This paper discusses the misuse of power among boards of education, central office and building administrators, teachers, and the media. It describes several cases: members of a board of education who hired a family member; an assistant superintendent who, out of jealousy, organized a smear campaign against a new principal; a high school principal who hired an underqualified assistant principal so that the former would look good by comparison; and a teachers' union president who undermined a new evaluation process. Experience shows that some questionable practices can be unique to a particular school, whereas some practices are commonplace. For example, the career track among upwardly mobile educators frequently emphasizes advancement over what is best for students. To lessen the frequency of such actions, the article suggests that schools move toward shared decision making. It states that proper training is important in this type of decision making. The paper also relates how one school system invited consultants who helped the district secure volunteers who would serve as representatives for each school, held a weekend retreat for board members so that they could learn more about shared decision making, and organized site-based teams that gave districtwide presentations on what is possible with a shared vision. (RJM)