After an incident during a field trip to Bridger Bowl on Friday, Manhattan Middle School Principal Mary Fulp will not be on campus for the foreseeable future.
In an email to the Chronicle, Manhattan School District Superintendent Brian Ayers said the district is still working to fully understand the circumstances surrounding the episode.
“It appears she experienced a significant medical issue that led to behavior that was concerning to students,” Ayers said. “Ms. Fulp was promptly removed from the area by local authorities and is currently receiving care.”
During the field trip to Bridger Bowl, Fulp went live on Facebook from inside a single stall bathroom. She whispers to the camera that she hears people coming closer and “this is so much fun.”
Fulp, in her second school year at Manhattan, then yells to the person on the other side of the door, “You found me, go scream it as loud as you can all over the mountain, please, please, please, everyone who knows Jesus start screaming and acting crazy. The world is watching.”
She then says the “lawyers are watching” and is heard gagging and seemingly vomiting off camera.
Someone on the other side of the door is heard asking if Fulp is OK and knocking repeatedly. Fulp does not respond but flips the camera and films herself waving and dancing in the mirror while whispering “Jesus” repeatedly.
The nine-minute live stream ends with Fulp sitting on the floor and removing her shoes.
In an email sent to parents after the incident, Ayers emphasized that while students were never in physical danger, Fulp’s conduct “around and toward” them caused fear and concern. In his email to the Chronicle, Ayers added that support services were made available for the middle schoolers when they returned to class Monday.
“We also encouraged students not to spread rumors and to continue supporting one another,” Ayers said. “Counselors, along with therapy dogs, were available throughout the day, and overall reports from staff indicate that students are doing well.”
Before coming to Manhattan, Fulp was the principal of Colony High School in Palmer, Alaska. She was Alaska’s Principal of the Year in 2022, but in 2023 she was involuntarily committed after her family members reported concerns over a social media video she posted detailing a religious experience, according to the Alaska Beacon.
This led to Fulp being detained for a psychiatric evaluation for three days, during which she was reportedly medicated against her will.
The detention was later determined to be unlawful because the court order used by Alaska State Troopers to justify the seizure had never been signed or issued by a judge. According to the Beacon, the Alaska Department of Public Safety later issued a public apology, admitting that troopers failed to verify the document’s authenticity before taking Fulp into custody.
While Fulp is not on campus currently, Ayers said he could not disclose additional information due to confidentiality requirements about personnel matters. The next Manhattan District School Board meeting is scheduled for April 14, and Ayers said there are no plans in place to discuss the incident as a specific agenda item.