Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

underpants

(182,545 posts)
Sat May 22, 2021, 11:28 AM May 2021

Alabama Will Now Allow Yoga In Its Public Schools (But Students Can't Say 'Namaste')

https://www.npr.org/2021/05/21/999020140/its-now-legal-to-practice-yoga-in-alabamas-public-schools

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey has signed a bill to allow public schools to offer yoga, ending a ban that stood for nearly 30 years. Christian conservatives who back the ban said yoga would open the door for people to be converted to Hinduism.

The new law allows yoga to be offered as an elective for grades K-12. While it erases a ban that, over the years, some schools had not realized existed, it also imposes restrictions on how yoga should be taught. Students won't be allowed to say, "Namaste," for instance. Meditation is not allowed.

"Chanting, mantras, mudras, use of mandalas, induction of hypnotic states, guided imagery, and namaste greetings shall be expressly prohibited," the bill states. It also requires English names be used for all poses and exercises. And before any students try a tree pose, they'll need a parent's permission slip.

According to veteran statehouse reporter Brian Lyman of the Montgomery Advertiser, the yoga ban's demise represents the end of "one of the stupidest moral panics in Alabama history, which is really saying a lot."



30 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Alabama Will Now Allow Yoga In Its Public Schools (But Students Can't Say 'Namaste') (Original Post) underpants May 2021 OP
Well, describing just how it should be practiced is way up there, too. TreasonousBastard May 2021 #1
Wait a minute there Rusty, you got a permission slip from ya folks? underpants May 2021 #4
If I didn't know better Chautauquas May 2021 #2
🙏 underpants May 2021 #3
After class: "Thanks for the Yogurt, y'all, No Mo' Steak." JustABozoOnThisBus May 2021 #5
This is Al Abama! underpants May 2021 #7
Ok, then, "Down'rd facin' dawg". JustABozoOnThisBus May 2021 #13
That's better. underpants May 2021 #15
After class: "You leaving now?" "Nah, I'ma stay." Iggo May 2021 #9
They afraid rednecks will go all peaceful? SheltieLover May 2021 #6
That could be a real.... underpants May 2021 #8
Bet they can say "Amen" all day though, huh. Iggo May 2021 #10
Oh THAT religious freedom underpants May 2021 #11
No 'Namaste', or......kids go to jail? Aristus May 2021 #12
Take a guess. Take a wild guess. underpants May 2021 #14
Guess the governor has never heard of freedom on speech. Vinca May 2021 #16
Do they even know what it means? Tree Lady May 2021 #17
Here's what I found underpants May 2021 #20
Namaste is a greeting of absolute equality sanatanadharma May 2021 #26
Praise Jeebus !!! nt Progressive Jones May 2021 #18
well, back in the day.... bahboo May 2021 #19
If you ever want confirmation about what right-wingers REALLY mean by demanding "religious freedom" Mad_Machine76 May 2021 #21
The word sounds like when you're asked if you're going to leave and you answer "Nah m' stay." Towlie May 2021 #22
Years ago, I came across a religious tract EYESORE 9001 May 2021 #23
😆 Google's people also ask underpants May 2021 #24
When they say that all poses must have English names Ka-Dinh Oy May 2021 #25
Got a list for ya here 😆 underpants May 2021 #27
OMG!!! That's so funny. Ka-Dinh Oy May 2021 #28
I know. I was laughing out loud. underpants May 2021 #29
there's a charter school in chi called namaste. mopinko May 2021 #30

Chautauquas

(4,435 posts)
2. If I didn't know better
Sat May 22, 2021, 11:37 AM
May 2021

I might just come to the conclusion that people in the US are a bunch of insane assholes.

JustABozoOnThisBus

(23,314 posts)
5. After class: "Thanks for the Yogurt, y'all, No Mo' Steak."
Sat May 22, 2021, 11:55 AM
May 2021

What would be the "English" names for poses like "Tree" and "Downward Facing Dog"?

underpants

(182,545 posts)
7. This is Al Abama!
Sat May 22, 2021, 12:03 PM
May 2021

Even if they already have English word names you come up with something more English wordy there mister!!! 😡

Aristus

(66,250 posts)
12. No 'Namaste', or......kids go to jail?
Sat May 22, 2021, 12:13 PM
May 2021


Yeah, I don't think they gave it that much thought.

Can't say a certain word, but you can own all the guns you want.

Ladies and gentleman: red-state America......

underpants

(182,545 posts)
14. Take a guess. Take a wild guess.
Sat May 22, 2021, 12:16 PM
May 2021

The pro-yoga legislation was opposed by conservative groups, including former state Chief Justice Roy Moore's Foundation for Moral Law, and the Alabama chapter of the Eagle Forum, a conservative group that was founded by activist Phyllis Schlafly in 1972.

"Yoga is a practice of Hindu religion," the Eagle Forum of Alabama said in an email that urged maintaining the ban. It added, "Religious practice in the school's constitutes a violation of the establishment clause of the 1st Amendment as public schools cannot promote the practice or ideology of religion."

The group also alleges that each yoga pose was designed not as an exercise but to "be an offering of worship" to Hindu gods.

Tree Lady

(11,416 posts)
17. Do they even know what it means?
Sat May 22, 2021, 12:31 PM
May 2021

It means I bow to the divine in you, I heard it means The god in me bows to the god in you.

I see that as a gift we give to each other of seeing the good in each other.



underpants

(182,545 posts)
20. Here's what I found
Sat May 22, 2021, 12:41 PM
May 2021

The genesis of the Alabama name is believed to have come from a fusion of two Choctaw words, Alba and Amo. Alba means "vegetation," while Amo refers to "gatherer." The name "vegetation gatherers" would fit the Alabama Indians who cleared the land for farming.

sanatanadharma

(3,679 posts)
26. Namaste is a greeting of absolute equality
Sat May 22, 2021, 02:56 PM
May 2021

Can't have any of that all-people-are-equal thinking-behavior.

bahboo

(16,298 posts)
19. well, back in the day....
Sat May 22, 2021, 12:34 PM
May 2021

I along with friends, would have worn namaste t-shirts to class and have it play out.

Mad_Machine76

(24,384 posts)
21. If you ever want confirmation about what right-wingers REALLY mean by demanding "religious freedom"
Sat May 22, 2021, 12:44 PM
May 2021

This is it here. For THEM, NOT everybody else.

Towlie

(5,314 posts)
22. The word sounds like when you're asked if you're going to leave and you answer "Nah m' stay."
Sat May 22, 2021, 12:49 PM
May 2021

 
?

The school kids could have a ball with that.

Click the speaker icon here to listen to the pronunciation.

Ka-Dinh Oy

(11,686 posts)
25. When they say that all poses must have English names
Sat May 22, 2021, 02:51 PM
May 2021

are they talking about proper English or that backwood slang?

underpants

(182,545 posts)
29. I know. I was laughing out loud.
Sat May 22, 2021, 03:08 PM
May 2021

Day Drinker. Thank F that’s over.

I was looking for something else and just found that.

Latest Discussions»General Discussion»Alabama Will Now Allow Yo...