An Arizona school board meeting erupted in outrage after a secretary’s crude comment about a teacher and a parent was caught on a hot mic.
Seligman school secretary Lisa McNutt was heard spitting out profanities as she drove home from the board meeting on April 14.
The meeting drew students and parents rallying behind longtime teacher Miarj Wallace, whose job was on the chopping block.
Although the meeting ended early, remarks made by McNutt during a phone call were picked up on a hot mic on the meeting line.
Using her phone due to an internet outage, McNutt believed the call had ended and began venting her frustration about the meeting.
'Everybody exit now, the meeting has been adjourned, get the f*** out of the boardroom,' McNutt was heard saying.
'I was ready to stand up and shove her a** out of the boardroom. She did not address the point. Nobody wants to take your class b****.'
Officials said that the private conversation involving McNutt's comments were protected under the First Amendment, AZFamily reported.
Seligman school secretary Lisa McNutt was heard spitting out profanities as she drove home from the board meeting on April 14 after believing that the meeting had ended
The meeting consisted of students and parents showing support for a longtime teacher, Miarj Wallace, who was set to have her job cut
More than 30 students showed up to show support and voice their comments over Wallace's firing, but in the end only one student was granted permission to speak for just three minutes
Despite the audio, which was shared on social media, parents and students who had attended the meeting were already shocked by the response from the board.
More than 30 students showed up to show support and voice their comments over Wallace's firing, but in the end only one student was given the floor for just three minutes.
'They said all they wanted to do was say a little something about why they wanted the agriculture class kept there,' Carol Johnson, a former district employee who attended the meeting, told AZFamily.
'They wanted to speak out,' Murray Johnson, also a former district employee, added. 'They wanted to be a voice, but that wasn't allowed.'
Wallace had created the agriculture department 16 years ago, but following a student survey the department and her job were set to be slashed. She told the outlet that she was instead to be offered a part-time administrative role.
The school district claimed that budget cuts and the student survey were reasons for the cuts, but Wallace said she was mostly disheartened that the students were silenced at the meeting.
'My heart really went out to them in that moment that they were trying to be brave, and were getting their voices kind of squashed in a sense,' she told AZFamily.
Donna Solberg, a former student whose children and grandchildren also attended the school, said that the students should have been able to have a chance to speak.
Soon after, audio from McNutt's phone call was leaked.
McNutt's phone had been used due to an internet outage and, having believed the call to have ended, began to vocalize her frustration on the meeting
'Maybe she doesn't have interaction with the kids at all, but if you're talking like that about a parent, I was in shock. I am totally in shock about what she had to say,' Solberg told the outlet.
'We teach our kids to have a voice. If you don't speak up, nobody knows how you feel. Our board took our students' voices that night.'
Solberg acknowledged that while cuts may be understandable, the current approach was not the right way to handle the situation.
'I just think there was a personal agenda here, and I support our superintendent 100 percent,' she continued.
'You want to make budget cuts? You need to make budget cuts. But when you take from one, you take from all. You can't pick and choose what you're taking from.'
Wallace agreed that cuts were necessary, but noted that five other teachers had recently resigned and said that agriculture is incredibly significant in the community.
'Ultimately, it's the students that matter,' she said. 'It's an issue that's affecting students. It's a program that does wonderful things for students in this community.'
Tasha Nez, a community member who attended the meeting, described the board meeting as 'disheartening' as the attendee's concerns were allegedly pushed aside.
Wallace agreed that cuts were necessary, but noted that five other teachers had recently resigned and said that agriculture is incredibly significant in the community
Wallace had created the agriculture department 16 years ago, but following a student survey the department and her job were set to be slashed. She told the outlet that she was to be offered a part-time administrative role instead
'It's disheartening when you attend a school board meeting for Seligman Antelopes High School... you see their conduct, facial expressions, and then using their condescending tone as if they are superior to the 50 people in the audience,' she wrote.
Nez said her daughter, who attends the school, was named in the meeting as star student of the month for her academic achievements 'only to be treated like c*** in the same meeting.'
According to Nez, McNutt 'threw her hands up at my daughter... in a threatening manner as if she was going to fight her.'
Another community member said, in support of Wallace: 'The school board needs new members, not members who have personal opinions on other people.
'Let me tell you as a ten plus resident of Seligman, I can say that Wallace was one of the only classes I heard kids getting excited to take beside [Physical Education] of course.'
'She has made a big impact on this school and the kids going to it... The decision to fire Dr Wallace will be one of the worst decisions this school has ever made,' they added.
Superintendent Wanda Burton said in a statement to the Daily Mail that the meeting 'abruptly' ended due to 'repeated audience interference that disrupted the discussion.'
'First, the District remains committed to transparency, respectful public engagement, and decision making that prioritizes students while promoting fiscal responsibility,' the statement said.
'Like many districts across Arizona and the United States, Seligman USD is experiencing a significant decline in student enrollment. The District ended the 2023–24 school year with approximately 215 students. By May 2025, enrollment declined to approximately 140 students due to families relocating, changes in guardianship, and other life circumstances. The District began the 2025–26 school year with approximately 138 students.
'These financial realities require difficult decisions. The agenda item under discussion was based solely on enrollment, student interest, and fiscal sustainability. It was not based on race, ethnicity, or the personal characteristics of any staff member.'
Regarding McNutt's comments, Burton said that the conversation was not part of the official board meeting and it 'reflects a private exchange made during travel home... It is not part of the official proceedings or decision making process of the Governing Board.
'Seligman Unified School District #40 remains dedicated to making thoughtful, student-centered decisions while addressing the financial challenges facing the District. We appreciate the community’s engagement and ask that all discussions remain respectful and grounded in accurate information.'
The Daily Mail reached out to Dr Miarj Wallace and Lisa McNutt for comment.