T.M. 'missionaries' operating within San Francisco public school classrooms

FROM: TM-Free Blog - A Skeptical View of Transcendental Meditation & Maharishi Mahesh Yogi

Posted on TM-Free Blog by Gina at 4/07/2009 11:54:00 PM

This message was sent from a concerned person with the San Francisco Public Schools. S/he requests to remain anonymous for this posting. Perhaps the person is a teacher at the school? We do not know the role this person plays in said public high school, but the words ring true to those who've lived within, and tried to counter, the highly controlled TM organization when in their confines.

We encouraged this person to express concerns with the appropriate local School Board, and also with the California Attorney General.

Meanwhile, we feel this viewpoint is worthy of posting.

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message: Please disseminate this info. about T.M. 'missionaries' operating
within San Francisco public school classrooms:

During this school year (2008-2009), the Transcendental Meditation program (with the front-name/slogan "Quiet Time") has also been implemented at another inner-city public school in San Francisco -- Everett Middle School.

There are two required daily T.M. sessions of 15 minutes each in every classroom throughout the school toward the beginning & the end of the school day, and the students are graded for their robotic participation using a point system. The marketing emphasis is on 'stress relief' and bringing up standardized test scores.

(please note: At Visitacion Valley Middle School in San Francisco, which began implementing the David Lynch Foundation T.M.
program in February 2007, the school's recent California state 'APA" ranking based on standardized test scores from the next year -- Spring, 2008, actually went down several points!).

Consequently, due to the required T.M. taking total 1/2 hour of classroom time every school day, Everett Middle School's schedule doesn't provide a homeroom-advisory session for students. The school building has been hijacked by a crew of 20 bullying, clueless T.M. fanatics working for the David Lynch Foundation who are not school district staff (they are funded by
a large grant of more than $200,000.). They have commandeered a large classroom for use as their T.M. office, and also a wing of the building which contains several small rooms.

These T.M. 'missionaries' at times disrespectfully (or sometimes perhaps obliviously) interfere with school instruction & logistics. They also deceptively lie & obfuscate to the staff, students & parents about the induction process ('Puja' religious chanting & worship ceremony), the source & selection of the mantras, and the organization's checkered history & fascist framework. Of course, they never mention their World Plan scenarios, Fairfield, Iowa & Global shenanigans, crowned-Rajas & pretend-Government, etc. or the observed fact that T.M. mega-huckster (frequently-divorced) David Lynch is a chain-smoking cigarette addict.

Recently, the T.M. conglomerate has been targeting students from low-income neighborhoods and schools without an active PTA or strong parent involvement to provide oversight. The T.M. proselytizers have shown themselves to be anti-democracy,
anti-educational inquiry, and anti- the U.S. Constitution (the separation of Church & State).

In perspective: I'm sensibly & reasonably in favor of meditation, visualization and stress-reduction strategies/techniques within schools as part of a non-sectarian health ed. (wellness) program --devised & guided or overseen by health care & education professionals. These skills can be taught within a knowledge-seeking educational environment that is open to
students asking questions and encourages honest discussion -- which fosters mindFULness (rather than mindLESSness or fascist no-questions-asked rote obedience).

Parents & educators should be holistically promoting Healthy Habits, in general -- including exercise, nutrition, positive role models, study & reading time, productive recreation & hobbies, and avoiding toxic influences (such as excessive exposure to violent entertainment).

This article was found at:

http://tmfree.blogspot.com/2009/04/tm-missionaries-operating-within-san.html