My school digs FIRST. Heck, they even gave it a subdomain:
http://palmettofirst.engr.sc.edu/
(Now if only that correlated with a reduction in schoolwork this week!
)
As for Irmo, back in the dark ages when I was there (irony alert!), I think there was a perception among students that robotics tended to draw the Honors/AP/IB (now) kids. And there is some truth to the statement--there's lots of them there--but it's by no means a prerequisite.
On the administration side, I'm yet to hear a bad thing about FIRST. (I recall my graduation day, I was speaking with the district superintendent on my way into the Coliseum. He's definitely pro-FIRST.)