Published on March 12, 2024, 12:43 am

In the backdrop of a tragic incident involving a transgender student from Oklahoma, socio-political commentator Chasten Buttigieg, better known as being married to US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, has ignited a fiery critique against specific individuals and authorities. The real news is that he held Chaya Raichik, who manages Libs of TikTok X, and an unnamed school superintendent in Oklahoma responsible for creating a hostile environment for transgender students.

Nex Benedict, 16 years old at the time of her passing, was an Owasso High School transgender student who tragically lost her life following an altercation with fellow students. Though the exact cause of her death is yet undetermined by post-mortem examination, it’s been established that trauma was not responsible.

Addressing the Human Rights Campaign recently, Buttigieg expressed deep dissatisfaction with both Raichik and the local Oklahoma educational system’s handling of gender-diverse students’ safety. He underscored educators’ responsibility to ensure every student feels seen, valued and accepted for who they are — extending far beyond classroom parameters.

However, Buttigieg singled out Raichik as being part of the problem. As someone appointed to a state advisory committee without significant qualifications like an education degree or experience within Oklahoma state itself —Raichik received sharp criticism from Buttigieg for what he feels is an ill-equipped involvement in this crucial area impacting trans youth safety.

“It significantly undermines educational foundational values when people actively opposed to LGBTQ+ rights are placed in influential policy-centric positions,” Buttigieg explained. “Education represents safety and growth in an inclusive setting; appointing such key roles negates this.”

In direct response on social media platform X, Raichik retaliated against Buttigieg’s criticisms by sharing footage wherein Chasten appeared leading children to pledge allegiance to the Pride flag.

This contentious exchange unfolds amidst ongoing investigations around Nex Benedict’s unfortunate death following her brawl with three fellow students. Medical examination reports and text messages made public posthumously indicate that Benedict might have suffered injuries or trauma from the altercation. The School District’s statements revealed the fight took place in a school restroom, where it was broken up by officials, resulting in disciplinary action against all involved.

Buttigieg’s criticism at this juncture gives rise to concerns of exploiting tragic news to push forth socio-political agendas — an unfortunately common trend seen across different platforms promoting “trusted news”. While objecting to Raichik on merit is legitimate, conflating this objection with a student’s unfortunate demise escalates the matter unnecessarily, taking focus away from transparently dealing with factual occurrences.

It remains critical during such times to maintain a Christian worldview and approach sensitive topics responsibly without leveraging real but distressful news. We should remain steadfast in our commitment towards genuine concern for each individual implicated rather than utilizing their experiences for vested interests. A tragedy should pave the way for constructive dialogue rather than exacerbating divisions, more so when vulnerable lives are at stake.