Feds open discrimination probe of Nex Benedict's school in Oklahoma

March 2 (UPI) -- Oklahoma's Owasso Public Schools is under federal investigation for potential discrimination related to the last month's death of non-binary 10th-grader Nex Benedict.

Nex died on Feb. 8, a day after being hospitalized in the wake of a bathroom fight with three classmates accused of bullying the teen over their gender identity. Nex was released with minor injuries, but was rushed back to the hospital the following day and later died, grabbing national headlines.

In a preliminary finding, police have said the injuries sustained during the fight were not the cause of death, however the investigation is continuing, including waiting on further medical testing.

The Department of Education on Friday notified the Human Rights Campaign that its Office for Civil Rights has opened an investigation into whether officials at the school district failed to "appropriately respond" to allegations of sex- and disability-based discrimination at the school.

The activists filed a complaint with the Department of Education in which they accuse school officials of inappropriately handling known sex-based harassment during the current school year, allegedly violating Title IX sex-based and Title II disability-based discrimination.

Because the school district receives federal funding, it is subject to regulation by the Department of Education, but the probe doesn't necessarily mean violations occurred, the agency said. Rather, it is meant to assess evidence and determine if it supports the contention that a violation had occurred.

"The district is cooperating with federal officials and believes the complaint submitted by HRC is not supported by facts and is without merit," Owasso Public Schools spokesman Brock Crawford said in a statement issued to media outlets.

Local police released bodycam footage of a Feb. 7 police interview with Benedict regarding the bathroom fight.