Oh- the Fear - The horror

[WitchSabrina]

Back up your calendars - apparently it's 500 years ago and we were not notified:

Parents Sue Over Elementary School Yoga Program, Fear Kids Are Learning 'Neopaganism'

//http://laist.com/2013/02/21/parents_fearing_neopaganism_sue_sch.php

Parents whose children attend several Encinitas elementary schools are so fed up with the yoga classes there that they have filed a lawsuit against the district.
The yoga classes began "at about half of Encinitas' elementary schools this fall after the district received a $533,000 grant from the Jois Foundation, which promotes Ashtanga yoga," according to KPBS.
Around that time is when parents began to protest the classes, because they claim that yoga is inherently religious, and the practice of Ashtanga yoga is one "in which physical actions are inextricable from the spiritual beliefs underlying them," meaning the class is a violation of the laws mandating the separation of church and state.
According to a New York Times story from December 2012, one vocal parent of a first grader, Mary Eady, explained her objection:
"They're not just teaching physical poses, they're teaching children how to think and how to make decisions," Ms. Eady said. "They're teaching children how to meditate and how to look within for peace and for comfort. They're using this as a tool for many things beyond just stretching."
Eady and other parents have said for several months now that the classes lead students down a religious path, which is inappropriate for a public school classroom.
Religion Dispatches took a look at Eady's background, however, and noted her professional life ties her to a group that works to eradicate what they call "neopaganism,":
Eady works at a Christian organization called Truthxchange, whose chief mission is to "respond to the rising tide of neopaganism." Her lawyer's organization, NCPL, is an affiliate of the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF, formerly the Alliance Defense Fund), a conservative Christian legal advocacy group that has litigated on behalf of evangelical activity in schools and the broader public square. As might be imagined, the ADF takes a dim view of "neopaganism," whatever that means to them.
The Encinitas Unified School District (EUSD) says that students--and parents--have had an "opt-out" choice when it comes to participating in the yoga classes. This is where the newly-filed lawsuit comes in, however, as the suit claims "students who opt out of the yoga instruction are being denied the minimum amount of physical education class time guaranteed under state law."
The lawsuit is looking to have the classes halted completely. It was filed by parents Stephen and Jennifer Sedlock, who are "represented by Dean Broyles of the conservative-Christian National Center for Law and Policy."
Of the classes and the suit, the Associated Press reports Broyles said: "EUSD's Ashtanga yoga program represents a serious breach of the public trust," Broyles said. "Compliance with the clear requirements of law is not optional or discretionary. This is frankly the clearest case of the state trampling on the religious freedom rights of citizens that I have personally witnessed in my 18 years of practice as a constitutional attorney."
In December, Broyles "likened Encinitas students to religious guinea pigs," notes KPBS.
EUSD Superintendent Timothy B. Baird said:
"We're not teaching religion," he said. "We teach a very mainstream physical fitness program that happens to incorporate yoga into it. It's part of our overall wellness program. The vast majority of students and parents support it."
Though he says he has not seen the lawsuit, he says the district intends to continue offering the yoga classes. Baird also says several law firms have approached the district with offers to represent them pro bono in the case.

//http://current.com/blog/93942152_parents-fear-yoga-is-indoctrinating-their-kids.htm

//http://ca.shine.yahoo.com/blogs/shine-on/california-parents-threaten-sue-school-board-over-yoga-194108769.html

Cause pumpin them full-o-pills and jesus is so much healthier.

[Brian37]

Yoga doesn't cause people to shoot abortion doctors. Maybe the fans of Jesus need to scrap that crap instead.

[SGOS]

Once again, the specter of Christian ignorance rears it's ugly head.

[BarkAtTheMoon]

Ashtanga yoga is one "in which physical actions are inextricable from the spiritual beliefs underlying them," meaning the class is a violation of the laws mandating the separation of church and state.

Fundies invoking a claim of violation of separation of church and state. Oh, the irony. :rollin:

[WitchSabrina]

Ashtanga yoga is one "in which physical actions are inextricable from the spiritual beliefs underlying them," meaning the class is a violation of the laws mandating the separation of church and state.

Fundies invoking a claim of violation of separation of church and state. Oh, the irony. :rollin:

Gets one of these:

[AllPurposeAtheist]

Hey fuck you guys... If I see a kid stretching I'm calling a pastor to save him or her from eternal damnation and you can all just to the heck!
Note: Please excuse my use of heck as a derogatory manner.. ..and the..uhh..fuck you part.. Satan made me do it.. I stretched a bit this morning..

[WitchSabrina]

Hey fuck you guys... If I see a kid stretching I'm calling a pastor to save him or her from eternal damnation and you can all just to the heck!
Note: Please excuse my use of heck as a derogatory manner.. ..and the..uhh..fuck you part.. Satan made me do it.. I stretched a bit this morning..

Go APA go on with yo bad self

[Mathias]

Hey fuck you guys... If I see a kid stretching I'm calling a pastor to save him or her from eternal damnation and you can all just to the heck!
Note: Please excuse my use of heck as a derogatory manner.. ..and the..uhh..fuck you part.. Satan made me do it.. I stretched a bit this morning..

Hilarious!!!!    =D>

[_Xenu_]

While I may take some heat for this, the fundies might actually have a point here. I don't know alot about Yoga, but the law should be applied equally if it really is being used to indoctrinate children. Now, being fundies, they may very well just be blowing hot air, but thats for the court to decide.

[SGOS]

While I may take some heat for this, the fundies might actually have a point here. I don't know alot about Yoga, but the law should be applied equally if it really is being used to indoctrinate children. Now, being fundies, they may very well just be blowing hot air, but thats for the court to decide.

I assumed this was stretching exercise, but if it's some kind of far eastern woo, you might be right.

[Hydra009]

While I may take some heat for this, the fundies might actually have a point here. I don't know alot about Yoga, but the law should be applied equally if it really is being used to indoctrinate children.

Possibly, but I seriously doubt it.  Their main argument is that the yoga exercises "are inextricable from the spiritual beliefs underlying them", (a bit like arguing that learning Karate amounts to Shinto indoctrination) which likely indicates that a secularized yoga is actually being taught.  If they had some more substantial objection than "They're teaching children how to meditate and how to look within for peace and for comfort" then they probably would have gone with that, instead.

Given that and the less-than-impressive ADF links, I'm going with the hot air explanation.  Fundies live for attacking anything remotely associated with "paganism" in their eyes.  And the irony in charging the school with religious indoctrination is delicious.

[stromboli]

Inner peace and increased flexibility. The horror!

[_Xenu_]

If they had some more substantial objection than "They're teaching children how to meditate and how to look within for peace and for comfort" then they probably would have gone with that, instead.

In all fairness, meditation originated with Buddhism, whatever you consider it to be. I've known atheists who were fans of the practice, but an argument can still be made. Looking within for peace, instead of towards a deity, is also a concept traditionally associated more with traditional eastern religious thought.

[Hydra009]

If they had some more substantial objection than "They're teaching children how to meditate and how to look within for peace and for comfort" then they probably would have gone with that, instead.

In all fairness, meditation originated with Buddhism, whatever you consider it to be. I've known atheists who were fans of the practice, but an argument can still be made. Looking within for peace, instead of towards a deity, is also a concept traditionally associated more with traditional eastern religious thought.

No.  Earliest records place it in Vedic religion - Buddhism was later - and has long been a part of numerous religions and been practiced in a secular manner.  Buddhism doesn't own meditation any more than I own a series of West African diamond mines famous for its lax safety regulations and mandatory Dig-Dug-inspired uniforms.

[Aroura33]

Although yoga is a practice that is part of many eastern religions, it is beyond stupid for these people to claim that teaching it is the same as teaching the religion.  This just proves their poor education.  Singing is also a part of many religious traditions, but much like the general mental and physical excercise in yoga, the general musical tradition of singing is not INHERENTLY religious.

Anyway, since the district points out that a majority of parents (so I presume, even the majority of Christian parent then) do not have any objections, these extremist crazies won't get any traction on this subject.  Maybe they will pull their kids out and send them to private school, or home school.

Those poor kids with stupid and crazy parent though.  #-o