Yoga – ancient exercise and relaxation techniques that trace their roots to India – remains prohibited in Alabama schools. One Hindu religious statesman wants to know why.

Rajan Zed, president of the Universal Society of Hinduism, said the longstanding ban is “clearly doing a disservice to Alabama’s K-12 public school students.”

“Various public universities of Alabama had been offering yoga in some form to their students and some Alabama churches had also reportedly offered/announced yoga programs,” Zed said. “If yoga was rewarding for the students of Alabama public universities, why Alabama was keeping it away from its K-12 public school students?”

Yoga, along with hypnosis, meditation and guided imagery exercises, has been prohibited in the state’s public schools since 1993. Recent Legislative efforts to do away with the ban failed and the State Board of Education opted not to take it up despite yoga being listed on a February work session agenda.

Yoga’s ties to Eastern religion led to the ban.

The practice, according to the State Department of Education, is a "Hindu philosophy and method of religious training in which eastern meditation and contemplation are joined with physical exercises, allegedly to facilitate the development of body, mind, spirit."

Zed is urging Alabama officials to “seriously and urgently” revisit the issue and “work towards formally introducing yoga as a part of a curriculum in all public schools.”