Native charter school announces departure of athletics director following arrest

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The Native American Community Academy in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Photo by Indianz.Com (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)

Monday, September 8, 2025

Indianz.Com

A Native charter school in New Mexico announced the departure of its athletics director following her arrest on a charge of child abuse.

Johnnie Douma was placed on leave from the Native American Community Academy (NACA) in Albuquerque after her arrest became public. The school has since told parents that she is no longer employed there.

“As shared in our August 19 communication, a staff member had been placed on administrative leave while we completed a thorough review,” NACA Executive Director Zane J. Rosette said in a message last Thursday that did identify Douma or her former title.

“That process is now complete, and the staff member is no longer employed at NACA, effective August 29, 2025,” Rosette continued. “Our leadership team acted thoughtfully to ensure that NACA remains a safe and supportive learning environment. The safety, well-being, and trust of our students and families remain our highest priority.”

Native charter school places athletics director on leave following arrest

A Native charter school in New Mexico has started off the new academic year without an athletics director.

Indianz.Com

According to court documents, Douma is facing one charge of “Abuse of a Child (Does Not Result in Death or Great Bodily Harm).” The alleged crime took place at a home in Albuquerque, not far from the NACA campus, and it involved a four-year-old child in her care.

Douma was arrested on August 16 after being picked up at the Pueblo of Laguna, about 45 miles west of Albuquerque, on the same day. She spent the next few days in custody in the Metropolitan Detention Center, according to Bernalillo County records.

The state of New Mexico sought to keep Douma in detention pending trial. But the request was denied on August 21, and an order setting the conditions of her release was issued on the same day, according to court records.

Detention records further indicate Douma was released on recognizance on August 21. No bail was required, according to the records.

Douma is facing a charge of child abuse under Section 30-6-1 of New Mexico state law. Specifically, she is charged under Parts D and E, which read:

D. Abuse of a child consists of a person knowingly, intentionally or negligently, and without justifiable cause, causing or permitting a child to be:

(1) placed in a situation that may endanger the child’s life or health;

(2) tortured, cruelly confined or cruelly punished; or

(3) exposed to the inclemency of the weather.

E. A person who commits abuse of a child that does not result in the child’s death or great bodily harm is, for a first offense, guilty of a third degree felony and for second and subsequent offenses is guilty of a second degree felony. If the abuse results in great bodily harm to the child, the person is guilty of a first degree felony.

The charge is considered a Class 3 felony in New Mexico, indicating a first offense and a case of child abuse that does not result in death or great bodily harm. Douma could face up to three years in prison and a possible fine of up to $5,000, according to the Criminal Defense Lawyer site.

Court records do not currently show any scheduled hearing dates in State of New Mexico vs. Johnnie Denise Douma, No. T-4-FR-2025006601, or State of New Mexico v. Johnnie Denise Douma, No. D-202-PD-202501018.

An August 25, 2025, screenshot of the Bernalillo County Metropolitan Detention Center’s website shows information about the arrest of Johnnie Douma on a charge of child abuse.

Douma has described herself as being from the Pueblo of Laguna, as well as being Tewa-Hopi from the Hopi Tribe in neighboring Arizona.

NACA is located at 1000 Indian School Road NW in Albuquerque, not far from the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, which is owned by the 19 Pueblo tribes in New Mexico. The Southwest Regional Office of the Bureau of Indian Affairs is next to the campus.

NACA serves students in elementary, middle and high school, providing them with a tuition-free education. The school operates as a non-profit.

The text of the September 4 email from NACA Executive Director Zane J. Rosette to parents follows:

Dear Families,

As shared in our August 19 communication, a staff member had been placed on administrative leave while we completed a thorough review. That process is now complete, and the staff member is no longer employed at NACA, effective August 29, 2025. Our leadership team acted thoughtfully to ensure that NACA remains a safe and supportive learning environment. The safety, well-being, and trust of our students and families remain our highest priority.

At NACA, we are guided by our core values of respect, responsibility, community/service, culture, perseverance, and reflection. These values shape how we respond in moments of challenge and how we continue to move forward together. If you or your student would like additional support during this time, our school social workers are available and can be reached at 505-266-0992.

As we acknowledge and address this difficult news, we also want- to celebrate a significant milestone — this year marks NACA’s 20th anniversary. Over the past two decades, we have collaborated to create a school that celebrates our students’ identities, promotes their culture and language, fosters young leaders who are academically prepared, and who serve their community. This legacy has been made possible by your trust, partnership, and commitment.

We will continue to prioritize student safety and uphold the values that have guided us since our founding.

Together, we look forward to honoring 20 years of growth, resilience, and the bright future ahead for our students.

Thank you for being part of NACA.

In community,

Zane J. Rosette, Chippewa-Cree
Executive Director

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