Law Firm Sued Santa Fe Public Schools Over Redactions
A lawsuit challenges the school district's decision to redact an investigative report on audio surveillance cameras.
Updated on Sept. 30, 2026 in Administration
Live Poll
Do you believe school districts should disclose all internal investigation documents to the public?
The law firm Huffman & Monagle has filed a lawsuit against the Santa Fe Public Schools board in the First Judicial District Court. The legal action challenges the district's heavy redaction of an 87-page investigative report regarding audio surveillance.
Why it matters
The suit claims the district over-redacted the document to hide objective facts, while the district maintains the redactions were necessary to comply with state privacy laws. The outcome could set a precedent for how public records requests are handled in the district.
The district-commissioned report spans 87 pages and was finalized in January 2026. Officials cited three specific exceptions under the Inspection of Public Records Act to justify redactions related to personnel, health, and student privacy.
The players
Huffman & Monagle
This is the law firm representing the plaintiffs in the lawsuit against the school district.
Christine Griffin
She serves as the Superintendent of Santa Fe Public Schools and oversaw the initial administrative actions.
Mario Salbidrez
He is one of the two employees who was placed on paid leave and later fired from his position.
Mark Lewandowski
He is the second employee involved in the administrative leave and subsequent termination process.
Christopher Cappon
He is the investigator from Robert Caswell Investigations who authored the 87-page report.
The details
The controversy stems from an internal probe into audio surveillance cameras that resulted in the firing of employees Mario Salbidrez and Mark Lewandowski. The plaintiff is now asking the court to review an unredacted version of the report behind closed doors to determine if the district's secrecy was legally justified.
Timeline
September 17, 2025: Mario Salbidrez and Mark Lewandowski were placed on paid administrative leave.
October 2, 2025: Santa Fe Public Schools hired Robert Caswell Investigations.
January 5, 2026: The investigative report was finalized.
September 25, 2026: The lawsuit was filed in the First Judicial District Court.
Culture Shift
The litigation highlights a growing tension between institutional privacy claims and the public's right to transparency. The lawsuit uses the New Mexico Supreme Court ruling in Albuquerque Journal v. Board of Education to challenge the current redaction practices.
Residents may see increased scrutiny regarding how public funds are spent on external investigations and legal fees. The outcome of this case could determine whether future investigative findings within the school district are made fully available to the public.
The takeaway
This case illustrates the ongoing conflict between maintaining personnel privacy and ensuring government transparency. Citizens should monitor court updates to see if the judiciary will force the release of currently withheld documents.
Further reading
For more on how district oversight is managed, visit Administration.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Searchlight New Mexico.
Live Poll
Do you believe school districts should disclose all internal investigation documents to the public?
