10 January 2015
Chronological account by parents of recent events in I.S.P.S.
Jai Shri Mataji,
It is with great sadness that we see all facts around the events concerning ISPS and Mary and Marcel have become diluted. Each day this grows worse and it seems innocent parents are confused and truly lack information and clarity upon which to base their decisions regarding their children. The whole world politics of our Sahaj sangha are represented in this Mahabharata and so it is important to be clear and as factual as possible.
Here is the chronological series of events for your information and clarity.
• For years, many parents have wondered about the actual state of the campus of ISPS and whether school fees were in fact being used to make improvements.
• In 2013 the CC and the Word Foundation asked Sadhana Didi for accountability and financial transparency in ISPS. This was blocked and refused seemingly prohibiting open communication.
• CC and the World Foundation asks for an independent evaluation - in order to help the management of the school. This is also blocked.
• Around this time the CC and the World Foundation launch a parental survey.
• The Australians then launch another parental survey - it was very detailed - these detailed results were not published or made available.
• Miss Neena Talpade suddenly resigns, without explanation. She is heard to have asked for financial transparency and to be able to use finances for the school. Parents hear that she
is accused by the family of stealing money from ISPS, wanting power and paying herself a huge salary. To parents this seemed unbelievable.
• The school is left without a principle and in the hands of the Vice Principle Miss Jyoti. It is now clear that in this period the school experienced; indifferent staff who were not present to supervise children, romantic student relationships, teachers slapping children, swearing, boys verbally abusing girls, drinking, drugs and even student consumption of pornography in the school.
• Our dear Grace, who was a completely healthy child tragically passes away.
• Our sangha is deeply shocked and many parents remove their children (approx.100) from the school.
• It is officially announced that Mary Kuhn will take the position as principle and Marcel Kuhn will be the general manager of ISPS with a contract for 2 years. Some parents are calmed by their appointment and decide to keep their children in the school, expecting Marcel to be able to fully see the finances and ‘manage’ ISPS.
• Sadhana praises Mary and Marcel and shows they have a good rapport. Sadhana actively charges Marcel with the task of reducing the staff of ISPS. She specifically mentions that Miss Joyti should be let go of. With the loss of 100 students, ISPS begins the academic year of 2014 with a ratio of one staff for every 2 children.
• The PTA are made aware that there will be a reduction of staff and an increase in the school fees (to be decided).
• At the drop off parents are told that there will be financial transparency and accountability and that Marcel will communicate about this to all parents.
• Mary and Marcel ask for financial transparency and information about board and society members.
• Marcel sends out a financial email with the preliminary financial status of the school (as far as he could see but could not see everything). This statement clearly shows that the school made a profit of over 200,00 USD and on a separate society account had a balance of over 500,00 USD. However, no one seems to notice what is indicated in this document.
• Mary and Marcel address many issues in the school and parents are very happy with feedback that they get from their children and communication with Mary and Marcel themselves.
• Mary and Marcel find using finances in the school impossible. The accounts seem blocked by Sir Vikas who has the legal signatory for the funds with Miss Nina. Despite attempts to collaborate and communicate with them, it is blocked. They refuse to show them anything to do with accounts or disclose who the governing body and society members are. They penly say that they cannot give this information without asking the board or society for it.Marcel asks them to ask for this permission at the beginning of the year and at the end of the year, no information is given.
• Mary and Marcel spend her salary and their own personal money on the the running of the school. Down to small details such as footsoak towels, they are unable to access funds and so use their own. They are discreet and do this from their hearts and have not made this fact common knowledge at all.
• As planned, Marcel announces the termination of some staff members of ISPS.
• Over the year Sir Vikas becomes increasingly hostile and volatile. He starts a staff campaign against Mary and Marcel, accusing them of being racist. At the pick up many parents hear that some staff members had planned for Marcel to be beaten up.
• Press get hold of terminations and turn up at ISPS. Sir Vikas calls Munish Pande and revokes Marcel’s termination letters.
• Communication with Sir Vikas deteriorates. He writes to the PTA and accuses Mary and Marcel of racism. This accusation of racism made the conflict seem to be ‘personal’ when in fact it was about who in ISPS is privy to financial information and the ability to use finances for the school.
• Sir Vikas looses his temper frequently and his bad behaviour is ongoing (including throwing a computer at a staff members head). At least one staff member leaves because of him and many staff members are scared of him.
• Mary and Marcel then lay 2 conditions down for them to continue at ISPS:
(1) they request that Mary be given the right as principle to use some of the finances for the school and
(2) they request that Sir Vikas and Miss Joyti be let go as they do not seem to have any positive interest in ISPS and are blocking its progression.
• The GB proposes a lot of changes for the school, many of which undermine decisions that Mary and Marcel have taken. The GB proposes to:
1. increase school fees:
Fees increased accordingly (compared to the current fee structure 2014-2015)
Increase of JUNIOR SEMI SENIOR SENIOR Imprest money (adminstrative charge)
100.00% 100.00% 100.00%
Annual tuition fees 66.70% 44.66% 38.90%
Hostel fees 15 - 17.5% 20.00% 40.00%
Total annual fees 23.00% 25.00% 29.30%
Total annual fees and imprest money increase per year per child. 32.90% 33.50% 45.80%
2. open up admissions for all classes (When Mary had suggested this stop at class 6 as many children have trouble psychologically and academically adjusting).
3. Re-open classes 11 & 12 (when the decision had already been taken and announced to parents that these two years would stop. It was clear that ISPS staff themselves wanted these years to stop, as they could not manage to safe guard these teenagers or prevent them from rebelling).
4. Introduce the IB programme (International Baccalaureate) - the most expensive educational programme in existence.
• Mary and Marcel ask their questions and express their concerns to the GB in relation to these changes and ask for more information as they would need to be able to answer parents questions and concerns.
• The PTA discuss their concerns and agree to write a letter to the GB asking for clarification.
Parental views are collected.
• The PTA polarise into a conflict. Russia, Europe and Asia who would like to write a letter to the GB and India, Australia and America who oppose this and attempt to stop this happening. Their position being, that it is Mary and Marcel who should express their concerns.
• Parental concerns and a letter to the GB are given to Mary and Marcel to pass onto the GB along with their own concerns.
• Mary and Marcel are given no clarification, but are told that all issues, questions, concerns and terminations will be addressed in December when the GB come to the school, meet and address and explain all changes to the parents.
• Mary and Marcel are placed in the difficult situation of having to console parents whose children have to leave ISPS because of the changes and the late communication of them.• Sadhana writes a response to Mary and Marcel which undermines them and their position in ISPS. She suggests that Mary's position was always ‘ad hoc’. She suggests that Mary’s visa is a legal issue. Mary was told to apply for a visa as academic counsellor since the salary is less and more in tune of what ISPS can afford. Later the society issued her a contract where they gave her the position of principle. To Mary’s knowledge this is legal andhe Foreigners Registration Office seemed to confirm this. Despite this, Sadhana insists there is a legal issue and writes clearly that Mary and Marcel should pray to find another rinciple asap.
• Nicola Locke, the mother of Grace, writes a heartfelt and Sahaj plea to Sadhana and the GB/society - which does not get a response.
• Upon arrival parents are asked not only to pay the imprest money upfront before the parents meeting with the GB (40,000 rupees per child) but are suddenly asked to pay the difference in the one off, initial school registration fee which has been increased by 10,000 rupees per child, without prior announcement to the parents.
• Mary, Marcel, the PTA and many parents hope to have many questions, concerns and worries addressed at ISPS in December.
• Parents become active and try to find out who in fact really is on the GB and Society of ISPS. It becomes clear that these members are: Sadhana, Munish Pande, Ashok Aggraval, Mr. Kumar and Hari Gaikwad - as well as a strong influence from Yogi Mahajan.
• There are many rumours flying around the parent body and Marcel calls a parents meeting up at ISPS. He is calm and explains that there were staff who would need to be let go. He explains that Mary and himself have laid down 2 conditions in order for them to continue to continue at ISPS. A parent questions this and mentions that the advertisement for a new principle is already in circulation in India. The parental reaction is that they would like to start a petition - as a vote of confidence in Mary and Marcel. Marcel himself attempts to stall this parental initiative.
• The PTA meeting with Sadhana takes place. She speaks about Sahaj values, cosmic energy, HHSM’S vision, creating a school of excellence and speaks of Mary and Marcel as if they are not in the room. She mentions the legal visa issue but makes no mention of her decision to fire them. All concerns and questions about fees, finances, admissions and the continuation of Mary and Marcel are ignored and dodged.
• The governing body address to the parents takes place in the form of Sadhana giving a speech to the parents. She clearly states that we are one family and need to unite and work together and that anyone who does not do this is working against Sahaj, is negative and is out of HHSM’S vision. She states that the society are a cohesive and united group and that the accounting department of the school should not be questioned. She states that to do so would be immature.
• A parent humbly asks Sadhana about the continuation of Mary and Marcel and the legal explanations given. A yogi who is a foreigner and who has worked in India offers to help assist in sorting this ‘visa issue' out. Someone requests a collective bandhan for the removal of the visa issue. Ramesh Manochar intervenes and changes the bandhan to be for ‘whatever is best for the school’. He then proceeds to give a speech about how ISPS is the prized jewel of Sahaj and we should not allow the negativity to capture it.
• Mary and Marcel still believe that they are set to return next year.
• Parents hear of a campaign to deface Marcel at the school. Ramesh has been heard saying that Marcel is not a yogi and he does not recognize Shri Mataji. Further campaigns are heard of from within India, Australia and America.
• A huge majority of parents are overwhelmingly pleased with the vibrational and sahaj state of the children and of I.S.P.S. It is clear that Mary and Marcel have loved and respected the children and gained their love and respect in return. There is a tremendous love and family unity that is palpable. As a vote of full confidence of the parents in Mary and Marcel, a petition to express this is started.
• As soon as the parents and children have left the campus, Mary is notified of the termination of her position and told that she should not return to ISPS.
• Parents quickly understand that they have actively been deceived whilst up at ISPS and that the decision to fire Mary and Marcel had already been taken prior to the pick-up date.
• The parent petition, which calls for transparency and good governance and which got 115 signatures from all over the world • Within a week or so, all staff members who were supportive of Mary and Marcel or who have spoken against Munish Pande or Sadhana are fired.
In order to complete this letter, we are also attaching a legal summary of the current setup of the ISPS governing body/society structure - as we understand it. This document calls for a transparent and good governance structure and concludes that both is currently not present at ISPS.
Humbly
(in alphabetical order)
(censored... more than 23 names of ISPS parents.)
