High suicide, bullying rates plague Oklahoma. It's no wonder considering how our leaders act

Editor's note: There are resources for those considering suicide. 988 is the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. LGBTQ+ youth can also call the Trevor Project lifeline 24/7 at 1-866-488-7386 or call Rainbow Youth Project at 317-643-4888.

As Oklahoma reels from at least two recent suicides of teenagers whose parents said they had been bullied – including nonbinary teen Nex Benedict ― the state’s Republican leaders are finally saying it’s time to do more.

State Attorney General Gentner Drummond is pressing for stronger anti-bullying protections following two teen suicides that were apparently related to bullying.

Last week, lawmakers delivered some semblance of reform by passing a bill making it illegal for individuals to “threaten, intimidate or harass or threaten to inflict injury, physical harm or severe emotional distress.” It includes using electronic devices.

It sets penalties for people whose actions push someone to take their own life, or attempt it. That means if your words, social media posts or actions cause someone to kill themselves, you could face up to seven years in prison and a fine of up to $5,000. If your actions cause someone to attempt suicide, you’d face two years in prison and up to a $1,000 fine.

In a press release, Drummond said the need for anti-bullying measures is clear following the death of Benedict, who was 16 and a student at Owasso High School, and Mustang High School student Jot Turner, 17.

The mothers of both Turner and Benedict have said their children were bullied prior to their suicides. Benedict, for instance, killed themself a day after being involved in a fight inside the high school bathroom.

“Schools are seeing firsthand the crisis of teen suicide and how it can be stoked by horrific bullying,” Drummond said. “Laws cannot force people to be kind to one another, but we can ensure there are consequences to the sort of bullying that leads to tragedies such as those we have seen in Mustang and Owasso.”

Editorial: Ryan Walters' response to Nex Benedict's death only causes more pain for Oklahoma's LGTBQ+ families

Problems with bullying have been going on for years. It’s unfortunate that it’s taken two high-profile teen suicides to force a reckoning.

A 2023 study found that Oklahoma had the ninth-highest rate of bullying. Nearly 1 in 5 students experienced bullying, which was defined as spreading rumors, using insults and committing violence.

While reporting on the depressing statistics, Oklahoma television station KTUL quoted a Louisiana State University professor who said bullying can be linked to ethnicity, political affiliation, sexuality and body size.

People aren’t just being bullied at school though.

We’re continuing to see hostile legislation and rhetoric at the state level.

Following news of Benedict’s suicide, eight House Republican lawmakers released a statement saying that “the tragic suicide of Nex Benedict is a harsh reminder of the power that words have.

“As public officials and policy makers, we have a sacred obligation to ensure that as we do the work of the people, we do so with respect and dignity,” the lawmakers wrote. “Every human life is precious and created in the image of God regardless of who they are or who they love. We call on all Oklahomans to join us in our commitment to being respectful and deliberate in our language.”

But actions speak louder than words.

Hate and intolerance is often learned from the people we look up to.

That includes our elected and appointed officials.

Many of our lawmakers have not been setting an example of tolerance, kindness and compassion for the people who don’t look or think like them.

Some might argue that they’re some of our biggest bullies of all.

As Nuria Martinez-Keel reported, lawmakers have banned gender-affirming care for minors, the use of school bathrooms that match their gender identity, gender-neutral birth certificates, and transgender youth participation in women’s sports.

More opinion: Oklahoma schools chief Ryan Walters needs a time-out to rethink what he's spewing

We’ve recently had a Republican state senator refer to the LGBTQ+ community as “filth” and seemingly face no serious consequences within his own chamber and party. We continue to pass anti-LGBTQ legislation.

We’re considering legislation targeting undocumented immigrants and foreign land owners.

Our Islamic and Jewish residents continue to face hate and bigotry. Less than a decade ago, Republican lawmakers refused to attend Muslim Day at the Capitol.

We’ve watched our elected officials bicker over Indigenous rights. Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt — himself a Cherokee citizen who has bickered with tribal leaders — last year vetoed a measure that would have allowed students to wear Native American regalia during high school and college graduation ceremonies.

Then as recently as last week, an Oklahoma Watch investigation found that state Superintendent Ryan Walters attempted to use Benedict’s death to get national media exposure.

No wonder we’ve got a problem with bullying at school.

What sort of message do our actions send to our children, particularly those who are different and already struggling to fit in?

I’ll tell you what: Some politicians’ promises are empty.

The director of the Rainbow Youth Project told Martinez-Keel that Oklahomans called the organization’s counseling and suicide prevention hotline 1,097 times in February. Calls from Oklahoma surpassed even those from the much larger states of Texas and Florida.

He said 87% of callers mentioned being victims of bullying. And, 64% mentioned Walters.

Oklahoma has the seventh highest suicide rate in the country, according to the most recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention statistics.

Nuria Martinez-Keel reported that 1 in 5 nonbinary and transgender people age 13-24 attempted suicide in the past year. That’s almost double the rate of cisgender youth, according to a 2023 national youth survey by the Trevor Project.

“LGBTQ young people are not inherently prone to suicide risk because of their sexual orientation or gender identity but rather placed at higher risk because of how they are mistreated and stigmatized in society,” the organization said in the survey results.

Strengthened anti-bullying legislation is well-intended and clearly necessary.

But if we’re going to tackle the root cause of bullying, let’s focus first on our own actions and those of the people we’re putting in positions of power in the state Capitol and state Department of Education.

Our kids are watching.

Janelle Stecklein is editor of Oklahoma Voice. An award-winning journalist, Stecklein has been covering Oklahoma government and politics since moving to the state in 2014.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma Republican leaders finally moving to stop bullying