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Former Mountain View Whisman Superintendent Ayindé Rudolph’s leave of absence and subsequent resignation in late-2024 came just after the district received a formal report alleging that Rudolph had sexually harassed a district administrator, according to documents the school district released Friday.
School board president Charles DiFazio announced Thursday evening that the district had reached settlements totaling $350,000 each with Stevenson Elementary School Principal Megan Pohlman and former Graham Middle School Principal Heidi Galassi, who each alleged that Rudolph sexually harassed and discriminated against them. The accusations weren’t publicly known until DiFazio’s Oct. 22 announcement.
On Friday morning, the district released copies of the settlement agreements, as well as a letter from current Superintendent Jeff Baier and another from DiFazio and Pohlman, who still works in the district.
“Experiences of harassment can have a profound impact on individuals, their colleagues, and the broader workplace,” Baier wrote. “We appreciate the immense courage it takes for employees to come forward with concerns.”
Pohlman was the first to report, submitting a complaint through her attorney on Oct. 4, 2024, according to the settlement agreement. Rudolph’s leave of absence was announced Oct. 7 and he resigned Nov. 1. At the time, Pohlman worked in the district office as the director of equity and access.
Heidi Galassi, who was Graham’s principal from 2021 until her resignation in spring 2024, formally submitted her complaint on Nov. 19, 2024, according to her settlement agreement.
The settlements call for each woman to be paid $350,000, which includes $144,968.18 each in attorneys fees. Both Pohlman and Galassi were represented by the law firm Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight.
The district has also agreed to restructure its employee complaint process so that administrators don’t have to report harassment or discrimination to the alleged perpetrator or someone who directly reports to that person.
In a statement through her attorney, Pohlman told the Voice that she asked the district to improve its reporting structure to prevent retaliation, ensure everyone knows how to report and provide “real bystander training.”
“Policies afford protection only if the people who need them know they exist and how to use them, and don’t fear retaliation for doing so,” Pohlman wrote. “When the adults in a school system are safe to speak up, the children in it are safer too.”
Both Galassi and Pohlman’s settlements include language to prevent them from filing lawsuits or taking other actions against the district.
Pohlman and Galassi each submitted complaints to the California Civil Rights Department on May 18, 2026 with allegations of sexual harassment and discrimination, as well as claims that the district failed “to provide oversight and properly respond to misconduct” by Rudolph, the settlement agreements state. Both women have agreed to withdraw those complaints, as part of the settlements.
District spokesperson Shelly Hausman declined to release Pohlman and Galassi’s original complaints, describing them as “confidential, privileged documents.” The settlement agreements, which were released, don’t include details about the nature of the harassment and discrimination Galassi and Pohlman alleged.
Asked for comment on Thursday, Rudolph wrote in an email that it “must be election time again!” and cited two Bible passages.
“This story reminds me of the story of Joseph in the Bible. Genesis 39:17–20,” Rudolph wrote. “Since I was not a part of this investigation, all I can say is ‘It is to one’s honor to avoid strife, but every fool is quick to quarrel.’ Proverbs 20:3.”
At the time Rudolph left the district, the school board approved a resignation agreement that paid him roughly $100,000 and included language meant to prevent him from suing the district – or the district from suing him.
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Mountain View Whisman pays $700K to settle sexual harassment claims against former superintendentOctober 22, 2026 11:42 pm
Defeat Devon Conley, Dr. Rudoph’s ‘enabler’ as the Board President in 2024, and negotiator of his multi-year extension contract in July 2024.
(it’s complicated!) Former Trustee Christopher Christoper Chiang voted no (it was 4:1) on that contract. Chiang voted No several times on the Purple Energy meditation/massage/wellness for twelve DO administrator contracts. (plural!). Devon Conley was too busy running for Council to pay attention – and IMO too interested in her own “national educational leadership” PR that the district was contracting for!
This community IMO does not ‘deserve’ the bad school governance that Devon Conley has come to represent over 8 years(!) of learning-on-the-job.
I helped the organization of the Recall Devon Conley committee // because of her very poor work. I’m not surprised at This Turn Of Events! (BTW: I formally backed out of Recall once I could no longer ‘control the narrative’ after the FCMAT report was published).
Trustee Lambert – my ‘now frenemie’? I do think he could be More Proactive at oversight! But he has very publicly apologized for his self-admitted “mistakes”. Has Devon Conley? Would Devon Coley ever? 🙂