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Whitehall School District bars staging of play with suicide themes; public commenters demand clarity and accountability
Summary
At its Feb. 10 meeting the Whitehall School District board explained that, after consulting DPHHS and citing Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier, it would not host a student play addressing suicide but permitted students to attend the festival; parents and community members disputed the administration’s handling and raised questions about supervision, a staff resignation and a recorded meeting.
The Whitehall School District board on Feb. 10 defended its decision not to host a student production with suicide-related content, saying a consultation with the Department of Public Health and Human Services found the material unsuitable for a full-school presentation and citing the 1988 Supreme Court decision Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier as the legal basis for curricular authority.
District Attorney Bea Kaleva told the board that DPHHS guidance and legal precedent supported the district’s course of action and that the Montana Thespians Project in Missoula had procedures to support students confronted with triggering material. "It was determined that the play was not suitable for a school setting," Kaleva said, and the district allowed students to attend the Missoula production rather than stage it at Whitehall Schools.
That administrative explanation prompted extended public comment. Several parents and community members said the controversy centered less on the play’s content than on how the district handled the situation, particularly the departure of drama coach Elizabeth (Liz) Pullman.
"The drama coach was mistreated," said Mark Brown, who disputed claims that Pullman voluntarily resigned and asked the board to provide a resignation letter to clarify whether she was asked to leave. Pullman told the board she had recorded a follow-up meeting with Superintendent Hannah Nieskens and Principal Jason Slater. "I did," Pullman said when asked whether she had recorded the conversation.
Kaleva responded that recording a person without their knowledge can be a criminal offense. "Recording individuals without their knowledge was a violation of criminal law," she said; Pullman disagreed and said her rights under school board policies had been denied during the meeting that followed the Missoula trip.
The administration also said investigators found students had been unsupervised at times during the trip and that in one instance a student’s safety had been jeopardized. District officials said one extracurricular-term contract ended with the season and a staff member resigned rather than being terminated.
Several speakers urged the board to weigh student mental-health protections and community interests. Katie Chadwick said her own experience with suicidal thoughts made clear the importance of creating supportive spaces for students. Terri Chadwick recounted past experiences of bullying and abuse and urged the district to prioritize student support services.
Other participants defended Pullman. Tim Schober, who chaperoned the trip, said he had handed van keys to Pullman and that he witnessed her keep them securely; he told the board he and his daughter were not interviewed as part of any follow-up inquiry. Activities Director Jason Salvagni praised the students and commended the professionalism of school leaders.
The meeting also included criticism of the administration’s media engagement. Stevie Thieme objected to Superintendent Nieskens’s and Principal Slater’s appearance on a controversial radio program, saying it "misrepresents the administration’s stance" and urged the district to adopt policies limiting such media interactions.
Several speakers said factual inconsistencies in circulated letters and emails had made it difficult for parents to know what happened. Sharon Brown asked the district attorney to clarify the specific nature of allegations referenced in district communications; Kaleva summarized the administration’s account that students and a parent had reported unsupervised behavior and that administrators had discussed those concerns in a meeting with Pullman.
The board accepted written materials for the public record and did not take formal disciplinary action during the meeting. There was no vote on personnel matters and no change to district policy announced. The meeting adjourned after the public-comment period and routine business items were completed.
What happens next: the board said written statements could be submitted for the record; the district did not announce further public hearings or personnel actions at the meeting.
