April 5, 2021 Group Watch: Senate Committee Deadlocks on Lifting K-12 Yoga Ban
The Senate Judiciary Committee deadlocked on legislation that would lift the 1993 prohibition on yoga in schools after testimony from Christian conservatives who claim it would lead to proselytizing in public schools by followers of Hinduism. The House-passed bill would give Alabama public schools the option of offering yoga as an elective. The legislation would limit any yoga practice to exercises; requires activities to have English names; and bans “chanting, mantras, mudras, use of mandalas, and namaste greetings.” Just weeks ago the House passed the bill 73 to 25. A procedural vote by the committee allows for the bill to be considered at a future meeting for a vote. Two senators who supported the bill were absent.
