Friday, October 3, 2008

This stupidity makes my head hurt


Some religious "leaders" and parents in the upstate New York town of Massena are trying to force the removal of yoga classes from public schools, alleging that the instruction violates the separation of church and state. According to the AP, two high school teachers in the district started the yoga classes last year to help students relax before tests. They were in the process of developing a districtwide program when the controversy broke out. "We are not opposed to the benefits. ... We are opposed to the philosophy behind it and that it has ties in Hinduism and the way they are presenting it," said the inappropriately named Rev. Colin Lucid of Calvary Baptist Church in Massena. Replied Julie Reagan, president of the local school board, "If the school board felt there was any hidden religious activity behind the motives of our two instructors, we certainly wouldn't allow that. There is absolutely none of that. The teachers are well intended and trying to offer an aspect of fitness ... that relaxes and readies the children for learning." She noted that 100 schools in 26 states use yoga in the classroom to relieve stress, and that federal funding is available to educators who are seeking yoga certification. I'm just an old hick, so maybe I've been out of the loop, but until Rev. Lucid enlightened me, I had no idea that yoga was a gateway to Hinduism. Rev. Lucid is suggesting that yoga be offered as an after-school activity because it is causing stress for the students. Reverend, the only people causing these children stress are you and your merry band of nincompoops. And aren't you the same people who want to ignore the separation of church and state when you're trying to get prayers back into public schools? Of course, that's different, right?

Labels:

3 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Yeah .. them Hindus is wacky. Not like us Christians, who worship someone who died and came back and loves everyone but doesn't seem to like gays or trust women.

October 3, 2008 at 2:38 PM  
Blogger Ellipses said...

I actually took yoga as my fitness requirement in high school... based on my current consumption of beef, I'd say that the Hindu aspect of it had little to no effect on me...

But then again, perhaps I was not as impressionable as the youngins...

Thank you, come again

-ellipses

October 3, 2008 at 5:55 PM  
Blogger Ellipses said...

Oops... in college, not high school.

-ellipses

October 3, 2008 at 5:56 PM  

Post a Comment

Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]

<< Home