A Georgia elementary school provided an opportunity for students to participate in yoga classes. The Washington Post reports the program was canceled after Kennesaw, Georgia parents complained. Some feel the practice of yoga aspires to eastern religious philosophy. They challenge the classes because in Kennesaw prayer in the classroom prohibited.
Namaste Is A Greeting Of Love
Those in favor of ending yoga classes say the greeting of “namaste” is clearly religious (I think they may mean spiritual) and they don’t want it used at the elementary school, so being tossed from the program is the Sanskrit greeting: “Namaste.” It stands for love, and practitioners place their hands to their heart center. Also deemed inappropriate are coloring pages with the symbol of the Mandala, a spiritual symbol in Indian religions that represents the cosmos.
Bullard’s principal, Patrice Moore shared the following email she sent to parents with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
“I am truly sorry that the mindfulness/ de-stressing practices here at Bullard caused many misconceptions that in turn created a distraction in our school and community,” Moore wrote. “While we have been practicing de-stressing techniques in many classrooms for years, there have been some recent practices associated with mindfulness that are offensive to some.”
Stress Management Calms Kids and Adults
Yoga works as stress management for kids and adults. Providing kids with tools they can use to encourage calm may slow down the deluge of kids being tracked and labeled with ADHD. Yoga helps people to relax. Why challenge an activity that can be done without the need for electronics and encourages calm thoughts and exercise?
New school regulations were stated at a recent Bullard meeting. Yoga moves are used in classrooms, students will not say the word “namaste” nor put their hands by their hearts.
Some People Need To Get A Life
I swear some adults need to get a life. What is wrong with helping kids to practice kindness? Or learning that they control reactions to life’s ups and downs? The kids don’t have a problem with yoga language. My grandson took yoga last year in kindergarten. He doesn’t live in Georgia, but he enjoyed the class and showing me his yoga poses.
The world could stand more yoga and techniques that allow us to slow down in a fast-paced, give-me-more society.
Featured Image: Amanda Hirsch Under a Creative Commons License 2.0
