A Bay Area school district in Mountain View Whisman has come under fire for spending $315,000 on an energy and chakra clearer, causing frustration among parents and teachers who feel the money could have been better used in classrooms. The district had hired Alycia Diggs-Chavis to conduct guided meditation sessions for district leadership officials over a three-year period, sparking outrage when parents discovered the budget allocation.
Diggs-Chavis, who runs Blue Violet Energy Healing, claimed to help facilitate spiritual development and equip individuals with self-care and mindfulness tools. Parents were shocked to find out that the district’s budget was being spent on programs like these instead of services for the children. The discovery of this contract came to light when budget cuts threatened to eliminate middle school classes, prompting parents to investigate the school’s spending practices.
Superintendent Ayindé Rudolph defended the district’s decision to hire a chakra healer, executive coach, and other services by claiming they were backed by scientific research and aimed at maintaining the well-being of staff. He also mentioned that the executive coach, Peter Gorman, was available to teachers in the district. Former teachers, on the other hand, voiced their concerns about feeling cheated as they had to take on additional responsibilities such as cleaning classrooms and acting as substitutes without proper teaching coverage.
In response to the backlash, Rudolph stated that the district would address concerns about spending during an upcoming board of trustees meeting and clarified that sessions with Chavis-Diggs and Gorman would be scaled back or paused due to shifting economic conditions. The superintendent stressed the importance of employee wellness and defended the district’s decision to invest in such services, despite criticisms from parents and teachers who feel that the money should be allocated towards more essential needs for the students.
The controversy highlights the challenges faced by the school district in balancing budgetary constraints with the need to support staff well-being and provide quality education for students. As the community continues to voice concerns about the district’s spending practices, it remains to be seen how the school leadership will address these issues and work towards ensuring that resources are appropriately allocated to benefit the entire school community. Parents and teachers alike are hoping for transparency and accountability in how budget decisions are made moving forward to ensure the best possible outcomes for students.
