A former Salt Lake City high school principal who asserted district administrators “pushed him out” of his job and was reprimanded this month by state education officials is now running for Salt Lake City school board.

Jared Wright, the former head of West High School, is challenging incumbent Ashley Anderson for the Precinct 3 seat, which covers parts of the Marmalade, Capitol Hill and Avenues neighborhoods. He currently serves as principal of Granger High School in the Granite School District.

The Utah Professional Practices Advisory Commission (UPPAC), which investigates allegations of educator misconduct, issued Wright a formal reprimand on Oct. 1, according to the public Educator Licensing Lookup website.

A reprimand typically signals a “serious violation” of Utah’s educator standards, though not severe enough to warrant suspending or revoking an educator’s license, according to the Utah State Board of Education.

Rather, it serves as a “flag” on an educator’s record and typically comes with requirements that educator must meet before it can be removed.

Reprimands can stem from “repeated” or “egregious” misconduct, including unprofessional communications, violations of standardized testing protocols, mismanagement of public funds or failure to make legally required reports.

State officials declined to release records about Wright’s reprimand, citing a 30-day period until documents could be released (Oct. 31). That could be extended should Wright appeal.

However, in a lengthy statement to The Salt Lake Tribune, which he also posted on his campaign website, Wright said it stemmed from an allegation that he “called a colleague an expletive” nine years ago and a more recent grade change the district alleged was “done improperly.”

He said he “followed district policy” and called the reprimand “baseless,” noting he’s still considering whether it “would be worth the legal fees to appeal it.”

The discipline follows a contentious history between Wright and the Salt Lake City School District.

In January 2025, Wright was placed on administrative leave for reasons the district did not publicly explain, prompting protests from West High students. He resigned about two weeks later.

That September, Wright testified before the Utah Legislature’s Rules Review and General Oversight Committee that district administrators pushed him out because he continued pressing for answers about a 2023 student stabbing.

District officials denied retaliating against Wright. The following month, Superintendent Elizabeth Grant testified before the same committee, accusing Wright of falsifying transcripts and engaging in unprofessional conduct with the school board.

She noted the district had filed a complaint against him with UPPAC.

State school board members and lawmakers have raised concerns in recent months over the fairness of UPPAC’s processes. The state school board is actively taking steps to revise those rules and processes.

The Salt Lake Tribune asked both Wright and Anderson why they were running for school board and what they hoped to accomplish if elected.

Wright told The Tribune he is running “to fight the very corruption that I and others have experienced.”

“I am proud of my work in the Salt Lake City School District,” he said. “I want to continue serving this community.”

Wright has 22 years of experience as a teacher, principal and parent in the Salt Lake School District, according to his campaign website.

“Our students deserve better,” his statement continued. “They deserve schools where their safety and well-being come first, where concerns are addressed rather than silenced, and where district leadership is held accountable.”

He added that he aims to “restore accountability, transparency, and trust, and to make sure students, not politics or personal agendas, are always the priority.”

Anderson wants a more ‘student-centered’ school district

Anderson has represented Precinct 3 since 2023, according to her campaign website. If reelected, it would mark her second term on the board.

She’s an artist and longtime arts educator, both in higher education and K-12 spaces.

She told The Tribune she hopes to continue making progress on “critical financial issues” if she’s elected to stay.

“Last year, the district lost $36 million property tax dollars which were diverted to development projects — the equivalent of the general operating cost for 54 elementary schools,” Anderson said. “I fought for the district to gain a second seat on the committees that make these decisions.”

That newly added negotiating power, she said, helped secure an agreement that she believes will save taxpayers “tens of millions of dollars” over 25 years.

In June, district officials warned that due to declining enrollment, more school closures are likely on the horizon. Anderson, who was on the board when it decided to close four elementary schools in 2024, said it’s time to downsize the district’s central office.

“It’s imperative that the central office shrinks for more flexible use of tax dollars that help keep neighborhood schools open,” Anderson said. “For our schools to be sustainable, more of my sitting board colleagues must join me in opposing district pet projects, so we can invest in reducing the student-to-teacher ratio, allowing smaller schools to operate.”

Overall, she hopes to lead the district into becoming more “student-centered.”

“I will use every day of a second term to work on retention of student-facing staff in the face of declining birth rates and revenue,” Anderson said.

Election Day is Nov. 3. Mail ballots must be dropped off at a ballot dropbox by 8 p.m. on that day or, if returned by mail, must be received by the county clerk by 8 p.m. on Election Day.

Correction • Oct. 22, 5:57 p.m.: This story has been updated to correct the timing of an allegation Jared Wright disclosed.