Hundreds of parents, a few with their children in tow, urged the Dennis-Yarmouth Regional School Committee Wednesday to keep the Calmer Choice mindfulness program in the elementary and middle schools despite a threat of legal action if the classes aren't scrapped.

SOUTH YARMOUTH — Hundreds of parents, a few with their children in tow, urged the Dennis-Yarmouth Regional School Committee Wednesday to keep the Calmer Choice mindfulness program in the elementary and middle schools despite a threat of legal action if the classes aren’t scrapped.

“The threat to Calmer Choice is nothing short of terrorism,” parent Katie Clancy said. “What’s next? Eliminating evolution from the science curriculum?”

Parents arrived at the School Committee meeting with a petition bearing 2,500 signatures in support of Calmer Choice.

- Essential quotes from Wednesday night's Calmer Choice meeting

The conservative, California-based National Center for Law and Policy, on behalf of parent and School Committee member Michelle LaRowe Conover, presented the district with a 24-page memorandum last week that contained an ultimatum giving Superintendent Carol Woodbury until Feb. 14 to “suspend and not renew any and all contracts with Calmer Choice.”

The document cited Conover’s concerns over possible health risks of the mindfulness program to the children, lack of scientific study of its effects on young brains and the program’s roots in Buddhist religion, which it said violated the First Amendment's Establishment Clause regarding separation of church and state.

The National Center for Law and Policy is a nonprofit legal defense organization “which focuses on the protection and promotion of religious freedom, the sanctity of life, traditional marriage, parental rights, and other civil liberties,” according to its website.

- See a photo gallery from the school committee meeting

On Wednesday, Conover read a long statement, calling for an end to the program in the schools. “Stand alone as I may, but I will stand for what is right: truth, transparency and the health and safety of our children,” she said.

While some members of Calmer Choice attended the meeting, they were there to listen.

Fiona Jensen, founder and executive director of Calmer Choice, has said the organization developed its own curriculum, which has no religious connection and is suitable for children. Its aim is to help children focus and to calm themselves in stressful situations.

Video: Watch key speakers at the Calmer Choice meeting:

A 7-year-old who has had Calmer Choice instruction in her classroom lobbied for keeping the program. “I use it and it helps me calm down,” she said.

Lori Zito, a doctor at Bass River Pediatrics and a supporter of Calmer Choice, said a quarter of her patients suffer from anxiety and depression. "Kids need to be able to quiet their brains," she said. "It's something kids need to be taught."

Parent Kerri Mrozinski was among a handful that supported Conover. “I was afraid to speak tonight,” she said. “I was afraid my children would be subjected to the same backlash that Michelle’s children have. I feel as a Christian woman and parent, this violates my beliefs. This is showing me and my family no tolerance at all.”

Mattacheese Middle School teacher Julia Randall said she didn’t believe Conover was interested in the scientific arguments regarding Calmer Choice.

“It’s disingenuous to say this is not religiously motivated,” she said of Conover. “It’s hypocritical to attack Calmer Choice because it’s religious when we say the Pledge of Allegiance every day.” She noted a reference to God is in the pledge.

School Committee members said the Calmer Choice program is under the purview of Superintendent Carol Woodbury, who they support.

Woodbury said she researched the program before involving the district. "I didn't just wake up one day and say, 'Hey, how about Calmer Choice?'"

It has been gradually integrated, and both teachers and students have voiced their support, she said.

Six of the seven committee members, except Conover, voted to support Woodbury and keep the program.

- Watch videos from the Calmer Choice meeting

In addition to Dennis-Yarmouth, Calmer Choice offers its mindfulness program in the Falmouth, Mashpee, Barnstable, Monomoy and Nauset schools districts and at Cape Cod Lighthouse Charter School. Provincetown has a program led by an instructor who was trained by Calmer Choice.

Yarmouth selectmen appointed Conover to the school board in November to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of John Poole. She was one of five candidates vying for the position, and the appointment runs until the annual town election in the spring.

Three police officers attended the meeting since the debate over the mindfulness program has been emotional. “We were requested to be on hand in case the meeting becomes unruly,” Yarmouth police Sgt. Stephen Renzi said.

School Committee Chairman Brian Carey asked speakers to avoid name-calling and profanity before he opened the meeting up for comment.

“I want you to be a model for your children,” he said.

The warning proved unnecessary, with speakers respectfully making their points.

— Follow Christine Legere on Twitter: @ChrisLegereCCT.