Owasso High School

Owasso High School is a high school located within Tulsa County in Owasso, Oklahoma, United States. It is among the largest high schools in Oklahoma by enrollment with nearly 3,000 students. In 2024, the school received international attention following the death of Nex Benedict.

The district (of which this is the sole comprehensive high school) includes Owasso, a small portion of Tulsa, Limestone, and a small portion of Valley Park. It is located within the 7,000 square-mile Cherokee Nation reservation in northeastern Oklahoma.

In the 2002 case Owasso Independent School District v. Falvo, the U.S. Supreme Court addressed whether the practice of peer grading in classrooms violated the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1974. FERPA restricts educational institutions from releasing students' education records without parental consent.

The lawsuit began when Kristja J. Falvo, a parent in the Owasso Independent School District in Oklahoma, challenged the district's practice of allowing students to grade each other's assignments and announce the scores aloud. She argued that this method embarrassed her children and constituted an unlawful disclosure of educational records under FERPA. After the school district declined to change its policy, Falvo filed a lawsuit.

Owasso High School in Oklahoma has faced significant challenges regarding LGBTQ+ issues, particularly following the tragic death of 16-year-old nonbinary student Nex Benedict in February 2024. Benedict died by suicide a day after a physical altercation in a school bathroom, an incident reportedly linked to bullying over their gender identity.

In the wake of Benedict's death, students organized walkouts to protest anti-LGBTQ+ bullying and to demand a safer environment for all students. These events drew national attention to the school's handling of such issues.

A federal investigation by the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights revealed that Owasso Public Schools had violated Title IX by failing to adequately address sexual harassment complaints. The investigation found that the district did not properly inform students and parents about filing formal complaints or offer necessary support services. As a result, the district agreed to implement comprehensive anti-harassment policies, provide training for staff and students, and issue a public statement against harassment.

In February 2024, Owasso High School in Oklahoma became the center of national attention following the death of 16-year-old student Nex Benedict, who identified as nonbinary. On February 7, Nex was involved in a physical altercation with three students in the school's girls' restroom. The following day, Benedict collapsed at home and was later pronounced dead at a local hospital.