A Silicon Valley school district announced this week that it was suspending a contract worth tens of thousands of dollars with an “energy healer” who offered meditation sessions to administrators after parents protested what they saw as a budgetary extravagance.
The Mountain View Whisman School District made the decision at a board meeting Thursday after the San Francisco Chronicle reported that the 4,500-student K-8 district paid $189,000 in exchange for 160 meditation sessions with energy healer Alycia Diggs-Chavis.
District Superintendent Dr. Ayindé Rudolph told administrators and parents they have decided to suspend their work with Diggs-Chavis and her company Blue Violet Energy once her current contract ends.
Diggs-Chavis describes herself on her website as a “master energy healer” who “uses sacred geometry and sound healing to successfully change lives.”
At Thursday night’s meeting, Rudolph tried to downplay the spiritual nature of Diggs-Chavis’ work, saying the contract was, to his knowledge, for meditation related to stress. Diggs-Chavis did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
“In meditation, we focus on how to center ourselves so we can continue. It’s not about energy or stones,” Rudolph explained to administrators.
Some administrators were surprised by the Chronicle article and the costly contract with Diggs-Chavis.
“I was surprised. I was shocked by [Diggs-Chavis’] “Just like I wouldn’t invest in a chaplain for the school district, I wouldn’t invest in sound and energy healing,” said Devon Conley, board president.
Some have defended the work done by the energy healer.
“Alycia is actually my coach. A few years ago, I was about to quit because of stress management,” said Principal Vern Taylor, who works at Jose Antonio Vargas Elementary School. “I was about to quit, and meeting with her and having her coach me through strategies that I could use for wellness, but also leadership strategies, was very beneficial… I understand that it’s a lot of money for our district to spend on leaders, but I think it’s a valuable resource and it’s helped me personally through some very difficult times over the last few years.”
Frustration over the Diggs-Chavis contract came amid budget woes in the district, which has a significant achievement gap. In addition to the Diggs-Chavis contract, parents were also frustrated by a contract with a D.C. public relations agency worth more than $180,000 a year and an in-house public records custodian who is paid more than $200,000 a year.
“I don’t think parents are happy. I don’t think teachers are happy and I’m sure taxpayers are not happy,” one parent said at Thursday night’s meeting.
