ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. — Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey announced Friday he has launched an investigation into the Hazelwood School District following a viral fight that left one teenage student critically injured and another charged in her assault.
Note: The above-related video was originally broadcast on March 21, 2024.
Bailey accused the school district of putting "race-based policies" over student safety, a claim the school district denies.
In a letter to the district's superintendent, Dr. Nettie Collins-Hart, Bailey said:
“I am disturbed that it appears Hazelwood School District ('HSD') has ignored long-standing Missouri law and elevated political narrative above student safety. In 2020, the HSD Board of Education adopted a ‘Statement of Solidarity’ compelling the district to, among other things: categorize and treat students differently based on race; ‘recruit, hire and promote’ staff based on race; and ‘reevaluate’ the district’s relationship with local police. Beginning with the 2021 school year, after unsuccessfully trying to subject its school resource officers ('SROs’) to the district’s diversity, equity and inclusion programming, Hazelwood removed uniformed police officers from its schools. To date, SROs are still not present in Hazelwood East schools."
“Two weeks ago, on March 11, 2024, during the middle of the school day, a Hazelwood East High School student, Kaylee Gain, was viciously assaulted on a street near school property by another student. As of this writing, Ms. Gain remains in critical condition in a St. Louis area hospital. Notably, during the attack on Ms. Gain, which was captured on video by other students, not a single school resource officer was on the scene to protect Ms. Gain or restore order. The absence of SROs on the scene is directly attributable to Hazelwood’s insistence on prioritizing race-based policies over basic student safety. By its actions, HSD has endangered not only Ms. Gain, but the general school community writ large.”
According to a press release, the investigation will examine how the district's diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs could have contributed to the incident.
“The entire community deserves answers on how Hazelwood’s radical DEI programs resulted in such despicable safety failures that have resulted in a student fighting for her life. There must be accountability,” Bailey said in the letter.
He also cited the Missouri Human Rights Act (MHRA), which grants each Missourian the right to "be free from discrimination and full enjoyment of places of public accommodation."
The act also allows the state AG to enforce authority where he has "reasonable cause to believe a violation of the act has occurred implicating a matter of public importance.”
Gains was critically injured and hospitalized following a fight that unfolded on March 8 at the intersection of Norgate and Claudine drives near campus, according to the St. Louis County Police Department.
The department said a 15-year-old suspect was arrested and is currently being held by St. Louis County Family Court on assault charges. The identity of the suspect will not be disclosed because they are a minor.
The incident, captured in a harrowing video that has since gone viral on social media, underscored teen violence in the area. Bailey renewed his call for stricter punishments for children in juvenile custody.
"What we see in the video is an attacker assailing a victim with the intent to cause serious physical injury. The attacker continues to bludgeon the victims' head against the hard pavement after the attacker has rendered the victim incapable of fighting back and had the opportunity to disengage from the fights," Bailey said.
There will likely be a court hearing within the next few weeks to decide if the juvenile will be tried as an adult.
"There is no discretion that the court has to hold a certification hearing when you have teens who should know better who do know better and they're committing adult crimes. There needs to be adult punishments," Bailey said.
But the attorney for that suspect told 5 On Your Side that Bailey and others calling for a swift judgment, don't know all of the facts in the case.
A spokesperson with the Hazelwood School District provided the following statement in response to the AG's investigation:
"The Hazelwood School District takes great pride in its commitment to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) within the Hazelwood School District community. DEI is a core value that guides our efforts to create a safe and supportive learning environment for all students. By embracing diversity and promoting equity and inclusion, we are better able to prepare our students for success in an increasingly diverse and interconnected world. Contrary to recent statements, HSD does not prioritize DEI initiatives at the expense of student safety. Rather, we believe that fostering an inclusive environment is essential to ensuring the well-being of every member of our school community. Our priority remains the safety and well-being of our students. We reaffirm our unwavering commitment to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion within the Hazelwood School District. These values are not negotiable, and we will continue to prioritize them in all aspects of our work as community leaders."