'Sticks and Stones' can be potent weapons as Ryan Walters' agenda fuels rhetoric, hate speech
In our formative years, we're often taught the "Sticks and Stones" adage suggesting that words shouldn't hurt us. Yet, in today's social media and peer validation era, words have evolved into potent weapons, particularly when wielded by adults against the most vulnerable among us: children. Just recently, a child died one day after hateful speech led to a fight at school in Oklahoma, where state leadership not only condoned but encouraged an environment where such tragedies could occur.
On Feb. 7, Nex Benedict, a 16-year-old non-binary student, was involved in an altercation with other students within the confines of Owasso High School. Nex passed away on Feb. 8. Investigators are still working to determine whether Nex was targeted in an act of gender-based violence.
Oklahoma, along with several other states under Republican leadership, has become a hotbed for a slew of bills and policies targeting already marginalized groups, particularly transgender youths. Oklahoma state schools Superintendent Ryan Walters has actively fostered an environment in public schools that exposes LGBTQ+ youths to heightened levels of targeting and violence.
Under the guise of "fixing America's schools," Ryan Walters has prioritized injecting religious teachings and Christian values into Oklahoma's classrooms. However, his efforts have done little to address the state's educational challenges while significantly amplifying his conservative Christian agenda within public schools. Walters seems resolutely committed to this crusade, blurring the crucial boundary between church and state with unabashed fervor.
Walters' initiatives include advocating for prayers in public schools, prominently displaying the Ten Commandments, proposing bans on books deemed "sexually explicit" or LGBTQ+, and distorting historical narratives to sanitize uncomfortable truths about Oklahoma's past. Moreover, he has vehemently opposed policies that affirm a person's gender identity and denied the legitimacy of non-binary or transgender individuals.
In lockstep with Walters, Oklahoma Republicans endorsed the establishment of the nation's inaugural Catholic public school, slated to discriminate against LGBTQ+ students. In just over a year since assuming office, Walters has transformed what was once a bureaucratic role into a bastion of fundamentalist conservatism, further entrenching Oklahoma's students in a divisive social conflict fueled by incendiary rhetoric and hate speech.
The repercussions of Walters' agenda are distressingly palpable, with a surge in physical assaults against Oklahoma students under his stewardship. Moreover, Walters' appointment of Chaya Raichik, a known propagator of far-right extremism and anti-LGBTQ+ sentiments, to a position of influence within Oklahoma's educational landscape exemplifies his commitment to this regressive ideology.
Raichik, lacking any substantive background in education or residency in Oklahoma, has leveraged her online platform to disseminate misinformation and propagate hate speech targeting LGBTQ+ individuals and their allies. Media analysis reveals a disturbing pattern of harassment, threats and violence following her inflammatory posts, which have triggered bomb threats, targeted attacks and disruptions in various communities across the country.
The death of Nex Benedict underscores the dire consequences of the weaponization of gender identities for political gain by figures like Ryan Walters and the proliferation of hate speech through platforms like those used by Chaya Raichik. The wave of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation sweeping the nation has created a perilous environment for LGBTQ+ youths, particularly transgender and gender-expansive individuals, threatening their safety and well-being.
While Walters and Raichik may disavow any direct involvement in Nex's assault, their culpability in fomenting a culture of hostility and discrimination cannot be understated. As other states consider emulating Oklahoma's discriminatory educational policies, it's imperative that elected officials prioritize the creation of inclusive and safe learning environments for all youths, free from the imposition of conservative religious doctrines.
Kevin Bolling is executive director of the Secular Student Alliance, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to atheist, humanist and other non-theist students including in Oklahoma. Luke Fisher, of Denver, Colorado, is a student member of the organization.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Nex Benedict's death prompts focus on Ryan Walters, hate culture
