The "Quiet Time" program through the David Lynch Foundation is a transcendental meditation program in some Chicago public schools. Students are to do 15-45 mins of transcendental meditation (TM) each day during school. It is claimed to lead to benefits such as reduced absenteeism, higher test scores, and lowering of blood pressure, but many studies show that this is false and TM can actually trigger depression, anxiety, psychosis, and long-term users report suicidal thoughts and involuntary ticks in their body. 

"Quiet Time (QT)" also claims to be non-religious but the mantra students are told to meditate on and to keep secret is actually a Hindu god. 

Furthermore, over 50 students in Chicago have reported being forced to participate in a Hindu ritual as an initiation into the program and told by QT instructors "what happens in this room, stays in this room." The ritual included chanting in a dark room with candles, flowers, rice and other offerings to a picture. This is ceremonial worship called "Puja" in Hinduism. 

Students also reported being told they "have" to participate, scolded for not participating or asking questions, being told they will lose credit if they don't participate and even being sent to the principal's office multiple times for refusing to participate.

One student even reported having to call her mom several times because program facilitators tried to make her go to the quiet time room to meditate after she repeatedly told them she did not want to go. 

Both parents and students have been lied to about the religious aspect of the program, the voluntary nature of the program and the benefits. Studies that the David Lynch organization reports showing benefits of TM have been criticized by the scientific community and proven false in independent studies. 

This program in public schools is a clear violation of the separation of church and state and a violation of the freedom and respect of students who are being pressured and forced to participate in the program. 

By signing this petition we are calling for Mayor Lori Lightfoot and The Chicago Board of Education to remove this program from our schools and implement alternative programs to help alleviate the stress and deal with the trauma that many students face.  

Thank you for standing up for our children, 

Concerned parents, students, educators, and community members.