Sign the Petition to Protect Kid’s Yoga Program in Encinitas Schools

LocalParent, have you set foot in a school lately? There is no budget for PE…that’s what this is. It’s not taking the place of instructional time, it’s not in place of math or any other academic subject. Without the grant for yoga, there is no PE. And trust me, these kids desperately need both physical activity and the mechanisms for calming themselves down. In addition, our schools do recite the pledge (yes, with One Nation Under God) each morning, sign Christmas songs at the holidays and practice other programs that could be considered “religious”. Perhaps we should just cancel every activity, so that way no one would find anything to sue about.

And, by the way, our Encinitas school district school’s math scores are among the highest of schools feeding into middle school. You are entitled to your opinion but please speak from facts and not rhetoric that is designed to make people fearful and paranoid. Yoga is great exercise and a worthwhile pursuit for our kids; I am a Christian mom who has no concerns whatsoever that my kids are being “brainwashed”.

This issue has the potential to really divide a neighborhood and get ugly. First thing we need to do is be honest. I have never heard that “most of our kids failed the math placement test for middle school” . My experience has been that most of Flora Vista’s kids go into honors math. Second I was not aware that “most classes don’t recite the Pledge , every time I go in to class they do. If we are going to have this debate we cannot act like candidates running for office and just trash the other side. We need true facts .
There is documented evidence that students that start their day with yoga are more responsive and eager to learn than those who do not. Yoga is practiced in military hospitals now so our injured soldiers are more responsive to physical and psychological therapy. These are facts that can be checked .
There has to be a way we can all come to a plausible agreement on this because right now we are on the brink of this getting blown out of proportion .

I think it’s more spiritual than religious that is what creates yoga. It’s not promoting any form of religion. It’s a wonderful way to introduce physical activities and to reduce stress, stretch, and to have fun. In this day and age where we’re trying to get kids off computers and video games and to promote daily physical activity, yoga offers the kids a chance to do that. Also too, it depends on the instructor of yoga and what he or she has to offer. I love yoga and I think it should be included in physical activity and one that is growing everyday.

spreding the word here on the east coast!

My daughter is in this program at Capri. She LOVES it and says it really helps her with her focus. She is ADHD. I support this program. It is not a requirement, so those who don’t believe in it should just opt out. My daughter says she wishes she had yoga every day because it helps her concentrate.

MJ I agree! Yoga keeps kids that are bored with regular sports physically active and I believe it greatly helps focus and learning! I wish I had been taught younger than I was personally as once I became a student it was the greatest help outside of medication for my adhd, which I always had issues in school bc of as a child. It’s also been much easier for me to be physically in shape since I became a yoga student, I was a chubby kid, and now I’m the best shape of my life….I would highly recommend yoga for kids and I plan on teaching my own someday…

I have been reading though these comments and am to be honest a
little baffled at how some obvious truth’s are being overlooked in favor
of the usual amendment call out & focus on “traditional” subjects.
So your kids are doing bad in math huh? How about sit down and do some
math homework with them.. that’s called parenting. So your kid is
learning Yoga? Scared he/she is going to come home telling stories of
Ganesh & ancient battles between gods? First of all I doubt that is
what’s happening in these schools. Second, maybe you should consider for
a moment why you are afraid of your child being exposed to something
that allows him to question & explore his own world view and
reality.

Let me give you a little back story on myself, I am an
Australian raised in Australia by an American Mom & Australian Dad. I
have lived in the states a number of times over the years, including
about 5 years in North America from 18-23. This has provided me with
some perspective on American culture that those growing up only in one
country may not have. I was lucky enough to actually attend an American
school while in 3rd grade and I have a little story for everyone.. now
imagine this – a little Agnostic girl comes from Australia having been
exposed to all manner of religions as a child.. Australia is NOT so
uptight about religion as we have never really identified with any one
national religion. This meant I actually took a religious studies class
in school as a child and learned about a number of religions and was
able to make my own decisions about it at only 7 years old!! Now that’s
called respect for individual human intelligence. As a teen I even
requested that my Atheist mother allow me to go to youth group at our
local Christian church because I was curious. Was I denied this obvious
human right because it did not agree with my mother’s ideas? HELL NO! I
went for a few meetings, made my own decisions and moved on.. so back to
my American school experience – my first day I was quite surprised to
find that we recited a pledge instead of singing our national anthem. I
was even MORE shocked (remembering this is 8 year old me) to be taught
to say the line “under god”. I recited this pledge diligently for about a
week but those words never started feeling right in my mouth so one day
I informed my teacher I would no longer be saying the pledge as I did
not agree with it. Simple right? WRONG! My mother was called and I was
made to feel like a BAD child for refusing to say the pledge? My mother
of course politely informed the teacher that I was allowed to make my
own decisions about my beliefs & that if I didn’t want to say
something that disagreed with me I most certainly didn’t have too.

So
that’s a long story I know but I believe it illustrates a very
important point that we are all missing and that is that CHILDREN will
let you know if they are uncomfortable with something (at least they
will if raised in an environment that allows it). So I believe most
everything that is being debated over this Yoga program at the Encinitas School is a moot point.. should it not be as simple as having a little more respect for our own children’s intelligence and realizing that if they were uncomfortable with what they are learning they will make this known? It sounds as thought a few children have already done so and were allowed to sit out anyway? Why should we take this program away from the children enjoying it because it disagrees with the idea’s of one or two? We would end up with nothing if we tried to please everyone. I call for a little bit of common since here – if you child (NOT YOU!) is uncomfortable learning to stretch & breath then so be it. Allow that child to have observed study time during this period & don’t take away from the other children all the amazing benefits they are receiving through yoga!

In a time where childhood obesity is at an all time high & children spend more time than ever sitting in a chair why on EARTH is anyone being so petty as to attack a very healthy program that is being offered free of charge to their children because of their own religious fears? Why are we even comparing math to exercise in schools? It is indisputable that both are necessary skills to learn for life! It is a disgusting idea to me that our children’s physical health is considered of so little importance in our public schools & that we are raising a generation to place no value on physical health as a marker of personal well being in general. Yoga or not our children need to move their bodies & if it also helps them concentrate, promotes feeling of well being and positivity then wouldn’t we be out of our minds to ask for the removal of such a program?!

First off, let me say that I am 1000 percent behind the practice of yoga. I teach an Ashtanga inspired flow class in Morro Bay, CA. I also studied Ashtanga in Mysore, India where the Jois school has its roots. I can say with complete honesty that yoga has changed my life for the better and in no way did I feel bombarded to (convert) to Hinduism. As a Jew (albeit non practicing) I am still against any form of indoctrination.

Now having said that, it is important to say that one, I am an adult with a fully formed mind and can make rational decisions based on fact without emotional influx and reach a logical conclusion which not only will be the best outcome for me but also my family and the planet.

After reading the article and ALL the comments, I don’t see where any parent has actually sat through a class. The reason I bring this up is because in my (Ashtanga) training in Mysore, each and every class began and ended with a prayer. Also, the full gist of Om is rooted in Hindu mythology as well. As an adult, I found it fun and a challenge to try to speak the language I was being taught in prayer form although I failed miserably at it. But, at no time did I ever feel like I was being indoctrinated, due to my fully formed adult mind.

It has been proven that children do not have the same discerning capacity as adults and can indeed be influenced.

Now, if it can be ascertained that all aspects of religion have been removed, i.e., prayer and Om and this class is being taught strictly about asana (posture) and pranayama (breathing), then I feel confident that not only does it meet separation of church and state issues, but that a wonderful program for life enrichment is being taught. Otherwise, any other element needs to be taught as a world religion class “elective.”

Personally, I wish I had had this opportunity as a child but my path is my path. I have also signed the petition even though I don’t live in the area. But before everyone runs around speaking and writing half truths (didn’t this last presidential election teach us anything?) gather ALL the facts and present them honestly and unbiased.

Is yoga bad or evil? Of course not. Do human beings have a tendency to twist a platform to benefit their own stance? Every single day! Get it straight and get it right, this isn’t about the parents, this is about the kids!

Namaste

I am a third generation Encinitas resident. Mother of a fourth grader at Ocean Knoll.

I practice Bikram yoga and have found it helps with mental clarity, keeps me flexible, strong and healthy. I attended several classes with my Daughter at OK. The instructor made no mention of a religious figure, or doctrine of Hinduism or like wise. She explained the stretching position,(with my experience) were positions to promote strength and flexibility which we all loose with age and time. She encouraged the students as well as praised them. It would be a shame to discontinue this program. Maybe it can be renamed, or even offer another exercise class to students who have parents that disapprove. Finally,If we place a “religious label” on everything, Someone will ALWAYS feel their rights have been violated, My Question to you parents who do not approve yoga…”Are you planning to file a law suit against the “Pledge of Alligiance” been said everyday at our schools in Encinitas…

Remember the words ” To the Republic for which we stand, One nation under God, indivisible”. thanks for listening…Third and Fourth Generation Encinitas Residence.