Parents, community members urge board to address Manti High School culture

A group of parents and community members asked the South Sanpete School District board on March 11 to address what they described as a pattern of favoritism and poor treatment at Manti High School. The speaker said the concerns have been recurring for “the past 5 to 7 years” and urged the board and Superintendent Speyer to pursue transparent, fair remedies.

“The environment feels confusing, dismissive, deceitful, manipulative, and political at times,” the representative told the board, asking whether there is “a plan of action in place or in the works to resolve issues of favoritism, fund allocation, and treatment of students and staff.” The speaker clarified they were not asking for a leadership change but said the district must “hold each other accountable” to protect victims and ensure fairness.

Chair (unnamed in the transcript) responded that the public meeting is not the venue for resolving personnel characterizations or individual performance matters and invited the commenters to meet with board members or the superintendent to provide written details. The chair said elements requiring discussion of the character or competence of named individuals would be handled in closed session: “we would invite you and anybody else within your group to reach out to us,” the chair said.

The board asked the public group to provide a written list of specific concerns so the district can follow up outside the public meeting. The board did not take formal action on the allegations at the meeting; minutes show the chair moved the matter into closed session to consider personnel-related issues and later accepted new‑hire recommendations after reconvening.