Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Standard Letter To Principal and Vice Principal
Standard Letter To Principal and Vice Principal
It has come to my attention that one of the programs you have implemented, at my
childs school, involves Mindfulness Meditation. And, I would like to notify you that I
am not comfortable with my child participating in any type of meditation. I would like
to kindly ask you to make arrangements to excuse my child from all future
Mindfulness Meditation sessions. And, I would like to ask that you please consider
removing Mindfulness Meditation from the school altogether.
I would also like to notify you of an online petition which is seeking to remove all
Mindfulness Meditation and Mindfulness-oriented programs, from Canadian public
schools. If you visit that petition: https://www.change.org/p/minister-of-education-
please-remove-the-mindfulness-program-from-canadian-public-schools you will see
there is undeniable proof that Mindfulness sessions are in fact Mindfulness
Meditation sessions. Mindfulness Meditation sessions also qualify as Guided
Meditation and Buddhist Meditation. And, the aforementioned petition notes the
following facts:
1
In addition to all of this, I would like to make you aware that the aforementioned
petition clarifies how legislated meditation is not lawful in Canada (under Section
Two of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms). The petition also outlines how
all provinces and territories in Canada have their own additional laws that designate
public schools as secular schools. For example, Section 76 of the BC School Act says:
All schools and Provincial schools must be conducted on strictly secular and non-
sectarian principles. The highest morality must be inculcated, but no religious dogma
or creed is to be taught in a school or Provincial school. This means Canadian public
schools can briefly teach students about what Buddhist Meditation is, but they violate
the rights of the students if they solicit them into practicing it.
The petition also outlines how the Media has reported how some people have
experienced negative side effects from practicing meditation. Here is one example:
A UBC psychiatrist told me on the weekend he has had six patients who had their
first psychotic episodes while meditating. To say the least, it was stunning to hear
such a high number. All in just a few years. However, it is not exactly new in the
world of psychology and psychiatry. vancouversun.com; Article: "Can Meditation be
Dangerous to Your Mental Health?" Publish Date: 01.23.2012.
Besides the above-noted News article, the Mindfulness Petition lists three other News
articles which outline the documented risks associated with practicing meditation:
1) https://health.spectator.co.uk/what-mindfulness-gurus-dont-tell-you-meditation-
has-a-dark-side/ 2) https://www.good.is/articles/when-meditation-is-bad-for-you 3)
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/aug/25/mental-health-meditation 4)
And a 2009 Case Study which highlights the risks associated with meditation
http://spu.edu/depts/spfc/happenings/documents/13_2009_Lustyketal_MM_safety_
AMBM.pdf
In light of this information, I think you are obligated to either remove Mindfulness
Meditation from the school or inform parents of these risks and allow them to sign
waivers (opting their children in or out of Mindfulness Meditation sessions).
Thank you,
Sincerely,