MANHATTAN — Mary Fulp resigned as Manhattan Middle School principal on Friday, one week after a medical incident led to her exhibiting erratic behavior during a school field trip to Bridger Bowl.
In a statement on Facebook, Fulp thanked and praised the Manhattan District School board and the community.
“I am especially grateful to have been surrounded by leaders who not only speak about faith and values, but who live them out daily with authenticity and integrity,” Fulp wrote. “I believe wholeheartedly that God is at work in this community, and I feel incredibly blessed to have been part of His story.”
Fulp wrote that “with clarity and humility,” she is stepping away from the demands of public education to continue her “healing journey.”
In her resignation, Fulp did not provide specifics on the field trip incident that sparked concern among students and families last week. During the outing at Bridger Bowl, Fulp was removed by authorities after what Superintendent Brian Ayers described as a “behavior that was concerning to students.”
While locked in a single-stall bathroom, Fulp filmed a live video where she repeatedly mentioned Jesus and told someone outside the door that “the world is watching.” She also compared herself to Anne Frank hiding from Nazis, and was heard gagging and seemingly vomiting off-camera. After dancing in front of the mirror, she sat on the bathroom floor and stopped the stream.
In an email to the Chronicle, Ayers said Jeff Blessum, former superintendent at Anderson School in Bozeman and a former interim superintendent in Manhattan, will be recommended to the school board to serve as interim Manhattan Middle School principal for the remainder of the 2025-26 school year. Fulp also thanked Blessum in her resignation post.
“Jeff Blessum was the one who first saw something in me and helped point me toward this opportunity, passing the torch to me at a pivotal time in my journey,” Fulp wrote. “It is incredibly meaningful to now pass that torch back to him at a time of vulnerability in my personal life.”
In a subsequent Facebook post, Fulp posted a picture of herself from the day of the field trip — writing that, “It was the best day ever until it wasn’t.” She added that she plans to share her experience on Easter Sunday.