Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey has launched an investigation into the Hazelwood School District following a brutal attack on a St. Louis teen. In a viral video, the teen’s head was bashed into the pavement by another student, leaving her in critical condition with a fractured skull.
Bailey expressed concern over the district’s adoption of a “Statement of Solidarity” in 2020, which led to the categorization and differential treatment of students based on race. Additionally, the district sought to recruit and promote staff based on race, as well as reevaluate its relationship with local police. These actions resulted in the removal of uniformed police officers from Hazelwood schools.
Notably, there were no school resource officers present at the scene of the attack. Bailey argues that the district’s prioritization of race-based policies over student safety is to blame for this absence. By doing so, he claims that Hazelwood endangered not only the victim but the entire school community.
Bailey’s investigation will determine whether the school district violated Missouri’s Human Rights Act, which guarantees residents the right to be free from discrimination and enjoy places of public accommodation. He has demanded the district provide records relating to bullying, anti-bullying and harassment, student violence, the decision to remove law enforcement from schools, and the district’s anti-discrimination policies and DEI action plan.
The attorney general believes that the promotion of DEI and the exclusion of uniformed law enforcement from campus in 2021 make the school partially responsible for the incident. Despite this, the district has failed to offer a substantive apology to the victim or her family, who are still grappling with the severity of her injuries.
Bailey has also called for the suspect in the violent attack to be tried as an adult and potentially charged with murder if the offense can be classified as such. The victim, named Kaylee, continues to fight for her life and has not regained consciousness since the incident.
The Hazelwood School District and Hazelwood East High School have yet to respond to requests for comment regarding the attorney general’s investigation. Bailey’s efforts aim to hold the district accountable for its actions and ensure that student safety remains the top priority, above any political or ideological agenda.
