Rock Springs Parents Blast School District Over Vulgar Wristband

Sweetwater County School District No. 1 leadership is under fire after parents and community members on social media accused a Rock Springs High School administrator of wearing an orange wristband that includes acronyms that stand for vulgar phrases. 

The wristband says: “Follow Policy + FAFO + GFY.” 

School Board member Josh Sorensen acknowledged the existence of the wristband at last week’s school board meeting but did not accuse anyone specifically of wearing it.

“I think a lot of times we have an elephant in the room and we don’t talk about it,” he said. “And I’m going to try today.

“Word came out about a wristband that was made that was discouraging to me. It was very offensive. It was mean. Absolutely the wrong way to lead.

“What we know is they exist. And that’s about it.”

A photo shared on the Rock Springs High School Facebook page posted on Aug. 15, 2024, shows a school official wearing an orange wristband, but no wording on the wristband is visible.  

A screenshot shared on a Facebook group page entitled Sweetwater No. 1 District Accountability page includes a blown-up image of the official’s bracelet and a caption claiming the school leader "walks around wearing a bracelet that says: ‘Follow Policy + FAFO + GFY.’”

District Acknowledges Wristband

Cowboy State Daily reached out to the school official being accused of wearing the bracelet, but no response came back by publication. CSD is not naming the administrator because specific claims have not been substantiated by the school district and could not be independently verified.

After addressing the existence of the wristband, Sorensen expressed concern over the reported use of “the ‘F’ word” in meetings throughout the district.

“I’m discouraged by hearing of the ‘F’ word being used a lot in our meetings around the district,” he said, adding, “We need to start treating people more fair.” 

School Board Chairman Cole Wright told Cowboy State Daily in an email that “the District does promote and expect professional atmospheres and communication between all staff, student, and parent relationships.”

Sweetwater County School District No. 1 Superintendent Joseph Libby said in an email to Cowboy State Daily that the district was “aware of an anonymous complaint and related public commentary regarding an orange bracelet that has been referenced at recent board meetings and on social media.”

But since the matter is directly related to personnel, he offered no specifics.

“At this time, the district is in the process of reviewing the matter and attempting to substantiate the claims that have been raised. As with any concern involving students or staff, we are committed to following established policies and procedures, gathering accurate information, and ensuring fairness to all individuals involved before drawing conclusions or taking any action,” he said.

“Because this review is ongoing, and because it involves personnel and student-related matters, it would not be appropriate to comment on specific allegations, individuals, or circulating images at this time. We also want to be careful not to speculate or respond to claims that have not yet been verified.”

A former school district employee who asked to remain anonymous called the district’s response to the allegations a “smoke show.”

“They know exactly who did it, and they’re trying to cover it up,” the former employee told Cowboy State Daily. 

Wyoming and federal laws require school districts to keep personnel and student information confidential.

'Not Leadership'

A written public comment received by the school board from Kari Cochran, a parent in the district, reads, in part: “What is happening in these posts should alarm every parent, educator, and community member. 

"The fact that a bracelet with phrases like 'Follow Policy + FAFO + GFY' is not only circulating but reportedly being worn by a school leader is deeply disturbing. 

"This is not humor. This is not leadership. This is a culture of intimidation, and it has absolutely no place in a school district responsible for the well-being of children and staff.”

The comment was not publicly addressed by the board but was posted in full on the YouTube recording of the board meeting. 

In his board meeting comments, Sorensen said, “I’m going to put an invitation out there, which is what we do with our students. If our students are to do something so bad we’d ask them to step up and do the right thing and make it right. So, I put that invitation out to whoever made those wristbands, to make it right. 

“Our request to everyone involved: Turn the temperature down. Make better decisions. And if you’ve done something wrong, make it right.”

At the meeting, all board members wore black T-shirts with white lettering that said, “I GOT YOU.”

In his email to Cowboy State Daily, Libby said, “the district continues to encourage respectful communication and a constructive tone in all district settings. We believe that maintaining professionalism and mutual respect is important as we work through challenging issues.

“We appreciate the community’s patience as we work to fully understand the situation.”

Kate Meadows can be reached at kate@cowboystatedaily.com.