Actor and comedian Walter Masterson recently uploaded a video of a School Board meeting that took place on Monday, March 11 in Owasso, Oklahoma. It was the first board meeting since 16-year-old non-binary student Nex Benedict died after being assaulted the previous day at school. WDBJ 7 News provides details about the meeting:
Parents and protesters disrupted the meeting, demanding to know what the board planned to do about what they call a bullying problem in the district.
Protesters angry at Owasso Public Schools' handling of Benedict's death disrupted its March school board meeting several times Monday night.
Superintendent Dr. Margaret Coates reiterated the district's written philosophy of respect in her remarks to the board.
"I'm proud that in times like this our school community continues to come together to reflect, support one another, and ensure that every student feels a sense of safety, security and belonging within our school walls," Coates said.
But her words did not get much of the crowd's respect and multiple people were booted for disruption.
"Ultimately the story needs to be told and somebody needs to be held accountable," former Owasso student Madison Hutton said.
Hutton puts the blame for Benedict's death on what she calls rampant bullying and bigotry at the high school, which she cited during public comments.
"Let me be very clear: we will not allow this to continue. We will not allow Nex's memory to be tarnished by negligence and indifference," Hutton said. "We must ask you, where does it end?"
Masterson joined many parents and students who are seeking accountability and who expressed their anger at how little Owasso High School and Owasso School Board have done to address the rampant bullying and climate of fear at the school and in the district. Masterson's short speech powerfully called out the school board's hypocrisy and inaction, and the stunned looks on the faces of the board members speak volumes. Here's a transcript:
A more, you know, woke School Board would see the death of a child and work to make sure it never happens again. Not this board! This board sees a dead kid and says that's a good start, because this school board signed up to protect all children and by all children they mean these children, but not so much these children. Hate us if you want, but you know:
We're the good guys! We want to let kids be kids and there's nothing more unnatural than a teenager experimenting with their identity, because it has never happened before and should be punished.
We're the good guys! We'll spit on a kid's grave, blame the parents, and tell our teenagers to hit them harder! [chuckles and shakes head].
We're the good guys! When we heard that a trans child had been beaten to death, our State Senator Tom Woods immediately released a statement: "We don't want that filth in Oklahoma."
We can call children filth, even the dead ones, because, you know, we're the good guys, right?
And if we're wrong? If God doesn't want us driving off the lepers and deviants and worshiping the bankers? If our God doesn't want us casting the first stone? If our God doesn't want us loving people despite their differences? Well, if we're wrong then I guess I'll see you all in Hell!
Thank you!
Watch the full video here.
