The American Indian Model Schools has turned into a long-running drama. This week it took a sharp turn for the worse, as the board fired top administrators, some board members denounced other board members, and everyone was angry.

All this followed the revocation of the charters due to fiscal improprieties.

For years, it was the toast of conservative pundits because of its high test scores, its no-excuses discipline, and the epithets hurled by its director Ben Chavis at unions, school boards, liberals, “multiculturalists,” and anyone else he didn’t like. It won praise from Governor Schwarzenegger, President George W, Bush, Jonathan Alter, John Stossel, George Will, and was the lead exemplar in David Whitman’s book praising “the new paternalism,” which was titled “Sweating the Small Stuff.” Whitman became Arne Duncan’s chief speechwriter soon after his book came out.

Back to AIMS. Chavis was indeed a harsh disciplinarian, but he was also strategic. At last count, there were almost no American Indians enrolled in the school. The student body was predominantly Asian-American.

The troubles began with a state audit which reported that $3.8 million of the schools’ funds ended up in businesses run by Chavis and his wife. The charges are still under investigation by the local district attorney.