Teaching is Not a Crime: Challenging Virginia's Unconstitutional Regulation of Yoga Teacher Training

[rattlesnakemilitia]

Too many restrictions and regulations and more over too many taxes and fees. Yoga being related to religion should not be taught in public school, unless it is a club or such you join voluntarily, eyes wide open, but other than that government should back off. Gov used to serve us and now we are forced to serve their insane ideas, rules and regulations. Are we becoming an oligarchy?

[slapcompany]

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[allgoraro]

more certificates--more  money for the state.

[singlaprety12]

Tell me why people have to pay so much to be able to make a honest living??

[Superlibertytv]

Individual citizens owe no duty to the state, only corporations who are allowed to exist from the state. Look up Hale vs Hinckle US supreme court ruling 1906. We are not subject to the statutes and regulations of the state, our power to contract is unlimited. the confusion is that we think that going into business for yourself is the same as incorporating, and it is not, one is based on contract rights, the other on immunities from liability through the state.

[Freethought42]

"The law perverted! And the police powers of the state perverted along with it! The law, I say, not only turned from its proper purpose but made to follow an entirely contrary purpose! The law become the weapon of every kind of greed! Instead of checking crime, the law itself guilty of the evils it is supposed to punish!"

Frederic Bastiat, "The Law"

[juggler100]

Who is John Galt?

[PrayingForDaylight]

This crap is making me furious?! I thought this kind of crap only appeared in the communist countries! This is crap! Whatever politicians made this shit need to be STRIPPED and TORN away from their power! They are a total disgrace to this country whoever they may be!

[SouthPhillyHooligan]

You thought state regulation and licensing of vocational instructors/educators only appeared in communist countries? Okay there, bud.

[CurtHowland]

@PrayingForDaylight You thought the US wasn't a socialist country?

Socialism is exactly what the "third way" means.

Well, ok, Fascism. Private ownership of title, but govt regulation of business and private life. Like property taxes, where you don't actually own anything, you just pay rent to the real owner.

[modestbuddhist]

yoga comes from within, we're all born with the ability to practice, & it's a connection of soul n body, and i'm pretty sure the government is soulless, so how could they regulate this!?  i wish you luck in virginia....

[Pileofgreyrocks]

Training and certification promotes the public trust and safety. If you are charging people for your services and claiming to be an expert in something, then you should have the credentials to prove it. You might be a very ethical and well trained individual, but I am positive there exists a large number of quacks and charlatans out there claiming to be what you have earned. Instead of fighting the legislation, fight to be part of the process and to have a say in what is decided.

[mguttube]

Why does it need be the government that certifies product and service providers?

To many of us it seems doubtless that private certifying agencies would do better at protecting consumers from potentially dangerous or non-efficacious products, than politicized government bureaucracies. Public agencies it seems are often influenced by special interests who are well-funded and well-placed to garner unfair leverage.

[SouthPhillyHooligan]

You expressed an opinion deviating from the proper ideological line, Pileofgreyrocks, and although you expressed this opinion intelligently and politely, you must now be punished with multiple thumbs down votes from the lovers of liberty.

[libertyplayground]

this is what happens in the people's republic of northern virginia...

[suzannelwise]

The state is trying to impose regulations under the false pretense of consumer protection. Why should yoga be licensed?coz other businesses are? That does not make it right! Licensing does nothing to protect the public in any field. Each of us have the ability to ask questions and to make informed choices, and if any nasty yoga teacher causes us harm, we have laws in place for that. Don't we? Stamp and shout and let's maintain our freedom to practice yoga, teach yoga and train in yoga!

[bodyattackrocks]

Virginia should back off! Let the studios focus on teaching Yoga, not government fees and regulations

[dolfyn6]

Yoga should not be regulated. The government doesn't specialize in yoga!!!

[superCatia]

Here in my country there are many quack studios, releasing quack teachers. Maybe that's the point, the government is trying to make this serious. Anyway, certain breathing techniques and positions are dangerous, and it is better to be shure to go to a qualified teacher.

[thephranc]

It's all about that money not safety just money. Disgusting government.

[debbykirkman]

As far as I can tell, these regulations are not solving any problems. This looks like a case of unnecessary regulation. I do think, however, that those who are avocating to remove the regulation are using the wrong argument. It's not a freedom of speech issue because the studios are charging for instructor training. No one is restricted from teaching for free. A stronger argument needs to be set up to be compelling in a Virginia court.

[QuantumTuba]

I agree that it might not be compelling, but, although I'm not a lawyer, I personally can't think of a stronger constitutional argument despite how obviously unjust these laws are.

However, I think the First Amendment argument may be valid. If the government prevents the transaction on a basis of the nature of the skills taught, that could be interpreted as too dependent on the content of the teaching, which is fundamentally speech.

[SouthPhillyHooligan]

Exactly-- the courts have historically held that advertising and commercial transactions can be regulated. We are talking about commercial transactions for the purpose of learning a trade, not people sharing their hippie crunchy granola philosophy for free. This is not a First Amendment issue. Of course the dogmatic Ayn Rand worshippers at IJ probably also think the state issuing medical licenses is unconstitutional.

[Vinyls03]

This is a great cause worth fighting for. LRY and studios like it are in danger and as someone who has found so much joy and enlightenment in this practice, I would hate to seeing anyone deny people of that freedom. Please pass the word along and protect yoga in Virginia

[israelandersonvideo]

This is hilarious. Because... most (not all) Yoga lovers (I have nothing against yoga) are extreme lefties. So here's your wonderful left-wing socialist ideology coming to bite your ass, or rather, bite the hand that feeds it. If you advocate the removal of people's property through taxation, which is the removal of their freedoms, then please, PLEASE don't complain when it has unintended consequences.

And just FYI, I am not a "right-winger", I'm libertarian and reject both sides equally.

[MooseOfReason]

@israelandersonvideo How's that relevant to the video?

[manco82]

israelandersonvideo - right on dude! That's exactly what I thought. Yoga people are 99% left-wingers who LOVE taxing and regulating the crap out of everyone. Now it's come back to bite their ass and they don't like it. Def feels good!!!

[Ramshobraja]

Lol. so true. Here is liberalism coming back to bite them in the ass. Quite funny.

Libertarians ftw!

[ginnyloving]

Del. Bulova states.." you don't regulate unless you have a defined problem.." & also says that he is not convinced there is a problem. Could the proposed gov.regs be a transparent ploy by the Commonwealth to re-line coffers hit by the recent real estate debacle? Yoga schools teach about physical postures- & holistic, altruistic views of the world. Shamefully, these havens will be run under by the Old Dominion's need for cash. Pick on someone your own size, VA!

[suzannelwise]

Del.Bulova in the W.Post is quoted as saying that he is not flexible enough for yoga. This comment is a major part of the problem. If you are just doing the poses, then you cannot claim to be practicing yoga. It is not an external practice. Rather it is investigation & understanding of our self.

Who is the yoga(ini) here...the one who can handstand and goes home and kicks the dog or the one who cannot touch their toes but is kind & courteous to friends, family and strangers alike.

[truthadvocate]

Separation of economy and state!

Government regulation hurts consumers, raises prices, reduces productivity & wealth, & reduces free competition in the market place that is necessary to increase quality and lower price. Government regulation is destructive. It's the opposite of freedom. It's nothing more than coercion, threats and intimidation. It doesn't belong in a civilized world.

[lazydragon88]

SO TRUEEE!!!

[CristmasFRICKENTiger]

so true!!!