LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – After meeting with the parents of the four students killed in the November 2021 Oxford High School shooting, the Michigan Board of Education voted to implore lawmakers to require and fund a comprehensive independent review of the shooting.
In addition, the Board voted to request that Legislature continue previously approved funding for children’s mental health and school safety recurring in the next fiscal budget. Part of that request includes adding suicide and threat assessments to every school emergency operation plan and make threat assessment training available in a “train the trainer” model for all school districts.
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“Parents of Oxford students who died in this terrible tragedy have made it clear they want an independent state review of the shooting and events before and after,” said State Board of Education President Dr. Pamela Pugh. “We owe it to the parents to do what we can to have the mass shooting thoroughly reviewed so that schools can learn from what happened and Oxford parents can get more answers.”
In addition, the resolution addresses the 2023 mass shooting at Michigan State University. Dr. Michael Rice said “more needs to be done” when it comes to security and safety of Michigan’s schools.
“Large increases in funding for school safety and children’s mental health, more than 1,000 additional helping professionals in schools across the state, new gun safety laws, and increased attention to children’s mental health make for safer and healthier schools for students and staff,” said Dr. Rice. “That said, more needs to be done, and the state board’s resolution is in the spirit of continuing to improve the safety and security of our schools.”
The investigation into the Oxford High School shooting is just a starting place. The Board voted to urge the legislature to mandate a full and funded independent investigation by a team of state agencies whenever a student or students have died as a result of a safety-related event.
Oxford High School shooter Ethan Crumbley pleaded guilty to four counts of murder and received a life sentence without parole in December 2023. His parents, James and Jennifer Crumbley, each received 10-15 years in prison for involuntary manslaughter charges which stemmed from their roles in the shooting. Prosecutors alleged, and two separate juries agreed, that the parents were negligent in providing support and mental health support for their son prior to the shooting. They also purchased the gun for him that he used to carry out the shooting.
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