SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) – The Brookings community is speaking up in support of the recently fired high school principal.
Justin Stanley was hired as assistant principal in 2021 and became the head principal in 2024; he was fired at the end of June.
At a recent school board meeting, students and parents shared their support for Stanley and frustration with the school board.
“I would not have graduated if it was not for Justin Stanley,” Layla Blumke told the board.
Stanley was terminated after a 5-0 vote at a June 27 special school board session. In a letter to the public, published by the Brookings Register, Stanley calls his departure “sudden” and said he was not given due process.
“This was not a professional process. It lacked transparency, fairness and the mutual respect that public educators deserve,” he said.
In his letter, Stanley said he was told on June 23 to resign or be terminated in four days. He says he was let go because of incomplete teacher evaluations, which he said were due to “extenuating circumstances.”
“I can say this: I conducted myself with integrity, high character, respect and within professional and legal boundaries,” he said.
KELOLAND News reached out to Brookings School Board President Deb DeBates on Monday, who said board members are not legally allowed to discuss the situation.
“We’re not allowed by law to talk about personnel matters, that is to be kept confidential,” she said.
During a July 14 school board meeting, nearly 30 minutes of public comments consisted of students and parents speaking up in support for Stanley.
“Justin has made lots of connections with the students, has made a huge impact on the school, so you have upset a ton of parents in the school district. A lot of parents are talking about pulling their kids out,” parent Nichole Wiehr said.
“He believed in me, he understood my situation and helped me find ways to improve and connected with me in a meaningful way,” former student Malachi Ramsey said in a letter read aloud to the board. Ramsey was not present for the meeting. “The programs that were provided helped me graduate. I owe him everything. He is someone that doesn’t give up on students. With that being said, the way this situation was handled was upright disrespectful and unprofessional toward Mr. Stanley.”
Stanley said he will be taking legal action.
“I now have no choice but to pursue legal remedies to address what I believe to be a serious mishandling of the process and a violation of my rights under the law,” he said in his letter.
Assistant Principal Zach Thomas will take over the role in an interim position for the 2025 school year. Before Stanley, Heather Miller-Cink was principal for one year in 2023-24. She replaced longtime principal Paul Von Fischer, who left to become the Estelline Superintendent.
Thomas will make the fourth principal at Brookings High School in four years.
In Stanley’s letter, he criticized the district for its leadership and inability to retain a principal.
“This pattern raises understandable concerns about leadership stability and long-term vision for the school,” he said.
DeBates says four principals in four years as a sign of a poor school is misleading.
“One left for a better position because he went from a principal to a superintendent and the other resigned,” DeBates said. “It wasn’t a good fit for her.”
The first day of school for the Brookings School District is August 21.
