I first heard of New Mexico's Los Lunas School District when a teacher named Darlene Goodman told me about her abuse at the hands of the local education mafia. She says she ran afoul of a derelict principal and a superintendent some compare to Hitler and was intimidated and accosted by the police. Up to this point, her story really isn't that remarkable in 21st century America. What makes her story is amazing is the fact that she was willing to talk about it. Goodman apparently has a strong sense of justice and wasn't willing to go out with head bowed down. She sent me a lot of information before her district hit her with a gag order. But Goodman isn't the only person with stories to tell. She's one of several teachers who are suing the school district, and it sounds like others have been abused as well. A parent recently filed a lawsuit after his child was shown a self-portrait taken by his teacher - who was allegedly naked from the waist down! Unlike Goodman, who was reportedly fired for sitting on the floor during a meeting in the library, this teacher was simply transferred to another school. There are also some interesting political connections. For example, Goodman said the attorney who represented the school district is also a state senator (Michael Sanchez). Los Lunas Schools Superintendent Danny Burnett is allegedly married to a former Assistant U.S. Attorney who was recruited as part of an antiterrorism task force before September 11. I've heard a number of reports about unsavory behavior on the part of Supt. Burnett and Principal Rex Henington. Together, they've been accused of verbally abusing teachers, engaging in psychological warfare, driving a reporter to tears and on and on. I've also uncovered a lot of corruption in the public school system in nearby Albuquerque. I've documented some of Los Loonies' crimes at http://www.geobop.com/Education/us/nm/ I haven't yet learned of any education activist organizations in New Mexico. Hopefully, publicizing Los Loonies will inspire a few people to take a stand. David Blomstrom