Supporters and opponents of a yoga program in the Encinitas Union School District have been collecting signatures on petitions and are expected to attend a school board meeting Tuesday to make their voices heard.

The issue has brought national media attention to the district, where some parents claim the yoga taught in the local elementary schools is a form of religious indoctrination.

This issue is not about whether you like yoga, said Dean Broyles, and attorney representing parents who oppose the program. The issue is about religious freedom.

The district introduced yoga at half of its campuses earlier this year after receiving a $533,000 grant from the Jois Foundation, an Encinitas-based group that promotes Ashtanga Yoga.

Students in all grades do the exercises twice a week for 30 minutes at a time, and the district plans to introduce the program to all its schools in January.

Ashtanga Yoga involves specific Hindu religious beliefs and practices, Broyles said about the practice.

While Broyles and several district parents have said the practice violates the Constitutions clause against the governments establishment of religion, many other parents and district officials see the yoga classes as just another form of exercise.

As of Friday, 2,194 people who support the yoga program had signed an online petition at theyogablog.com/protect-kids-yoga-program. The Yoga Blog website is run by Encinitas resident Matt Caron.

Meanwhile, 116 people had signed an online petition opposing Ashtanga Yoga in the elementary school district and calling for its immediate removal. The goal is 200 signatures, according to the website that hosts the petition, http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/remove-the-ashtanga-yoga-program-from-eusd.

A report about the school districts health and wellness program which includes yoga is scheduled for the districts next regular board meeting at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at 101 S. Rancho Santa Fe Road, Encinitas.

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Supporters, opponents of school yoga to meet