School still life with copyspace on chalkboard
Written by Don Byrd

Judge John Meyer has ruled that yoga is not necessarily a religious exercise. Teaching yoga as it is done in California’s Encinitas School District schools, therefore, does not create a church-state problem.

Meyer sided with the school district’s explanation that it has taken out any references to Hinduism and its liturgical language, Sanskrit. Yoga, the judge said, is similar to other exercise programs like dodgeball.

The judge said some opponents of the yoga program seem to have gotten their information from inaccurate sources on the Internet.

“It’s almost like a trial by Wikipedia, which isn’t what this court does,” Meyer said.

The School District began teaching instruction in yoga following a $500,000 grant from a local yoga studio. Judge Meyer’s ruling allows the practice to continue.