St. Louis, Missouri – The Missouri Attorney General, Andrew Bailey, has launched an investigation into the Hazelwood School District after a teenage girl was brutally beaten by another student. Bailey expressed concerns about the school district’s diversity, equity, and inclusion programs and how they may have contributed to safety failures in the wake of the violent attack.
Bailey’s office emphasized that the investigation is focused on understanding the role of these programs and safety lapses in the incident. However, the Hazelwood School District has refused to cooperate with the investigation, claiming that Bailey’s allegations are inaccurate and filled with errors.
The school district’s attorney, Cindy Reeds Ownsby, accused Bailey of disrespecting public school administrators by sending misleading information and attempting to intimidate them. Ownsby defended the district’s actions, stating that the fight did not occur during school hours or on school property, questioning the relevance of Bailey’s investigation.
Bailey, on the other hand, criticized the school for prioritizing divisive racial ideologies over student safety. He cited Chapter 610, which requires public bodies to disclose relevant records, as the basis for his investigation. Despite the pushback from the school district, Bailey remains determined to uncover the truth behind the incident.
The investigation will also explore whether the school district violated Missouri’s Human Rights Act, which guarantees residents the right to be free from discrimination. Bailey and Ownsby continue to exchange arguments, with Bailey urging the district to comply with the law, while Ownsby promises to provide the requested records by a certain deadline.
As the investigation unfolds, the community awaits answers while the victim of the brutal attack, 16-year-old Kaylee Gains, has shown signs of improvement. She is now breathing on her own, out of the ICU, and in stable condition. The story continues to develop as the implications of the investigation become clearer.