Lawsuit Filed To End Yoga Instruction In Encinitas Schools

[Glenn101]

I haven't seen this referenced before, but I think it is material for a bit of discussion. The full article can be read here. Basically the National Center for Law and Policy is filing the suit on behalf of a couple with two children who go to school in the district alleging that yoga is a religious activity and should be removed from any public school agenda.

I really think that this is overstepping a bit. It is true that yoga has it roots in Hinduism, but it is being practiced by thousands, maybe millions of people who do it for the relaxation and calming influence it has on their lives and has no ties to any religion.

There are many positive things that one can take from a religion and practice it without regard to any religion. Take the Word of Wisdom, for instance. Any non-religious group, organization, or individual could use it as a basis for healthy living without suscribing to anything of LDS doctrine. This, to me, is the situation with yoga. It has some positive benefits for a lot of people who don't know or care anything about Hinduism.

Just my two cents' worth.

Glenn

[bluebell]

I tend to agree.

Yoga has links to religion, but it does not have to be.

[cdowis]

This is not about religion but about an organization that is trying to get a notch in its belt -- win a lawsuit and get contributors to "keep up the good work", even if it is unreasonable. Nobody will contribute to an organization that does nothing. I see it all the time, on both sides of the isle.

[Damien the Leper]

Oh for the love of God! This is as stupid as conservative Christians making a fuss about the witchcraft practice in the Harry Potter books. I think its an ego thing.

[thesometimesaint]

I haven't seen this referenced before, but I think it is material for a bit of discussion. The full article can be read here. Basically the National Center for Law and Policy is filing the suit on behalf of a couple with two children who go to school in the district alleging that yoga is a religious activity and should be removed from any public school agenda.

I really think that this is overstepping a bit. It is true that yoga has it roots in Hinduism, but it is being practiced by thousands, maybe millions of people who do it for the relaxation and calming influence it has on their lives and has no ties to any religion.

There are many positive things that one can take from a religion and practice it without regard to any religion. Take the Word of Wisdom, for instance. Any non-religious group, organization, or individual could use it as a basis for healthy living without suscribing to anything of LDS doctrine. This, to me, is the situation with yoga. It has some positive benefits for a lot of people who don't know or care anything about Hinduism.

Just my two cents' worth.

Glenn

Agreed.

[The Nehor]

Well, we better throw out our English courses too. Virtually every book commonly read has some root in the Bible.

[Deborah]

That would be funny if it wasn't so pathetic an argument. My DIL does yoga and I've done some. It's a good exercise.

[Calm]

Change the name to "Flexibility Development Course" and let the kids make up the names for the poses and then the plantiffs can be satisfied and the program can still go ahead and provide and promote needed physical activity in children.

[blackstrap]

And they must stop teaching the solutions to right triangles using the Pythagorean theorem because Pythagorus was,well, a leader of a 'religious' group.

[Calm]

If you research yoga and Hinduism, most people would say Hinduism is yoga and yoga is Hinduism

Oh my word! I would not want this guy as my attorney.

http://abcnews.go.co...ory?id=18561237

"If you were to walk in there, you would feel like you're going into a gym," Baird told ABC News. "The students come in, do some warm ups, do the typical stretching and movement. There's absolutely no religious instruction that goes on, whatsoever.

"I believe what he is saying is just the motions of the yoga stretching is somehow invoking Hinduism -- and in America, where 90 to 95 percent of the practitioners are not even Hindu," Baird said.

[semlogo]

I tend to agree.

Yoga has links to religion, but it does not have to be.

Indeed. Many religions have dietary restrictions, but a dietary restriction can be taught/practiced completely outside of any religion.

[Calm]

Apparently the parents are of the Christian faith: http://www.jenniferspeaks.com/womens-christian-events/

I wonder what they would say about having a Christian centered Christmas program at the school: http://www.jenniferspeaks.com/womens-christian-events/celebrating-christ-centered-holidays/

[california boy]

There is a real war on christianity. I saw a high school football team warming up and stretching before a game. It looked like the coach was teaching them to pray to Ali. They weren't exactly bowing, but it was clear he was starting the first steps in converting them to Islam. This is how it starts. If we don't make a stand now, it will be too late.

[The Nehor]

There is a real war on christianity. I saw a high school football team warming up and stretching before a game. It looked like the coach was teaching them to pray to Ali. They weren't exactly bowing, but it was clear he was starting the first steps in converting them to Islam. This is how it starts. If we don't make a stand now, it will be too late.

If they are worshipping Ali then Islam will not have them.

[Saints Alive]

I think it is ridiculous to keep yoga out of school for religious reasons, although I am pretty sure that yoga isn't good for young growing bodies. Some of the postures can have negative effects on growing joints and bones.

[The Nehor]

I think it is ridiculous to keep yoga out of school for religious reasons, although I am pretty sure that yoga isn't good for young growing bodies. Some of the postures can have negative effects on growing joints and bones.

I doubt they are doing the more advanced yoga poses with children. It is probably simple stuff and stretching.

[Calm]

I doubt they are doing the more advanced yoga poses with children. It is probably simple stuff and stretching.

The spokeperson said they had modified it to make it age appropriate.

[ERayR]

If they are worshipping Ali then Islam will not have them.

Just because he misspelled Allah doesn't mean the his point is invalid. Someone ought to investigate the link between Islam and football.

[The Nehor]

Just because he misspelled Allah doesn't mean the his point is invalid. Someone ought to investigate the link between Islam and football.

The link of a vague resemblance to something Islamic witnessed from afar? Get theFBI on it right away.

[Saints Alive]

Just because he misspelled Allah doesn't mean the his point is invalid. Someone ought to investigate the link between Islam and football.

I remember watching an episode of American Muslim on TLC, one of the characters was a Muslim football coach in a Michigan town with a high percentage of Muslim students. During Ramadan he changed practices to nights (seems like it was 8- 12pm) so that the Muslims students could drink during practice.

[NEDRA]

I remember watching an episode of American Muslim on TLC, one of the characters was a Muslim football coach in a Michigan town with a high percentage of Muslim students. During Ramadan he changed practices to nights (seems like it was 8- 12pm) so that the Muslims students could drink during practice.

Really? I thought it was so they could observe Ramadan. There was no drinking during practice. This was school property. Where did that ida come from?

[Traela]

Really? I thought it was so they could observe Ramadan. There was no drinking during practice. This was school property. Where did that ida come from?

Observance of Ramadan means no food or drink from sunup to sundown. The coach wanted them to be able to drink WATER during practice.

[Bill “Papa” Lee]

I haven't seen this referenced before, but I think it is material for a bit of discussion. The full article can be read here. Basically the National Center for Law and Policy is filing the suit on behalf of a couple with two children who go to school in the district alleging that yoga is a religious activity and should be removed from any public school agenda.

I really think that this is overstepping a bit. It is true that yoga has it roots in Hinduism, but it is being practiced by thousands, maybe millions of people who do it for the relaxation and calming influence it has on their lives and has no ties to any religion.

There are many positive things that one can take from a religion and practice it without regard to any religion. Take the Word of Wisdom, for instance. Any non-religious group, organization, or individual could use it as a basis for healthy living without suscribing to anything of LDS doctrine. This, to me, is the situation with yoga. It has some positive benefits for a lot of people who don't know or care anything about Hinduism.

Just my two cents' worth.

Glenn

A lot of schools here do so, for a while even an LDS Church., this ban...is to for any faith?

[BCSpace]

The solution of course is to give parents and students the right and flexibility to choose their teachers and design their own curriculum. Schools could still be "public" in the sense that they provide resources (buildings and materials etc.) but this would abolish public schools as we know it which is a good thing.

[thesometimesaint]

:lol: We already make ample provision for such. It's called private education.