A judge allows you to teach yoga as a subject in California colleges

  • 2013

A California judge determined that a state school district can teach yoga, reasoning to academic authorities who claimed that practice is a secular way to promote strength, flexibility and balance. The Associated Press agency reports.

Monday's ruling rejected the arguments of certain parents who believed that yoga classes are inherently religious and violate the constitutional principle of separating religion and state. (see background in this link)

Yoga is a spiritual practice, but not in the way it is taught in the Encinitas school district and its nine schools, San Diego Superior Court judge John S. Meyer determined. Meyer emphasized that schools dispensed with classes of all cultural references, including the Sanskrit language.

The judge indicated that the opposing parents were based on personal opinions, some taken from the internet. "It's almost like a trial made by Wikipedia, which is not what this court does, " said Meyer, who took almost two hours to explain a decision that explored the Indian roots and philosophy of yoga.

Dean Broyles, attorney for parents Stephen and Jennifer Sedlock, said he will appeal the decision.

Encinitas is the first district in the United States to have full-time yoga teachers in its schools. The lessons are funded by a fund of $ 533, 720 for three years, granted by the K. Patthabi Jois Foundation, a nonprofit organization based in Encinas that promotes ashtanga yoga.

A judge allows you to teach yoga as a subject in California colleges

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