Robert Gokey says he was kicked out of a middle-school basketball game after confronting a coach who, he alleges, refused to follow a directive from the athletic director to give his son at least two minutes of playing time.
The heated exchange ended with Gokey swearing at a referee, who Gokey says is also a planning-room teacher at the school, and being escorted from the gym.
He is apologetic about losing his temper but unapologetic about defending his child.
“I am a little ashamed of myself for losing my cool,” Gokey wrote in a lengthy post.
“In my defense, I am so sick of this school lying about doing things and not following through. I was kicked out of the basketball game tonight. Yes, I lost my cool and should not have sworn at the referee.”
He went on to say the referee “doesn’t care for my son” and that while people don’t have to like his child, they must “respect him.”
A Parent’s Concern!
At the heart of the dispute is a claim that the athletic director had told the coach to put Gokey’s son in the game for at least two minutes.
According to Gokey, the coach ignored that instruction, kept his son on the bench for the entire contest, and then, when the boy came to the sideline with his jersey in hand, the coach “took his jersey and laughed.”
Gokey says the moment visibly hurt his son and prompted him to seek answers from the coach after the game, an attempt to which he says he was prevented by the referee and then removed from the venue.
Gokey accepts responsibility for using profanity in the confrontation, “I called him a weird f***,” he wrote, and apologized “to any families or children that might have been offended.”
But he made clear he feels forced to speak out because, in his view, problems at the school keep getting ignored and “swept under the rug.”
The reaction from the community, posted alongside Gokey’s account, has been swift and largely supportive.
Norma Spaulding-Campos wrote: “He laughed at a kid? Totally wrong. Where is encouragement. A lot of kids only have this for an outlet! Show some compassion. I’m glad you stood up for him!”
Others urged escalation beyond the athletic director. “It’s ok we will be going higher than the director at this point!” a commenter wrote.
Gokey himself said he is “planning to meet with the superintendent,” though he expressed skepticism about whether it will produce meaningful change.
Several commenters also used the post to surface wider concerns about school culture and safety.
One parent, Jas Wilcox, described alleged incidents of bullying and racial harassment toward a student named Ryleigh, and said complaints to school administrators were minimized.
“Also, don’t ever be sorry for defending your kid. I don’t care who is around chances are everybody there has heard worse language and if he’s a weird fuck, then it just is what it is… that’s his problem! We’re entitled to our opinions,” she added.
Gokey’s post also raised alarm about a GoPro camera that was reportedly found hidden under a sink and was said to have recorded students using a single-stall restroom.
Gokey says the school secretary told him there was an investigation, but didn’t provide further details.
Those allegations, including racial harassment, an unauthorized recording device in a bathroom, and a teacher arrested for shoplifting, are serious and, if true, point to systemic issues that many parents say need to be addressed.
In the absence of public statements from school officials in the post, parents are left with frustration and a sense that accountability is lacking.
For parents and community members, the immediate concerns are straightforward: why was a directive from the athletic director not followed, why was a child allegedly humiliated on the sideline, and what policies are in place to protect students from bullying and privacy violations?
Gokey and others are calling for clear answers and for administrators to enforce rules fairly and transparently.
Gokey said he will pursue the matter with district leadership and keep the community informed.
Several parents said they will support him and want to know who to contact to raise their own complaints. Others urged patience but insisted on follow-through: “Once you figure out who to contact, please let me know,” one commenter wrote.
What happens next will hinge on what the district decides to investigate and whether school officials provide a public response.
For now, the episode has already done two things: it has highlighted a family’s anger and pain over an incident they say harmed a child, and it has rallied other parents who say they share similar concerns about discipline, safety, and staff oversight.
If the district seeks to repair trust, parents and administrators say, the steps are familiar: a prompt, transparent inquiry; clear communication about findings and remedial action; and concrete measures to protect students, both from mistreatment in court and from breaches of privacy.
Many parents also urged support for affected children. “Show some compassion,” one wrote. “A lot of kids only have this for an outlet.”
Robert Gokey’s post ends with a vow to push for accountability and a weary acknowledgement that doing so will be difficult.
“I’m at a loss for what to do, but something needs to change,” he wrote.
That sentiment, frustration mixed with the determination to act for children’s sake, is what has driven the reaction to the incident and will likely shape the community’s next moves as it seeks answers from the school system.
