Father of Oxford High School shooting victim tells board to "shove" $500K settlement offer
The father of Hana St. Juliana, one of four students killed in the 2021 Oxford High School shooting, spoke before the school board on Tuesday after receiving a $500,000 settlement offer.
During public comment at an Oxford Community Schools meeting on Tuesday, Steve St. Juliana called the settlement "insulting" after receiving the offer via email from the district's attorney, Tim Mullins. According to St. Juliana, the offer was available until 8 a.m. on Wednesday, June 11, less than 24 hours after he received it.
"That's how little you value our children? How little the state value our children? Because they're on the hook just as much as you are," he said during the meeting. "I am not going to stop striving for the changes necessary to save our kids ... so you can shove your offer."
He also said that the way the offer was delivered was unacceptable.
A spokesperson for attorney Ven Johnson, who represents the victims' families, confirmed the $500,000 offer and said other parents were also offered the same amount.
The Board of Education issued the following statement on Wednesday:
"Last night, during the public comment portion of our board meeting, we heard from a father who tragically lost his child in the school shooting at Oxford High School that forever changed the lives of so many, most deeply the families whose children were taken. His words were powerful and heartbreaking.
"We understand that the letter from legal counsel caused additional pain. We are deeply sorry for the impact it had, especially on those already carrying profound grief. The Board was unaware of this specific correspondence. It does not reflect the depth of our compassion or the level of support these families deserve. We recognize that the approach felt impersonal and insufficient, and for that, we are deeply apologetic.
"The Board remains steadfast in our commitment to treating every family with dignity, compassion, and respect as we navigate these difficult legal proceedings."
Hana St. Juliana, Tate Myre, Madisyn Baldwin, and Justin Shilling were killed in the Nov. 30, 2021, shooting. Six other students and a teacher were injured.
The shooter, Ethan Crumbley, is serving a life sentence after her pleaded guilty in 2023 to multiple charges. He was 15 years old at the time of the shooting. His parents, James and Jennifer Crumbley, were convicted of four counts of involuntary manslaughter in 2024. The prosecutors argued that the parents should be held partially responsible for the students' deaths because they ignored signs of their son's mental health needs and purchased the gun that was used in the shooting.
The Crumbleys made history as the first parents to be convicted for a mass shooting committed by their children. They were given separate trials that included testimonies from school officials, law enforcement and other witnesses.
In the months after convictions, the Crumbleys filed appeals, claiming that they did not get a fair trial and accused the Oakland County Prosecutor's Office of offering secret agreements with two school officials who testified at their trials.
On Wednesday, Oakland County Circuit Court Judge Cheryl Matthews upheld the convictions, adding in her ruling that "Jennifer Crumbley received a trial and verdict worthy of confidence based on the cumulative effect of the significant evidence against her."
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