A Florida principal who was placed on leave over a song lyric attributed to her in the school yearbook says she never approved of nor had any input in the quote’s inclusion. 

Katie O’Connell, principal of Trout Creek Academy in St. Johns County was placed on leave on May 20 after a page in the yearbook dedicated to her featured a song lyric by the rapper Fetty Wap, according to Action News Jax.

The controversial quote in question comes from the rapper’s 2015 release ‘Trap Queen’ and was featured on the first page of the book. 

The Trout Creek Academy yearbook page read, “Everybody hating, we just call them fans though! – Mrs. O’Connell.”

The song itself contains a multitude of references to drug dealing and strip clubs, leading some angered parents to question whether it was an appropriate choice for a school yearbook display.

The controversy however centers around whether O’Connell selected and approved the quote or whether it was compiled later in the production process.

O’Connell maintained that she had no involvement in the selection of the quote, according to the news outlet. 

The principal claimed she wasn’t even aware of the quote’s existence until someone sent her screenshots from Facebook.

Principal Katie O’Connell  was placed on leave after allegedly adding an inappropriate song lyric to her section in the schools yearbook

The yearbook page that provoked mass controversy online

The quote comes from rapper Fetty Wap’s 2015 release ‘Trap Queen’ showcasing slang which has been negatively associated with women supporting positions in the drug trade

“There were certain parents that went straight to the district, or straight to the news, or straight to Facebook. None of them even called me. I received zero phone calls, or emails, or any questions about the yearbook,’ O’Connell said to Action News Jax. 

“All I needed was the time or the opportunity to have fixed an error that was made, and it wasn’t made by me.” She declared.

Two days after O’Connell received her May 20 administrative leave letter, she received a second letter declaring that “this action is being taken as we move towards a non-reappointment for the 2026-2027 school year.”

One colleague rushed to the principal’s defense. 

‘The quote on the first page, which was present after printing, “Everybody hatin’, we just call them fans though” was not there during the proofreading done on April 9th,’ assistant principal Samantha Sawruk wrote in an email obtained by ANJ. 

‘This is not how Ms. O’Connell signs her name, she always uses, “Ms. O” as is evident in her weekly communications with families and messages/posters around the school. Had the quote been there at the time of admin editing; it would have been corrected,’ Sawruk wrote. 

O’Conell rebuttals any claims of her involvement in the incident despite fellow colleagues disbelief that she hadn’t seen the quote at all before distribution

Yearbook Teacher Jodi Stobe wrote a similar email of support, but also gave a conflicting statement to the school district, according to documents obtained by the news outlet. 

During an interview with the ESE Coordinator of Special Programs, when asked if O’Connell ever saw the quote before Stobe handed the books out, Stobe said ‘Yes. Ms. O’Connell said, “Oh, my quote made it.”‘

In a statement to Jax action News, the principal’s attorney Jack Webb called the incident “a bunch of garbage”.

“She’s getting thrown under the bus for something she was not responsible for,” Webb declared.

The Daily Mail has reached out to O’Connell for comment. 

O’Connell has claimed she has been harassed over the controversy and was sent a threat that she reported to the local sheriff.

O’Connell told Action News Jax that she has no qualms about continuing her line of work in education but not at Trout Creek Academy.

 “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.”

“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 told St. Johns Citizen.