A Wyoming mother has won a case over a stalking petition brought by local school officials.

Two judges threw out civil cases against Kari Cochran, who was accused of stalking Sweetwater County School District No. 1. She had brought on the ire of those officials after she criticized their job performances at meetings and on social media.

One judge said that the free speech guarantees of the U.S. and Wyoming constitutions protected Cochran’s comments.

The Phoenix-based Goldwater Institute represented Cochran in court. They told The Center Square her situation is part of a nationwide trend of school districts trying to silence parents.

Kari Cochran ran for and won a seat on the county’s school board in 2022, where she advocated for changes according to the Goldwater Institute. She stepped down from the school board after her son’s suicide.

Back in 2023, Kari Cochran’s son, Joran Cochran, committed suicide shortly after graduating from Rock Springs High School.

His mother said that her son had to deal with verbal and physical harassment. It was alleged that as a freshman on the school’s wrestling team, he was sexually assaulted by a teammate.

Cochran would continue to advocate for changes to school board policies. Later, Kari Cochran attempted to obtain her son’s records, but school district officials denied her access.

She began attending school board meetings, where she made critical comments. This prompted the school board to implement a new public comment policy. So she continued her criticisms on social media.

Officials on the school board filed petitions for orders to stop her from allegedly stalking the district. They were attempting to invoke a Wyoming law that protects individuals from harassment.

A sheriff served her the two orders on Aug. 7.

But Circuit Court Judge Michael Greer said that public employees are “subjected to public scrutiny.” Greer added that the First Amendment and the Wyoming Constitution protected Kari Cochran’s speech.

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Gallery Credit: Glenn Woods

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