More than 200 West High School students walked out of class early Friday to protest the unexplained decision to place Principal Jared Wright on administrative leave.
“We want Wright!” the students chanted.
Wright was put on leave Jan. 10, Salt Lake City School District officials confirmed Friday. However, the district is not commenting as to why the decision was made.
“[Wright] is a really beloved member of our community,” said Asher Lucas, the school’s student body president, on Friday. “We just want to show our support and love for him, because he’s done such a great job as our principal and he cares about all of our students.”
(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) West High School principal Jared Wright gives a tour of the school’s aging infrastructure on Tuesday, July 23, 2024. Wright was placed on administrative leave without explanation on Friday, Jan. 10, 2025.
Lucas said students are “confused” and a “sense of fear” has gripped the school since Wright left.
“No one knows what’s going on, and this is [amid] a school safety crisis at our school,” Lucas said, referring to a November shooting that left a 15-year-old boy injured in the high school parking lot.
“The school feels like a prison because of the metal detectors,” Lucas added. “It’s been a big conversation for quite a while, and Dr. Wright has been a big advocate to help increase our school safety, but it’s just a scary time for students at West.”
District officials said in a news release Friday afternoon that Wright’s leave has nothing to do with school safety concerns.
“While we cannot discuss details surrounding personnel matters, we want to dispel any misinformation related to this topic and state clearly that the two are unrelated,” the statement read.
(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) West High students stage a walkout in support of Principal Jared Wright, who was recently placed on administrative leave without explanation, Friday, Jan. 17, 2025.
“Our employees have a right to due process,” Yándary Chatwin, a spokesperson for the district, said Friday. “They have a right to be treated fairly and to have their privacy protected.”
While the district is conducting an internal investigation, Chatwin clarified that law enforcement is not involved.
Local parent and West High alum Catherine Garff started a Change.org petition, calling on the district to reinstate Wright.
As of Friday afternoon it had amassed more than 1,000 signatures.
“I’m tired of the Salt Lake City School District thinking they know what is best for our children more than the parents do,” the petition states. “I’m tired of the district putting themselves and their endless need for power and authority above the needs and desires of our students and our community.
Assistant Principal Wayne Culley is currently serving as acting principal in Wright’s absence, Chatwin said.
Wright became principal of West High in 2020 after the school’s previous principal, Ford White, was fired for driving two intoxicated students home.
(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) West High students stage a walkout in support of Principal Jared Wright, who was recently placed on administrative leave without explanation, Friday, Jan. 17, 2025.
Students walked out in protest when White was placed on leave as well. Following an investigation, the district determined he had broke policy in driving two female students home after they were found intoxicated on school grounds. According to district safety rules, he was supposed to call police instead.
Wright’s sudden leave comes as West High gears up for a near total renovation. In November, voters passed the Salt Lake City School District’s $730 million bond proposal, securing funding for what officials have called much-needed upgrades for West and Highland high schools.
Construction is not expected to begin until spring 2026 at the earliest, and design plans for the interior and exterior of the buildings are still being developed.
Chatwin said that it’s unlikely that any additional details about Wright’s administrative leave will be shared once the investigation is complete.