The San Diego court backed a lower court ruling against a family’s lawsuit that aimed to block Encinitas Union School District from teaching yoga as an alternative to traditional gym classes.
"While the practice of yoga may be religious in some contexts, yoga classes as taught in the district are, as the trial court determined, devoid of any religious, mystical, or spiritual trappings," the San Diego court said.
The lawsuit was brought by Stephen and Jennifer Sedlock, who expressed regret over the court's ruling and are now mulling their options.
A district lawyer, for his part, assured that there were no yoga rituals taking place in the classrooms and that no one worships the sun or leads Hindu rites. According to him, yoga is taught on a secular basis and the purpose is to build students’ strength, flexibility and balance.
Although yoga is already taught at schools all across the US, the Encinitas Union School District is thought to be the first with full-time yoga teachers at all schools.
A total of 5,600 students in the district are practicing so-called Ashtanga yoga during 30-minute classes that are held twice a week.
