More teachers in trouble

LOS LUNAS, N.M. -- A teacher at a Los Lunas elementary school was not in class on Monday--she was in jail. Now, her classroom may have to be tested and treated for possible toxins left by the drugs.

Joanna Chavez, 37, was arrested after making a late night trip to her Valencia Elementary classroom, allegedly with methamphetamine in her purse.

A sheriff's deputy was doing a routine patrol here about midnight when he noticed two cars parked at the gate. One of those cars belonged to a man they know has a long criminal past.

The deputy watched as a woman came outside. That woman turned out to be first grade teacher Joanna Chavez. The deputy says her company immediately raised suspicion.

He quickly called district officials and got permission to search Chavez classroom.

Deputies say they found several baggies of methamphetamine in the teacher's purse.

Chavez was arrested and charged with possession and intent to distribute.

?It's very disturbing to the department and the investigating deputies,? says Valencia County Undersheriff Bill Martinez. ?This is?not normal behavior for a teacher at any stretch of the imagination.?

The Deputy Superintendent for the Los Lunas School District, Bill Moffet, says he can't say what if any action has been taken against Chavez at this point.

Moffet says it is a personnel issue that is being handled with an on-going and expeditious investigation. However he told News 13 ?lets just say she's not going to be in the classroom right now.?

Another story...

SANTA FE -- A former teaching intern has been sentenced to four years' probation for duct-taping a Santa Fe sixth-grader to a chair and taping his mouth.

Alice Yuen, 41, was sentenced yesterday by state District Judge Stephen Pfeffer in Santa Fe.

Pfeffer also prohibited her from teaching students below the tenth grade during her probationary period.

Yuen pleaded no contest to one count of child abuse last January 24th. The plea was part of a deal with prosecutors.

Yuen had been indicted last August on eight counts of child abuse and two counts of false imprisonment.

She was accused of duct-taping eight boys to their chairs and in some cases duct-taping their mouths last May at Chaparral Elementary School