Mustang Schools Superintendent Addresses Suicide, Cyberbullying

Editor's Note: Typically, News 9 does not report on suicides. However, the Mustang community has been deeply affected by these events. Students and parents have reached out to us with concerns, and we want to show you the efforts the district is making to find solutions.

Mustang Public Schools addressed suicide incidents involving two high school students.

In a school board meeting Monday night, Superintendent Charles Bradley confirmed one student attempted suicide and another one died by suicide on January 31. During the meeting, Bradley said more needs to be done to support students and stop cyberbullying.

“It's important to know, were we prepared for this?” Bradley said. “We are not perfect, we’re human, we’re going to make mistakes, we’re going to learn from them, we’re going to do better.”

The superintendent spoke candidly about the recent tragedies including the death of Jot Turner and the attempted suicide of another student. Bradley said he spoke to both families before the meeting.

“What they expressed to me is this desire to not let the story end there, that there has to be something that comes from this,” he said.

Including awareness to prevent these tragedies going forward.

“Mental health must be addressed it must be dealt with, it is part of every day,” Bradley said. 

Bradley says the district has a mental health team of six licensed professional counselors and one recreational therapist that has been in place for at least two years. However, when it comes to cyberbullying, he said the district has little control.

“Law enforcement is the only one that can get involved but a crime has to be committed for law enforcement to do that so there is no control from the school to social media,” Bradley said. “Our most powerful weapon is suspension, guess what, in this case with Jot and social media, the main ones were either not Mustang students or already on suspension so the harshest weapon we have would have done nothing to them.”

This is why Bradley says he is in discussions with the Oklahoma Attorney General’s office and lawmakers.

“There's nothing the law can do because there’s nothing for them to act on, that's what has to change,” Bradley said. “There has to be some laws put into place to give law enforcement the ability to stop this and make people accountable.”

Other measures planned by the district include more staff training and creating student committees to give students a bigger voice on campus.