The American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ) has begun an initiative to fight against the stealth introduction of Buddhism in public schools through mindfulness programs. Buddhists have always known that mindfulness meditation is Buddhism as most Hindus know that Yoga is the essence of Hinduism. Christina Stierhoff’s article, “The Deception of Buddhist-Based Mindfulness in Our Schools and the Dangers it Poses,” on the ACLJ’s website is an excellent introduction to the issue of mindfulness programs in public schools and what is at risk for our children.
As anyone who has seriously studied curriculum choice in the public school knows, educators are quick to adopt what is trendy and new without rigorous scientific support. Sometimes only the plausibility of potential benefits of a trendy activity is enough to get teachers attracted to new curriculum ideas. This is especially so when meditation offers the supposed magical ability to create a “calm” classroom. The ACLJ’s article shows that promoters of Buddhist mindfulness meditation have sanitized the deeply spiritual practice of mindfulness with new labels and descriptors for educators, but most promoters know that they still are teaching the Buddhist worldview.
So for our kids, it is out with recess and having fun playing with your pals for twenty minutes, and in with exploring your inner consciousness and connecting to the universe!