Oklahoma schools, according to ABC News.