An End to Controversy: U.S. Court Allows Teaching Yoga in California School

Bangalore: “Yoga is not a religion. It is a science, science of well-being, science of youthfulness, science of integrating body, mind and soul,” said author Amit Ray. However, it was thought otherwise by a few who filed a lawsuit last year to stop yoga lessons in a school in California, as they believed yoga led to unconstitutional religious training. The much debate over yoga classes in schools has finally come to an end.

A U.S. court has allowed teaching yoga in a Southern California district school as part of curriculum, rejecting the petition by parents that the ancient Indian practice is promoting Hindu religious beliefs. San Diego Superior Court Judge John Meyer ruled that the yoga programme of Encinitas Union School District does not endorse any religion.

As such the judge rejected the plea of a section of parents of schools that the Encinitas Union School District in San Diego by providing instruction in Ashtanga yoga, is promoting religious beliefs. The law suit was filed by The National Center for Law & Policy on behalf of the parents. "It's almost like a trial by Wikipedia, which isn't what this court does," said Meyer, who took nearly two hours to explain a decision that explored yoga's Indian roots and philosophy.

The 30-minute programme in Encinitas, funded by the Jois Foundation, is composed of stretching and breathing exercises and is designed to help keep students active while learning basic relaxation techniques. While the Jois Foundation is a proponent of Ashtanga yoga, an eight-limbed practice based on Hindu philosophy with the ultimate goal of moksha, or liberation, the programme for public schools is stripped of spiritual teachings, chanting, and even the Sanskrit language.

(With PTI inputs)