Students bring class action suit against Chicago Public Schools, say they were forced to participate in Hindu ritual

A judge has approved a class action lawsuit after a Chicago Public Schools (CPS) allegedly forced students into participating in Hindu rituals. 

CPS and the David Lynch Foundation for Consciousness-Based Education and World Peace previously paid a Christian student $150,000 last fall due to the student allegedly being subject to a “Quiet Time” program at the center of the class action lawsuit. The suit calls this program a "Hinduistic religious program” led by "transcendental meditation” (TM) teachers.

The foundation was set up to teach TM according to the lawsuit, brought by the lead plaintiff in the case, Kaya Hudgins. US District Judge Matthew Kennelly granted class certification for the lawsuit, according to Just the News.

Hudgins, the lead plaintiff in the case, was Muslim when attending the school, per the court documents, but is no longer practicing. 

The program allegedly forced students to recite Sanskrit mantras, which they were told were "meaningless sounds" but actually "honor or reference specific Hindu deities."  

The TM teachers also allegedly led students in a “Puja” ceremony that was religious in nature.   

A “Puja” is where "specific items are presented to the picture of Guru Dev while the 'Transcendental Meditation' instructor chants aloud in Sanskrit for about three to five minutes and performs certain rehearsed ritual movements."  

Plaintiffs in the case claimed that the English translation of the Sanskrit mantras were "statements recognizing the power possessed by various Hindu deities and invitations to those same Hindu deities to channel their powers through those" during the “Puja” ceremonies.   

CPS did not comment on "matters pertaining to ongoing litigation," when Just the News requested a response on the class action lawsuit. However, the school added, "we continuously review our programs to ensure they are operating as intended and implement changes as needed to ensure students can continue to learn, grow, and thrive." 

Hudgins’ said that kneeling before Guru Dev "made me feel guilty and sinful because Muslims are not to worship men.” 

The suit also claims that Hudgins was not allowed breaks for the five daily prayers in Islam. A spokesman for Hudgins told Just the News that she no longer practices religion. The Christian student who received a settlement, Mariyah Green, served as a witness in the class action suit.

Kaya Hudgins v. Board of Ed... by Tom Ciesielka