OWASSO, Okla. — Wilson Bryan has a fourth grader in Owasso Public Schools. At nine years old, his daughter is already being picked on constantly by classmates.
“She has dealt with the bullying, people pick on her, make fun of her, want to say that she’s different," said Bryan. "That doesn’t give anybody the rights to bully anybody. When it comes to it, she feels like she’s being left out. She has no friends.”
2 News asked Bryan if he feels like the school protects his child.
“I don’t," he said. "I don’t. I don’t feel like any school protects any students when it comes to bullying.”
It's because of his family's experience that he's not surprised the district is being sued over allegedly ignoring numerous bullying reports from Nex Benedict — the Owasso high schooler who took their own life in February of 2024.
Local News
Nex Benedict's mom sues Owasso Public Schools for wrongful death, discrimination
"I’ve seen bullying first hand at her school," said Bryan. "I’ve seen bullying first hand from the school that I went to. I mean it doesn’t surprise me.”
OPS has refused numerous requests from 2 News Oklahoma to speak about Nex's situation and bullying district-wide. They've denied all requests.
2 News also reached out to the Benedict family's attorney, but did not hear back.
WATCH: 2 News breaks down the Benedict family's lawsuit.
Throughout the lawsuit, the family alleges that OPS refused to take Nex's reports of bullying seriously.
Nex's tragedy, not the only one to unfold at the district because of bullying.
In 2014, Noah Brown took his own life at just 15 years old after constantly being picked on. His family told us the continuous problems at the district can only be attributed to a culture problem.
“The bullying didn’t stop after he died," said Donnalynn Lanning, Noah's aunt. "That’s got to be the craziest thing out of all of this.”
WATCH: Owasso family details daughters bullying concerns ignored by the district.
Bryan said he's considered moving his child out of OPS, but with family close by, they have some security.
However, it would make him feel a lot safer if the district took accountability for their role in Nex's death.
“They need to own up to it, in my opinion," he said. "They need to actually look into it. They need to be responsible for the actions that were taken. It’s their fault that things weren’t stopped. If they can step forward and own up to the fact that they’re responsible to a certain degree… I think things could change, but in the way that it’s going right now, I don’t see things changing.”
The district refuses to comment on the lawsuit because they say they haven't been formally notified of any litigation.
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