By NATANYA FRIEDHEIM
Daily Post Correspondent
The Mountain View Whisman School District Board of Trustees unanimously approved a $700,000 settlement yesterday for two women who accused former superintendent Ayinde Rudolph of sexual harassment and discrimination.
The district will pay Stevenson Elementary Principal Megan Pohlman and former Graham Middle School Principal Heidi Galassi each $350,000 in response to complaints they brought forward in fall 2024.
“Every person who works here deserves to be treated with respect, professionalism, and to feel safe raising concerns when something is not right,” School Board President Charles DiFazio said following the board’s closed door decision. “The board takes seriously its role to provide a safe and healthy workplace.”
The settlement was made in exchange for a “waiver and release of all claims,” he said, meaning Pohlman and Galassi give up the right to sue or make legal demands related to their complaints.
The district also agreed to change the way employees report complaints, DiFazio said. The changes are meant to ensure employees do not have to report complaints to the person who allegedly harassed them or someone under the direct supervision of the accused individual.
The settlement made the resolution of the complaints expeditious and avoided spending more time and resources on the issue, DiFazio said.
“Sharing difficult information is part of being an accountable and transparent organization. We’re sharing it openly now that the matter has been resolved because our community deserves transparency,” he said.
Rudolph resigned from his post as superintendent in November 2024. The month before, he went on leave after announcing the state Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team planned to audit the district for potential fraud.
He faced scrutiny from parents who accused him of financial mismanagement. The parents cited concerns about Rudolph hiring his former boss from North Carolina as his personal coach for $370,000 and his decision to spend $121,150 on guided meditation sessions for district employees.
The district paid Rudolph $98,259 to leave his position without suing. The district hired him in 2015.
Let’s get this straight. He decided to build teacher housing that teachers couldn’t afford, the district paid out $700,000 to settle two sexual harassment suits against him, he paid his personal coach $370,000 in district funds and he spent $121,150 on meditation sessions. And on top of that he got a $98,000 buyout when he was fired. OK, what about the positives? There weren’t any? Oh.