Vigils held nationwide for nonbinary Oklahoma teenager who died day after school bathroom fight
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Vigils took place across the nation for Nex Benedict, who died the day after a fight in a high school bathroom in which the nonbinary student claimed to be a target of bullying.

Vigils took place across the nation for an Oklahoma teenager who died the day after a fight in a high school bathroom in which the nonbinary student said they were a target of bullying.

Nex Benedict, a 16-year-old who identified as nonbinary and used they/them pronouns, got into an altercation with three girls in an Owasso High School bathroom who were picking on Benedict and some friends. The girls attacked Benedict for pouring water on them, the teen told police in a video released Friday.

Benedict’s mother called emergency responders to the family home the day after the fight, saying Benedict’s breathing was shallow, their eyes were rolling back and their hands were curled, according to audio released by Owasso police.

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    1•9 months ago

    What he did is illegal everywhere. In general, society condemns responding to hurtful words with hurtful physical violence.

    The problem is likely the school - especially since you indicated she never got into any trouble. Schools are tightly constrained environments - students can’t legally do things adults in the real world generally can, like simply leave. That gives the school a hefty extra burden of responsibilities, including protecting the students from things like hurtful words (which they can do in spades, since the students also have no free speech rights to worry about). I’m completely unsurprised this school failed its responsibility. I, too, went to public school, and I remember all the bullying it consistently let slide.