In Georgia, a wave of parental concern has emerged over yoga practices in schools, particularly at Bullard Elementary in Kennesaw. While many parents champion the benefits of exercise, playtime, and relaxation for their children, a segment of the community is pushing back against the incorporation of yoga, claiming it infringes on their Christian values.
Following backlash, school administrators felt compelled to issue apologies for including yoga in their curriculum. One concerned parent, Maria Thompson, expressed her frustrations during an interview, stating, “Our kids aren’t even reciting the Pledge of Allegiance, yet we’re allowing them to engage in practices associated with Eastern religions. There are things happening in our schools that we don’t want our children exposed to.” This uproar was fueled by social media posts, including one from a father named David Miller, who lamented, “It’s alarming that we can’t pray in schools but we’re permitting the practice of what he described as ‘mystical Eastern rituals’ under the guise of mindfulness.”
However, it turns out that the yoga practiced at Bullard consists primarily of simple stretching and breathing exercises designed to help students relieve stress and enhance focus—far from the dramatic scenarios some parents feared. The most contentious aspect? Saying “namaste,” a respectful greeting in Hindu that conveys recognition of the light within each individual.
To quell the rising tension, Principal Lisa Parker organized a meeting for parents to voice their concerns. She also sent out an email clarifying the school’s approach to yoga and announced a ban on the term “namaste.” In her message, she emphasized that while mindfulness techniques have been integrated into classrooms for years, certain practices have caused discomfort for some families. She reassured parents, “We’ve never taught about crystals having healing powers, but we understand that some beliefs have emerged. Moving forward, we won’t be using anything that resembles that.”
While yoga has origins in both Buddhism and Hinduism, the version practiced in many American schools is secular and focused on physical well-being. Schools are simply trying to create moments of calm in an increasingly structured and demanding educational environment, which is crucial given the pressures of standardized testing and a more rigorous curriculum compared to previous generations.
It’s unfortunate that a few concerned parents have turned what could be a valuable tool for relaxation into another point of contention. Yoga is not dangerous, nor is it representative of a “mystical religion,” and “namaste” is certainly not a problematic term. There are numerous causes worth advocating for, but promoting mindfulness in schools shouldn’t be one of them.
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In summary, while Bullard Elementary has decided to continue yoga practices in the classroom, they’ve taken steps to address parental concerns by banning the term “namaste” and clarifying the intent behind these exercises.