Oxford schools will not investigate shooting until lawsuits are over
Oxford schools said on Tuesday they will not be conducting an investigation into the November shooting at Oxford High School until legal actions are complete. And when they do, investigators will be from a third party and not from the state attorney general’s office.
“The review of the tragedy and associated events of November 2021 will not occur until the criminal and civil litigations are complete,” said Tom Donnelly, president of the Oxford school board. “All the facts have to come to come to the surface, then we can do a third party review.”
Ven Johnson, who is representing several families in a lawsuit against the district, held a news conference on Wednesday and voiced his displeasure with the decision.
“The translation is: We are not going to do one at all and if we do do one, it’ll be in three to five years from now,” said Johnson. “The victims have been victimized again.”
The board announced it is looking at companies that would conduct the future investigation. The decision to delay an investigation did not sit well with Buck Myre, father of Tate Myre, who was among four students killed during the shooting last fall.
To me this is an admission of guilt,” he said. “They know that things did not go right that day and they don’t want to stand up and fix it. This is horrible leadership.”
Oxford parent Megan Gregory added, “I have four more kids that have to come through this district and it doesn’t feel good. We want answers. We want the truth.”
On Tuesday, the board received an update from Secure Education Consultants (SEC), hired by the district in December 2021 to explore security solutions and conduct a safety review at all district buildings.
“We have increased security on every level down to the elementary school,” Jason Russell, president of SEC, told the board. “I have assessed hundreds of districts across the country and I can tell you that this district is in the top of the districts I have assessed.”
Donnelly announced that Superintendent Ken Weaver will create a three-year recovery plan this summer that will be implemented by the start of the 2022-23 school year. The plan will be reviewed by a board approved third party before going into effect.
Dana Nessel, state attorney general, sent a letter to the Oxford school board last month requesting additional transparency and renewing her offer to open an independent investigation of the shooting last fall.
On Wednesday, she responded to the board’s second rejection of her offer:
“My goal is not to assign blame but to help identify ways to improve school safety for Oxford and all schools in Michigan. The school board’s unwillingness to partner with my department on this effort flies in the face of transparency. The rejection sends a message that the board is more focused on limiting liability than responding to the loud outcry from the Oxford community to deliver greater peace of mind to the students, parents and educators that lived through this traumatic event.”
Johnson was not swayed by what came out of Tuesday’s school board meeting.
“To suggest that having her (Nessel) and her office do an investigation would somehow compromise anything, to me, is an absolute lie,” he said.
On Thursday, the Michigan Education Association (MEA) called on legislators in the state House to take action on two bills that would provide relief from state requirements for days and hours, testing and evaluation for Oxford schools.
The two bills, 940 and 941, have already passed the Senate.
“The Senate took those recommendations to heart, but the House has yet to act on these critical bills over the past six weeks,” said MEA President Paula Herbart. “Time is running out.”
Oakland County Judge Kwame Rowe has set a tentative trial date of September 6 for alleged shooter Ethan Crumbley.
Crumbley has been charged with 24 counts, including murder and terrorism after allegedly shooting and killing four teens at Oxford High School on Nov. 30, 2021.
Myre summed up what he and other families in the community want.
“At the end of the day ‘Oxford Strong’ means, let’s take a look at this, let’s figure out what went wrong and let’s change it,” he said. “Because being accountable is being strong.”