At a Tuesday meeting, the Park County School District 6 Board of Trustees unanimously voted to uphold the firing of a Cody High school teacher and coach. 

The board’s decision to terminate Sam Buck was in-line with the recommendation of district personnel and a hearing officer who presided over a rare public disciplinary hearing last fall.

Buck had requested that the hearing be public, contending that he’d been wrongly fired. However, after multiple days of testimony in October, hearing examiner Brian Hunter of the state Office of Administrative Hearings concluded that Buck had: 

• sexually harassed a student by making inappropriate comments about her clothing and appearance, and by rubbing her shoulders and violating her personal space;

• exchanged “an excessive number of personal text messages with female students on his personal phone, discussing topics unrelated to school or athletics”; 

• permitted students to visit his classroom for non-instructional purposes; and

• publicly posted photos of female students in sports bras and spandex.

In a decision issued earlier this month, Hunter said that Buck’s conduct violated the district’s policies and rules and provided “both factual and legal good cause for dismissal.” Following a roughly 40-minute executive session on Tuesday, the Cody school board voted to affirm Hunter’s findings.

In an interview with the Tribune following the fall hearing, Buck continued to maintain he was innocent of the allegations of sexual harassment and said his record showed he was an effective teacher and coach.

He said issues had to do with certain teachers and coaches not liking him and he defended his interactions with students, saying there was nothing sexual said and that it was simply his way of maintaining a good connection to students, both in the class and in athletics. For example, Buck said the images of the female students in sports bras and spandex was of an impromptu swim at a hot springs that followed a canceled basketball game; he said the footage included his own daughters and that he’d sent it to parents.

Buck also expressed frustration with the investigation into his conduct not being wide enough to hear from the many students he said would only have great things to say about him. 

In a pending suit against the Cody school district, a high school student who Buck was apparently accused of sexually harassing says she didn’t want an investigation and that the district did so “without regard for her safety or wellbeing.”

The teen, who’s being represented by attorney Mallory Riley of Moorcroft, also alleges the district disseminated private and confidential information about her and the investigation.

The school district has denied any liability and, in an early January filing in Park County District Court, its attorney asked for the suit to be dismissed on multiple grounds.

Sam Buck statement

After more than a year and a half on leave and under investigation, I was recently informed of my termination. While this outcome is not what my family or I hoped for, it was not entirely unexpected. From the beginning, the process felt predetermined — focused more on checking boxes and fitting a narrative than on seeking the full and actual truth. Without hesitation, we firmly believe the allegations against me are false and that the unfiltered truth will come to light in due time.

That belief is why I did not settle early on when given the opportunity. While that may have been the easier and wiser path in the short term, I chose instead to stand by the truth. It’s been difficult to have your name and reputation questioned, and I especially hate what this has put my family through. Still, what matters most to me are the people who truly know me and understand the situation — not those relying on distorted arguments or partial information. I rest well knowing the truth.

Right now, my focus is on taking care of my family and moving forward, including seeking new employment now that I am able to do so. Appropriate legal options will be pursued at the proper time, because accountability matters, but for now our priority is simply doing what is best for our family.

We have been overwhelmed and deeply grateful for the support we’ve received from the community — parents, students, players, colleagues, and even complete strangers. That support has meant more than we can adequately express, and we believe it speaks volumes.

I truly loved my time at Cody. I worked alongside incredible colleagues — from custodial and tech staff to teachers and coaches — and I was fortunate to work with amazing students, players, and parents. Not being able to interact with them daily has been one of the hardest parts of this experience.

Teaching and coaching have always been my passion. Over this time, I’ve questioned whether to continue or take a different path, but it’s hard to walk away from something you love — especially when it feels taken from you. I will continue to get back up and do my best to model how to handle life for my kids.

While this chapter has been incredibly difficult, we remain confident that the truth will ultimately prevail and that accountability will come in time.