Advocacy for Teaching Mindfulness Practices and World Religions in Public Schools

Abstract

People from various walks of life, professions, and traditions, including Christians, have been implementing mindfulness practices as cost-effective tools to deal with physical and mental health issues. Notably, numerous studies have demonstrated that mindfulness training has brought tremendous benefits to K-12 students physiologically and psychologically. As a result, this training should be implemented in public schools for the sake of our children’s well-being, behavior, mental health, and educational success. Some states, such as Texas and Kentucky, have granted the Christian Bible priority in teaching the New Testament and Old Testament while excluding other traditions and sacred texts. This precedent, however, violated the First Amendment. Instead, public schools should provide teachers proper training and knowledge to teach their students broader perspectives on world religions, including Western and Eastern traditions, in this modern globalized era.