An Alabama bill to bring back yoga to public schools is being voted on today, April 7. For the past 28 years, the activity has been banned because many people believe it promotes Hinduism. Representative Jeremy Gray would like to see the bill pass through the Senate because he practices yoga and knows the benefits of it. 

“When we talk about stressors and anxiety and all those things… from a mental standpoint, it can really help people in K-12,” said Rep. Gray in an interview with NPR. 

Yoga not only relieves stress, but has also been proven to increase flexibility and mobility which is a great advantage in athletics.

Gray has been working on the bill for three years, and his efforts are making an impact. Many schools across the country are looking to broaden their horizons when it comes to what forms of exercise are offered at school. The main goal of physical education is to teach students healthy habits that they can carry on into the rest of their lives. Incorporating various forms of exercise into a class, including yoga, could make students more likely to find exercises they like and stick to them throughout their lives.