California Court Approves Of Teaching Yoga In Schools
At this stage, yoga has become such an accepted practice that the majority of us wouldn’t blink at the sight of it. Even if there are classes and instructors devoted to it, teaching it in actual public schools can still be tricky business because of potential connections to Hinduism. It’s little wonder, then, that it was at the center of a lawsuit in Encinitas Union School district; luckily, said law suit has been overturned.
The court in San Diego ruled that even if there are religious connotations to yoga, the foundation behind it made no effort to push any sort of agenda; according to the school district’s lawyer, they only promoted strength, flexibility, and balance. In other words, the yoga taught only related to exercise, and not the inhibition of any other religions — Christianity chief among them, as declared by the family responsible for the lawsuit.
It looks as if yoga will continue unimpeded throughout the district, and only those that opt out will miss it. Still, it’s important to remember just how tricky of a subject it is to have religion mixed with school — especially in lieu of controversies surrounding something as well-meaning as the Pledge of Allegiance. There’s no telling if what happened with yoga will set a precedent, but if nothing else, it serves as a grim reminder.
