St. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. – A St. Johns County principal who was placed on administrative leave after a Fetty Wap lyric appeared in her school's yearbook is now suing the school district, and alleges that far more serious safety concerns were being ignored at the same time.
RELATED: Rapper Fetty Wap sends flowers to Trout Creek Academy principal after she was suspended over yearbook lyric
Katherine O'Connell, the former principal of Trout Creek Academy, filed a 32-page petition in the Seventh Judicial Circuit Court on June 16, 2026, seeking a writ of mandamus and a writ of prohibition against the St. Johns County School Board.
The lawsuit alleges O'Connell was denied basic due process before being suspended and told her contract would not be renewed.
But the lawsuit reveals something beyond the yearbook controversy that first made national headlines — a pattern of alleged violence at the school that O'Connell says she repeatedly warned the district about, to no avail.
O'Connell told News4JAX during a Zoom interview on June 4th that she was actively dealing with the aftermath of a serious incident at Trout Creek Academy, the same week the district called her in over the yearbook quote.
“Before I even got a chance to do that, I received a phone call to go to HR that afternoon,†O'Connell said. “And I was also dealing with a very serious incident that had happened the week before, because we had had a stabbing at our school the week before, which resulted in a kindergartener being life-flighted. So very serious things were all happening at the same time.â€
Her attorney, Jack Webb, provided additional detail during our June 4th phone interview.
“The child ultimately had to be life-flighted because he was stabbed in the neck with a pencil by another student,†Webb told News4JAX. “That's why we're demanding that the school board conduct an appropriate investigation of this whole matter.â€
The lawsuit states the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office major crimes unit was involved in the investigation of the incident.
News4JAX reached out to the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office regarding the May 13, 2026, incident.
“On May 13, 2026, SJSO responded to an altercation between two students during class,†the Sheriff's Office said in a statement. “One student struck another student with a pencil — causing a wound that appeared superficial.â€
News4JAX has requested the full incident report from the Sheriff's Office. We will update this story when that report is received.
The lawsuit alleges the safety concerns at Trout Creek Academy extended well beyond the May 13 incident.
According to the petition, one student stabbed others approximately six times over the course of the school year, had to be held in a separate classroom, and engaged in repeated violence toward teachers — including one who eventually filed a police report. The lawsuit also alleges the student had set fires at his home.
The suit states O'Connell's own interaction with a student in 2024 left her requiring knee surgery.
Despite O'Connell's repeated requests to have the student moved to the Evelyn Hamblen Center — a specialized facility — the lawsuit alleges the district refused.
Beyond the safety concerns, the lawsuit alleges a series of due process violations by the St. Johns County School Board.
According to the petition:
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O'Connell was told she would be immediately suspended if she brought her attorney to the district's HR investigatory interview on May 20, 2026
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She was placed on administrative leave the same day, with no specific charges provided
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Her request for a formal hearing was denied
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The district's own attorney told O'Connell's attorney the yearbook incident was “the last strawâ€Â in a broader pattern of concerns — concerns O'Connell says she was never formally notified of
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The superintendent publicly posted to the school's PTO social media page seeking input on a new principal before O'Connell was formally removed
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O'Connell's non-renewal was placed on the June 9 school board consent agenda despite board members being told it was not there
At the June 9 school board meeting, O'Connell addressed the board directly.
“I stand here before the board in utter disappointment and devastation,†she said. “Here I am — a 26-year dedicated, defamed, destroyed educator — over a quote I didn't even proof or approve.â€
O'Connell's Background
O'Connell has nearly 30 years of experience in education, including eight years as a principal, four as an assistant principal, and six in other administrative roles. She has been rated “highly effective†as a principal in St. Johns County for five consecutive years and was selected in 2024 to open the then brand-new Trout Creek Academy.
The lawsuit states O'Connell has been rejected for comparable positions at multiple surrounding counties since her suspension — positions that would allow her to remain in the Florida Retirement System. The district has asked her to submit a retirement or resignation letter by June 25 — before any formal board vote on her contract, which expires June 30, 2026.
The St. Johns County School District responded to News4JAX's questions with the following statement:
“The true facts will come out during the litigation process. Beyond that, we will not comment further on pending legal action.â€
News4JAX will continue to follow this case.
A GoFundMe established to help cover O'Connell's legal expenses has raised more than $3,000 as of the time of this report.
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