By Sophia Rosenbaum, NBC News

A San Diego judge ruled Monday that yoga poses like downward dog and criss-cross applesauce are not religious, allowing a yoga program to continue in a Southern California school district.

Parents of two children in the Encinitas Union School district in San Diego County sued the district because they claim the Ashtanga yoga classes being offered in place of more traditional physical education instruction indoctrinate the children. But on Monday afternoon, Judge John S. Meyer ruled in favor of the school district.

The couples lawyer, Attorney Dean Broyles, told NBC News 7 in San Diego that the practice is inherently religious and is a violation of church and state.

All nine schools in the district participate in the yoga program, which launched last fall, during gym class. The program is funded completely by a $500,000 grant from the K.P. Jois Foundation.

The foundations website says it is looking to promote wellness, health and achievement for youth, especially those in under-served communities.

We want them to feel that they dont need sugar and video games to fill some kind of vacancy that they might feel, said Russell Case, who helped recruit yoga instructors for the program and works for the Jois Foundation. We want them to feel that they can get that from exercise.

As a 501(c)3 non-profit company, Case said the foundation cannot promote any sort of religious affiliation.

The plantiffs dont want religion in schools and neither do we, Case said.

The schools defense, led by attorney Jack Sleeth, followed the foundations sentiment, and said the program was put in place to promote a healthy lifestyle that helps students reduce stress and align their bodies.

More here:
Yoga class a sore subject in California schools