Conservative legal group challenges 'mindfulness' in schools

[Judi Lynn]

Source: UPI

MAY 7, 2019 / 2:16 PM
By Pamela Manson

May 7 (UPI) -- A national trend to introduce "mindfulness" into school curriculum is being challenged by a conservative legal group that contends the practice is based on Buddhism and forces children to participate in meditation.

"We have launched a very significant effort with respect to opposition to the mindfulness programs, which apparently are spreading like wildfire throughout the United States," said Harry Hutchison, senior counsel and director of policy for the Washington-based American Center for Law and Justice.

. . .

Corporations, including Aetna and Ford Motor Co., and sports teams also are using mindfulness in their training because it reduces stress and improves focus, Bakosh said. The U.S. military trains both frontline soldiers and returning soldiers in the techniques.

"If the goal of public education is to teach children to be ready for college and career, doesn't it make sense to teach kids young versus waiting until they're on the battlefield or on the court or in the boardroom?" Bakosh asked.

Read more: https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2019/05/07/Conservative-legal-group-challenges-mindfulness-in-schools/1281557252128/

[riversedge]

1. omg!! what next!!

[jayschool2013]

8. This

[sandensea]

2. Aren't they always though.

[wasupaloopa]

3. I gave up Christianity for Buddhism. Buddhists follow Christ's teaching better than Christians.

[TygrBright]

4. Conservative leader to followers: "Men, there's a molehill! Go make a mountain of it!!!" n/t

[lagomorph777]

5. Mindfulness is a direct threat to Conservative Mindlessness.

[Mc Mike]

17. +1000, thanks lag. nt

[yardwork]

19. Bingo.

[kimbutgar]

6. I as a substitute have noticed that when my kids come in after the long lunch recess when I give

Them a mindful minute to calm down and do their work and I have less behavior problems. Even in the special ed classrooms.

Stupid ignorant conservatives need mindfulness themselves

[YOHABLO]

20. Their stomachs are full which causes the blood to flow to the gut. Have them stand on their head.

[MH1]

7. Wow. Invoking "god" in the pledge of allegiance and everywhere else;

griping about prayer (allegedly) not allowed in schools ... but they think they have a leg to stand on to complain about a stress-reduction technique?

The hypocrisy meter just broke.

[IcyPeas]

9. yoga too

I remember hearing this a few years ago.

The most vocal opponents tend to cite yoga’s Hindu and Buddhist roots, arguing that the line between those origins and secular practices is often blurry. Yoga encompasses all kinds of approaches and techniques, some more spiritual than others, but those roots often filter into even the most innocuous of mindful-movement routines. Religious influences are, arguably, even baked into elements as simple as “om” chants, poses with Sanskrit names, and, as the controversy in Georgia attests, collective “namaste” greetings.

https://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2018/09/why-schools-are-banning-yoga/570904/

namaste

[Bernardo de La Paz]

12. Namaste

[Adsos Letter]

10. Mindfulness was part of a therapy that helped me with my PTSD.

I think it would be a valuable skill for young people to learn (it took me some time to be able to really make it work).

[Bernardo de La Paz]

13. +1 . . . nt

[Bernardo de La Paz]

11. Thinking of & caring for other people is socialism. Or communism. And UnChristian.

(my post title is sarcasm)

Meditation & mindfulness have nothing intrinsically religious about them.

The only religious practice that has been proven to be effective is Meditative Prayer (a part of almost all religions, including christianity). And even there the only effect is on the meditator: calmness, better health (less stressed out), greater resilience psychologically. Meditation is even more effective.

[IronLionZion]

14. They want prayer in school, let's bring in Wicca and Church of Satan too

Last edited Tue May 7, 2019, 05:54 PM - Edit history (1)

[tanyev]

15. What the f do they think Jesus was doing when he went into the desert for 40 days?

[cp]

16. Ignorant gits

[maxsolomon]

18. They're not all wrong. They're just being typical Binary thinking idiots.

both Yoga and Mindfulness Meditation come from non-Christian Eastern traditions.

its quite easy to practice both secularly; I would know.

Besides, I know a CATHOLIC NUN that is a Zen teacher. She can reconcile an explicitly Buddhist practice with worship of Jesus Christ, but then again, she's not a zealot, a literalist, or personally invested in scamming a congregation by telling them they're under attack. She's just a sincere, kind, caring human being who understands that much of the bible is metaphorical.

[sarabelle]

21. My graddaughters attention a school that is heavy into "mindfulness" It's special needs private

school since they both have special learning needs. It seems to be working well for them and their schoolmates. And it teaches children to respect others and to be kind to students who appear to be alone or loners. The school i heavy into community service, STEM and the arts. These children learn differently than most children and it becomes more obvious in the early teen years. The children are smart but learn and differently.

Of course, people will abuse and ruin any system.

The extreme Right will try to kill anything that hints of helping people.