Florida principal placed on leave over disputed Fetty Wap yearbook quote
A lyric from Fetty Wap’s hit “Trap Queen” appeared alongside the principal’s name, setting off a dispute that has drawn parents, educators and district officials into the controversy.
A Florida school principal is fighting for her career after a lyric from Fetty Wap’s 2015 hit “Trap Queen” appeared in her school’s yearbook with her name attached to it.
Katie O’Connell, principal of Trout Creek Academy in St. Johns County, was placed on paid administrative leave on May 20 following a school district allegation of “inappropriate conduct.” As theGrio has previously reported on Florida educators facing administrative consequences over school controversies, O’Connell’s case has drawn attention for the conflicting accounts surrounding how the Fetty Wap yearbook quote ended up in the publication. TheGrio has also covered cases where Florida teachers faced scrutiny over classroom incidents that sparked parental backlash. According to People, the first page of the yearbook featured a photo of Trout Creek Academy with the words: “Everybody hating, we just call them fans though! -Mrs. O’Connell.”
O’Connell denied writing or approving the quote. “I approved the yearbook twice on April 9, and so did my assistant principal, and that quote in that area was not even in the book,” she told Action News Jax. She also noted she is not typically called “Mrs. O’Connell,” going by “Miss O” at the school.
Her assistant principal, Samantha Sawruk, backed her up in an email obtained by Action News Jax. “Had the quote been there at the time of admin editing; it would have been corrected,” Sawruk wrote.
The yearbook teacher, Jodi Stobe, gave conflicting accounts. In one email, Stobe said the quote was not present when O’Connell proofread the book. But she separately told a district official that O’Connell had seen it and said, “Oh, my quote made it.”
O’Connell received a second letter from the district stating the administrative leave was “a move towards non-reappointment for the 2026-2027 school year,” and was also informed she is barred from school district property. Her attorney Jack Webb called the situation “a bunch of garbage.” “She’s getting thrown under the bus for something she was not responsible for,” Webb said.
Some parents told St. Johns Citizen the Fetty Wap yearbook quote may have been directed at families who had raised concerns about the school. Others worried about the broader effect on students. “If you start getting rid of the best of the best, who are we going to have to teach our children to be the best that they can be,” parent Chris Farlow said.
O’Connell said she has been harassed and received a threat she reported to the local sheriff. “I have an exemplary record. My school scores are amazing. I have 92% teacher retention. I have five straight years of being highly effective in St. Johns County schools,” she said. “There’s no reason to throw away someone’s career or to hurt a family like this.”