El Rio Waldorf School Charter Administrator - Ed Eadon

Here's an intimate "behind-the-scenes" peek at an email I sent to Highland Hall board of directors member Tony Blake.  The background is, Highland Hall (Ed Eadon) had been using the expulsion and threats of expulsion of my kids to cause them emotional distress.  They expelled my daughter shortly before school started in the fall.  My daughter was thrilled by this initially... but, her mother went to work on her, frightening her about the horrors of public school, and eventually, my daughter called me - hysterical to go back to Highland Hall.  Ed Eadon seized this as an opportunity to make me "comply" with Highland Hall's Communication Protocol - and believed he could use the children's attorney to pressure me.  It appears the children's attorney only gave Ed the option of expelling all of my kids (rather than make me comply with the Protocol).  Ed used this as a further threat.  My recourse was the following email exchange with the board member.

Hi Tony,

I promise you I'm not trying to start trouble but you invited me to contact you directly with concerns.  It appears one has popped up already regarding Ed Eadon.  I will acknowledge up front that Ed and I have had our differences but that doesn't change the circumstances.  I spoke with Maura Swanson yesterday and she related to me a conversation she had with Ed Eadon, and apparently Lisa Profumo was in on the call.  Ed related to Maura, a parent no longer involved in the 6th grade class, the circumstances by which my daughter, was re-admitted to Highland Hall.  As if that weren't bad enough, he fabricated a lot of what he told Maura.  It is absolutely inappropriate for Ed or anyone representing the school to publicise this information and I am extremely concerned that such nonsense will find its way to my children's ears as information contained in court orders are not to be shared with my children.  The last thing Highland Hall needs now is another issue festering and gossiping to parents, especially by the head administrator is going to be an issue.  Ed can't seem to leave my private life and my children's private lives out of school politics. 

The parent handbook states that the communications protocol is to be followed by administrators as well as parents.  Why is Ed communicating (miscommunicating) my situation to other parents?  Please Tony, let's put some caulk in this crack before the dam bursts again.  I assure you that I won't take this any further than this letter but I need your assurance that this activity will stop immediately.

Thank you Tony.

Tony Blake wrote:

Pete

I've been out of town and unable to deal with a lot of the e-mail I get.  I understand your response and your specific issue.  Unfortuately I can't take the time to discuss this with you via e-mai.  It's far too time consuming for me to spend an hour (as it took for my last response) composing an e-mail.  I'm going to have to ask that if you have any problems with Ed or the communications issue in the future to call me and we can discuss it on the phone.  I can accomplish a lot more in a ten or twenty minute call than in an hour writing e-mail.

That said, I want to address just two points here.  One, yes, the letter you got gave the school leeway in allowing it to change its protocol in the future.  This is not directed only at you Pete.   The school needs the flexibility to make adjustments to this protocol on an ongoing basis.  (And FYI it's only been in print for the first time this year and despite your impression that it's been in place for years, has never been this comprehensive). So I'm sure you can realize the foolishness of an organization to say that a document stipulating  guidelines is in concrete.  So don't take it personally.  It applies  to everyone.  I see it as a courtesy to let you know the school may from time to time change it's protocol.  Otherwise if they did, it without your knowing they had that right, you'd really be outraged. 

Also, I can see how you take issue with the comment (I haven't seen the letter yet, and yes you can fax it to 818-xxxxxxx) "regarding any communications having to do with Highland Hall."  I asked about this and found out that they ran this by the attorney who said this was a legal position the school could take.  In fact I found out from the attorney, that a private school can ask a family to leave for any reason and even no reason.  So while I understand it's an additional stipulation to what you agreed to, the school apparently felt they didn't want a current parent going on the web and putting out negativity about it.  Frankly, I can understand that.  Would you want someone who worked for your company publicly dispensing negative information about it?

Look, here's the bottom line as I see it.  If you are going to make yourself the self appointed "web consultant" for prospective parents for Highland Hall (as you imply when you say you receive inquiries from prospective parents) I can assure you that you will continue to maintain an adversarial relationship with the vast majority of people at the school.  Now that may be fine with you, but know that as Board President I cannot support your taking it upon yourself to be the sole web advisor to prospective parents.  Just between you and me, I suspect the opinion you give is hardly impartial or objective.  And unless you suggest to these folks that they speak to someone in addition to you, say like me or an Elinor Reid or a Vicky Waldorf, then what I'm going to assume is that you're giving prospective parents a one-sided very negative impression of the school.  If I'm wrong, let me know.  If I'm right, don't expect a lot of support from me.  I'm here to try to improve the way things work and create a stronger organization.  And if someone is publicly dispensing one sided negative information about the organization, that's in direct conflict with what I'm trying to accomplish.

If you want to continue this discussion, please call me.  Evenings are best after 7:30 although I'm out at meetings from time to time so we may play phone tag from time to time.

Tony

 

Hi Tony,

I will call you if you insist, but it is difficult for me to accept telephonic communications as a reasonable substitute for emails because there is no record of what was said and, of course with email there is.  We could save a lot of time, perhaps, arguing over who said what and when if we continue by email and of course there isn't the telephone-tag problem.  Again, I will call you from now on but I want to answer a few points below and I will fax you the letter I received.

With regard to the communications protocol, FYI, it is not new this year nor is it revised or more comprehensive this year than last year but, as far as I can determine, it is exactly identical to last year's communications protocol (check both parent handbooks - pages 16 and 17).  I am not concerned with the school's right to change the communications protocol as it applies to the school, but rather with the statement that they have the sole discression to interpret it as they see fit and, consequently, expel my kids.  And, of course, the implication that any mention anywhere of Highland Hall might be covered by the protocol. 

With regard to the expulsion of my kids, I agree the school can at any time expel them.  What I object to is the school's stated premise that I am causing this to happen by my critical public review of Waldorf education and that this public review is somehow covered in the communications protocol.  Your business example indicates to me that you have never been involved in the business world - you cannot find a company where employees aren't critical of management.  If I had an employee that dispensed negative information about my company, the first thing I would want to know is if that information is true.  If it was true, I would look for and address the problems within my company, not within the employee.

I'm not the self-appointed web representative for Highland Hall.  People seek me out.  If they want to hear only the PR, they will look elsewhere.  They seek me out because they know I have had my share of problems with Highland Hall.  The way Highland Hall deals with me in resolving these problems reflects on my opinion of Highland Hall, to be sure.  I can't help it if Highland Hall doesn't like that I speak with other parents, or makes assumptions about what I might say.  Are you suggesting that I should just tell prospective parents that because I'm a parent, I'm not allowed to speak freely about Highland Hall?  I wonder how that statement might be received by prospective parents.

Again, FYI, I represent Highland Hall much better than I should considering what they have put me through over the years.  Deep down I know that Highland Hall's basic problems are administrative and that people like Ed, who has no respect for parents, tend to self-destruct.  I've read enough Steiner to know where this attitude comes from.  In that regard, I can see some light at the end of a very long tunnel and please trust me when I say that I believe there is hope for Highland Hall.  I didn't create the problems here. 

Between you and me, I don't think Highland Hall gives an objective view of itself to parents either.  Nonetheless, you are absolutely wrong about your assessment that I am providing a service of negative one-sided reports.  I have recommended Highland Hall to parents who have high school age children.  I believe the high school is managable and despite some problematic treatment of certain subjects, and some dogmatic teachers, it is generally good as long as parents are willing to consider supplementing their children's education.  Parents who contact me often indicate which class their children might attend.  I sometimes recommend the lower grades if the class teacher is a good one - yes, sorry, I'm the one who gets to decide this.  If I can't wholeheartedly recommend the class, I always suggest they contact parents from the class they would be attending - and I provide them with contact information.  I also suggest they stand outside the school and ask random parents what they think of the school or suggest they attend a faire and mingle a bit - this is random and they are as likely to talk to me as they are to Elinore Reid.  As you have recommended, I have provided contact information of board members they might talk to - not necessarily Vicky Waldorf.  I also recommend they visit the SJU list, Anthroposophy Tomorrow, and OpenWaldorf web sites - if you have other web sources you would like me to provide to them I'd be happy to do so.  I don't send them to PLANS. 

Tony, there really are two sides to the Waldorf education story.  Many parents research it and find out it isn't for them.  Some parents try it for a few years and have a bad experience that changes their mind.  Everyone has a right to know both sides before choosing this for their children.  Parents who have already discovered the other side contact me.  I am absolutely honest about what has transpired and what I represent (unlike Highland Hall - and you might want to ask Lisa Profumo about the 1st grade parent meeting in which she represented to new parents that Highland Hall has never had safety problems). 

Highland Hall has the opportunity to deal with me respectfully or to continue to treat me and many other parents in the way they have for the past several years.    I have repeatedly asked to be heard on the issues of reform and I'd much rather deal with Highland Hall to accomplish this than the general public.  I admit that to some extent, this determines how and if I recommend Highland Hall to parents.

But if you think I'm unfairly representing Highland Hall, let me suggest this to you.  I am mindful that a prospective parent could decide to relate what I have said to Highland Hall.  Indeed, anyone from Highland Hall could email me and pretend to be a prospective parent (and believe me, I've also kept this in mind all along).  If you think I am spreading untruthful information about Highland Hall, or a one-sided story, why don't you pretend to be someone else and contact me - before making a lot of assumptions about what I might be saying or doing. 

If you *really* want to improve the way things work, then know that I could never harm Highland Hall more than Highland Hall harms itself through it's own posture of suppressing the truth and suggesting (as contained in the letter that I will fax to you) that they can rebuild trust by limiting communications by me or anyone else.  To go back to your business analogy, it is like GM firing the whistleblowers and settling with victims out of court instead of correcting the real problem of leaky gas tanks.  Once their behavior is exposed to the public, it's difficult to develop trust.  Highland Hall's behavior needs to change before you will improve the way things work Tony.  I'd love to have nothing to complain about but the people who find it necessary to threaten me with letters like the one in question will ensure that I always do. 

Pete

Subject: Calking the Crack

From: Pete Karaiskos

Date: Sun, 19 Sep 2004 10:27:02 -0700 (PDT)

To: Tony Blake

Hi Tony,

I think we're going to need more caulk.  I spoke with Ed Eadon yesterday (Saturday).  He indicated that the school decided to let Maura Swanson know the detailed circumstances of my daughter's reenrollment because Maura's own child had been denied reenrollment and they wanted to head off any problems that might present.  I pointed out to Mr. Eadon that he has frequently proven himself to be quite capable of withholding information and that he should have encouraged Ms. Swanson to contact either Angela or me if she wanted to find out the details.  He agreed that this should have been done and apologized.  Then he further offered that Angela has been making rather public the conditions of {daughter}'s reenrollment - conditions that I was not aware of and haven't agreed to - and that this is why he felt he could share this information publicly.

As if this isn't distressing enough, it turns out, based on my conversation with Mr. Eadon,  that there is apparently a letter on its way to me from the college that details a new set of conditions NOT contained in the court order, and conditions I have not agreed to, that I have to meet in order to keep my children at Highland Hall.  I explained to Mr. Eadon that we had an agreement that {daughter} would be reenrolled and that I would adhere to the school's communications protocol per the court order.  Mr. Eadon then got somewhat heated (as is his nature I'm sure you know) and claimed that he had spoken with the school lawyer and that the lawyer had assured him that the school could, in fact, expel all three of my children "for any reason or for NO reason" (Mr. Eadon's words) and that I would have to conform to the NEW conditions or all three children would be expelled.  Mr. Eadon, again, had no reason to offer this information or make these threats other than to personally attack me.  If a letter was forthcoming, he should have let it arrive and we could have dealt with it then.  He could have (rather uncharacteristically) kept his mouth shut but he chose to exhibit his everpresent control issues.

You can, I'm sure, imagine how difficult and disruptive this action by the school would be for the children and how it would impact their lives.  {Daughter} especially would be devastated by this and I feel certain this would be viewed as the school's fault for admitting her under a false set of conditions.   After all these kids have been through at this school, and after all I have been through with this school as a parent, year after year and crisis after crisis, it is unimaginable for me to comply with a gag order in order to ensure that my kids will remain at Highland Hall and I am sure I made that clear in our phone conversation.  This was, indeed, why you suggested I speak directly to you if a problem arose.  I will adhere to the communication protocol as I agreed to but I also insist on having the same rights as any other parent.  I thought we agreed to start fresh and work positively.

I'm not inclined to continue this pissing contest with Ed or Christine or anyone else at the school.  All I want, and I made this clear to you, is for my kids to have a good, peaceful year.  Ed has now twice gone out of his way to rub salt in old wounds and to take what would have been a positive situation this year and turn it sour.  He is not going to beat me into submission and he needs to know this - by trying he is only making things worse and exposing the school to more criticism or other action.  The best course of action would be to bury the hatchet, not to continue chopping.  Please, Tony, PLEASE - talk with him and ask him to stop this childish nonsense so we can just move on.

One last note... I am aware that Maura is also having problems with Mr. Eadon.  I want to assure you that this is not some conspiritorial effort to overthrow Ed or to do him damage.  Ed is his own worst enemy.  He could have simply acknowledged what I was saying in our telephone conversation and left it at that.  It is his need to be combative, controlling and punishing (perhaps these stem from his military background) that has now caused two cracks that require attention.  We need to stop making disgruntled parents out of people who just want a good education for their kids. 

Thanks for listening,

Pete Karaiskos

Subject: Re: Calking the Crack

From: rudykazootie

Date: Thu, 23 Sep 2004 09:19:19 -0700 (PDT)

To: Pete Karaiskos

Pete

I just received your e-mail.  Let me address this one paragraph at a time.

I asked you to call Ed specifically so that he could apologize for revealing information inappropriately to another parent about your situation.  You indicate he in fact did apologize for revealing it and that was all that I intended to accomplish. 

His informing you about Angela talking openly about the court order is apparently true from what I've heard from others on campus.   I understand how this is distressing for you, but I think it's important that you know this, so you don't think it's Ed's talking to Maura that has caused this information to be known by others.  I also hope you recognize that this is an issue that no one at the school can control.  That is between you and Angela.

To your statement: "Then he (Ed) further offered that Angela has been making rather public the conditions of {daughter's} reenrollment - conditions that I was not aware of and haven't agreed to -"   I'm not sure what your complaint is here.  Is it about Angela making public the conditions, or the conditions themselves?  If the former, like I said, that's a personal issue between you and her.  If it's the latter, I address it futher on.

Now to the letter that you learned was "forthcoming."  Again, I want to keep the points clear.  You claim there is a "new set of conditions not contained in the court order."  So to my understanding the court order indicated that in order for {daughter} to remain at Highland Hall you would be required to follow the communication protocol.  That's not a new condition that I can see.  Is there some other condition you're speaking of?

If your statement "a new set of conditons not contained in the court order that I have not agreed to" means the issue that your other two children could be asked to leave if you do not follow communications protocol, I see that as a broadened "consequence."  It's not a new condition of behavior being asked of you.

So to be clear, the conditions that you must meet are the same.  It's the consequence that I see as having been broadened.  And honestly, this decision is not within my area of responsibility.  Although, having checked with the lawyer, apparently it is legal.  However, that doesn't excuse Ed's heated behavior.

As I see it, Ed apologized for inappropriately revealing information to Maura which is what I had asked.  Then he informed you of a letter that was on its way.  When you say "Mr. Eadon, again, had no reason to offer this information..." frankly, I don't see anything wrong with informing a parent of a forthcoming letter.   In fact, some parents would complain if they weren't informed during a phone conversation.  However, if Ed's behavior, as you state, came across as a threat or an attack rather than simply as matter of fact information, then I agree, his behavior was inappropriate.  And I'll speak with him about that.

But one thing is coming very clear to me as I'm watching this interplay unfold between you and him.   I can see where people's emotions (on both sides) start to cloud the accuracy of the issue and eventually lead to huge communication breakdowns.   

For example, your statement: " {daughter} especially would be devastated by this and I feel certain this would be viewed as the school's fault for admitting her under a false set of conditions" is in my opinion, spinning things far and away from the truth.  There is no  false set of conditions.  We spoke in our original call about what the conditions were.  That you agree to follow a communication protocol.  You agreed and that hasn't changed.  This is a critical point to me in staying accurate.  I see nothing more being asked of you than what was originally agreed to.   So if you agreed these conditions, (which have not changed), and intend to comply, I don't foresee any more problems for your family. 

Which is why your statement "it is unimaginable for me to comply with a gag order in order to ensure that my kids will remain at Highland Hall" is so confusing to me.  How can you expect me to believe you when you tell me you intend to comply with the court order, (by following communication protocol,) which you told me in our phone call, and then make that statement?  What is the truth, Pete?  Are you intending to comply, or are you intending to violate it?  Perhaps herein lies the root of your outrage.   

To summarize: As I understand it, you're upset about hearing the broadened consequences to the condition that you follow communication protocol.  (That's understandable).   And when Ed informed you of the new information, you got upset at the style in which he did it.  Also understandable.  (I know you're also upset that he even told you about it as opposed to finding it out in a letter, but as I've said, I see nothing inappropriate about that.)  And, it would appear from the statement I quoted, that you are upset about what you call a "gag order" and that you believe it's unimaginable that you could comply.  Which I can only interpret to mean that you expect to be unable to comply and therefore expect to trigger the aforesaid consequences.  (Please know that I will find it difficult to assist you in the future if indeed you decide to violate the court order.)

Considering that I asked you to call Ed to clear up a problem once before and that led to another communication breakdown between the two of you, I hesitate to have you two speak again.  It seems you ignite each other's fuses. 

I will speak with him about his style regarding how you felt he was making threats and how you felt attacked.  It's not how a parent should be treated, under any circumstances. 

Tony

Subject: Re: Calking the Crack

From: Pete Karaiskos

Date: Thu, 23 Sep 2004 12:02:05 -0700 (PDT)

To: Tony Blake

Thanks for responding Tony.

>Now to the letter that you learned was "forthcoming."  Again, I want to keep the points clear.  You claim there is a "new set of conditions not contained in the court order."  So to my understanding the court order indicated that in order for {daughter} to remain at Highland Hall you would be required to follow the communication protocol.  That's not a new condition that I can see.  Is there some other condition you're speaking of?<

Here is wherein lies the problem and I have just now received the letter that confirms my concerns.  The school has issued a letter dated September 16th that states: "It is impossible to imagine all conceivable issues that may arise; therefore we reserve the right to interpret or change the communications protocol in its sole discretion.  If we determine that you are not following our procedures, we will cancel the enrollment of all of your children."  This is what I am objecting to.  The communications protocol as published and outlined is what I agreed to.  I did not agree to comply with some moving target that the school will change as necessary to keep me quiet.

>For example, your statement: " {daughter} especially would be devastated by this and I feel certain this would be viewed as the school's fault for admitting her under a false set of conditions" is in my opinion, spinning things far and away from the truth. 

There is no  false set of conditions.  We spoke in our original call about what the conditions were.  That you agree to follow a communication protocol.  You agreed and that hasn't changed.  This is a critical point to me in staying accurate.  I see nothing more being asked of you than what was originally agreed to.   So if you agreed these conditions, (which have not changed), and intend to comply, I don't foresee any more problems for your family.  <

Do you see now, from the statement that the conditions I agreed to are, at the school's discretion, subject to change?  I agreed to follow the communications protocol and I will adhere to this agreement.  Changing the communications protocol is changing the conditions.

>Which is why your statement "it is unimaginable for me to comply with a gag order in order to ensure that my kids will remain at Highland Hall" is so confusing to me.  How can you expect me to believe you when you tell me you intend to comply with the court order, (by following communication protocol,) which you told me in our phone call, and then make that statement?  What is the truth, Pete?  Are you intending to comply, or are you intending to violate it?  Perhaps herein lies the root of your outrage.  <

The truth is exactly as I have stated it.  I intend to comply with the communications protocol as it was written when I signed it.  I have no problem with this.  It is, however, the school's intention, as per the letter they sent me, to suddenly expand or alter the conditions of the communications protocol which has been in place for years and was just published in this year's parent handbook.  This, indeed, is the roof of my outrage.  I signed the court order, the conditions of the communications protocol were set, and now they are intending to change them.  In fact, in the same letter they state "Because of the court order requiring you to follow the communications protocol, the College asked the Board's Executive Committee to review the College's decision regarding {daughter}.  She was allowed to return with the understanding that you will follow the communication protocol as published in the Parent Handbook with regard to any communication having to do with Highland Hall.  This is not part of the communications protocol and in fact it is known to the school that I participate in open forums about Waldorf education and also that I receive inquiries from prospective parents directly about Highland Hall.  These types of communications are not at all relevant to or covered by the communications protocol which applies to communications regarding problems with teachers. 

>(Please know that I will find it difficult to assist you in the future if indeed you decide to violate the court order.)<

Tony, I really appreciate that you have assisted me thus far.  Again, I am not going to violate the court order - it was a stipulated order, not something the court ordered me to do against my will - I agreed to it and it became an order.  I am objecting to the school altering what I have agreed to and attempting to convince me that this is in fact what I agreed to as is evidenced by the above-quoted statement that is definitely not contained in the communications protocol.  This kind of stuff is what makes me angry at the school. 

>Considering that I asked you to call Ed to clear up a problem once before and that led to another communication breakdown between the two of you, I hesitate to have you two speak again.  It seems you ignite each other's fuses.  <

I would be quite happy never to speak with Ed again.  As I have stated, he has control issues that I am not willing to comply with and his childish attitude coupled with his anger is something I can do without.  I made an agreement with you and with the court and I am sticking to it.  In all the years I have been at this school, I have never not lived up to an agreement.  I have never lied about anything and I have kept confidences I have agreed to keep.  If the school expels my children because they don't like what I am doing outside the agreement, I will deal with that if and when it happens. 

Thanks Tony - I know you think I am making something out of nothing.  Please, I encourage you to secure a copy of the September 16th letter to me and explain to me why you think it was necessary.  I would be happy to fax you my copy.

Warm regards,

Pete

Here's the letter

El Rio Charter School - Removes Dishonest Blog

 This dishonest blog entry was posted on the El Rio Charter Waldorf School for over 2-1/2 years.  It was misrepresenting the status of the California court trial that may indeed close all California charter schools.  In May, 2012, the 9th District Court again convened and I posted the audio of the tape to this blog.  They finally removed it after it became obvious they were lying to parents.

Here's what the blog said - I highlighted in red the obvious lie: 

el Rio Charter School will not advocate or promote any form of
religious or political ideology to the children. Our aim is to teach
children how to think, not what to think.
Posted: August 11th, 2009 | Author: Joan Jaeckel | Filed under:
Uncategorized | Tags: anthroposophy not a religion, Establishment
clause, First Amendment, non-religious, religion and public Waldorf
education, Rudolf Steiner, U.S. Constitution, Waldorf education is
secular, Waldorf litigation | No Comments»

Q: Will el Rio Charter School, offering a public Waldorf-like
education, be secular?
A: Yes, public, Waldorf-like charter schools are 100% secular. Its
core anthroposophical concepts are not religious. This has been
upheld in courts in California and worldwide for the following
reasons:
Anthroposophy is the name giving by Rudolf Steiner, the designer of
Waldorf education, to designate a cognitive research method using
focused concentration and learned compassion as a way of knowing or
method of inquiry. Anthroposophy, essentially, means"inquiry into
the nature of being human". The purpose of anthroposophy is to
humanize human life on earth through learned openmindedness,
openheartedness, objectivity, positivity and intentionality.
Unlike a religion or a church, anthroposophy has no creed or any other
form of doctrinal statement to which members must or are expected to
subscribe.
Anthroposophy has no clergy or form of clergy and membership in the
anthroposophical society does not qualify persons to perform marriage
ceremony.
Anthroposophy does not have sacraments like communion or babtism.
Unlike a religion, anthroposophy does not claim to have sacred
scripture and it does not have or administer a system of canon law.
Anthroposophy holds no formal worship services and makes no efforts to
propagate or missionize.
Anthroposophy is a way of knowing and inquiry into the mysteries of
human life. Its aim is not answers to be believed, but questions and
more questions into the nature of life on earth.
An atheist may become a member or interested in the anthroposophical
society and remain an atheist; an agnostic may become a member and
remain an agnostic; a member of any traditional religious sect or
denomination Jewish, Christian, Hindu, Muslim, etc may become a
member of the anthroposophical society and remain a member of their
sect or denomination.
The trial court's final judgment in favor of the Sacramento City
Unified School District and the Twin Ridges Elementary School
District, states in part: “Plaintiff failed to carry its evidentiary
burden of establishing that anthroposophy is a religion for purposes
of the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the United
States Constitution or the other California constitutuinal provisions
involved in this case, as stated in the Court's pretrial order dated
April 20, 2005 Waldorf Methods Litigation Update, January 21,
2006, by Christian M. Keiner: Kronick, Moskovitz, Tiedemann & Girard.
ckeiner@...

Courts in California and worldwide have found that anthroposophy,

the philosophical foundation of the Waldorf-like curriculum and

methods in public charter schools, is a philosophy and not a religion.

The curriculum and methods of the Waldorf-like education at el Rio
Charter School will be 100% non-religious. Although our teachers will
be trained at institutions like Rudolf Steiner College to observe,
relate to and teach children based on the anthroposophical philosophy,

we can make this assertion because the non-religiosity of Waldorf

education has been upheld in courts in California and worldwide for
the following reasons:

1. "Anthroposophy", the name of the philosophy behind Waldorf
education's curriculum and methods, designates a cognitive research
method using focused concentration, learned compassion and sensory
cultivation as a way of knowing or method of inquiry. “Anthroposophy”,
essentially, means “inquiry into the nature of being human”. The
purpose of anthroposophy is to humanize life on earth through learned
openmindedness, openheartedness, objectivity, positivity and
intentionality.
2. Unlike a religion or a church, anthroposophy has no creed or any
other form of doctrinal statement to which members must or are
expected to subscribe.
3. Anthroposophy has no clergy or form of clergy and membership in
the anthroposophical society does not qualify persons to perform
marriage ceremony.
4. Anthroposophy does not have sacraments like communion or
babtism. Unlike a religion, anthroposophy does not claim to have
sacred scripture and it does not have or administer a system of canon
law.
5. Anthroposophy holds no formal worship services and makes no
efforts to propagate or missionize.
6. Anthroposophy is a way of knowing and inquiry into the mysteries
of human life. Its aim is not answers to be believed, but questions
and more questions into the nature of life on earth.
7. An atheist may become a member or interested in the
anthroposophical society and remain an atheist; an agnostic may become
a member and remain an agnostic; a member of any traditional religious
sect or denomination – Jewish, Christian, Hindu, Muslim, etc. – may
become a member of the anthroposophical society and remain a member of
their sect or denomination.

The trial court's final judgment in favor of the Sacramento City

Unified School District and the Twin Ridges Elementary School

District, states in part: "Plaintiff failed to carry its evidentiary

burden of establishing that anthroposophy is a religion for purposes

of the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the United

States Constitution or the other California constitutuinal provisions

involved in this case, as stated in the Court's pretrial order dated

April 20, 2005". Waldorf Methods Litigation Update, January 21,
2006, by Christian M. Keiner: Kronick, Moskovitz, Tiedemann & Girard.
ckeiner@...

You may be surprised to hear that, in Los Angeles public schools,
organizations like the Kabbalah Center, Scientology and Transcendatal
Meditation offer (with parental permission) students scripted lessons,
like"Rules of the Game of Life". Kids bring home marketing materials
inviting students and their parents to find out about or join these
organizations. El Rio Charter School will never do this. No
pamphlets, invitations or lesson plans promoting any religious,
spiritual or political organization will ever be distributed to
parents or given to students either by word, deed or implication.
***********

Waldorf School Testimonials

This article has generated a lot of testimonials from people who have been associated with Waldorf schools.  Here are a few of them:

crunchycat
26 May 2012 10:58PM

I do not think this means what you think it means.

I thought the Steiner theories would interest me, thirty years ago when my kids were little. I didn't read a few exerpts. I read his books on education, I read the training materials for his teachers, and I listened to contemporaries who sent their kids to the schools. You may have had an excellent subjective experience with the schools- that does nothing to change or moderate my opinion of his idiotic, uninformed, and downright wrong theories about children, life, the universe, and how everything works. You might as well induct them into the New Order of the Golden Dawn, or Scientology, or the maunderings of Swedenborg.

incudine

26 May 2012 9:41PM

I am a demonstrator at a farm museum where we were visited by a Steiner school once. I have never met such an obnoxious bunch of children in all my life and recommended to the management that they accept no further visits from said school. I should add that I am blacksmith and one time RAF pilot so well used to the more robust side of life but those children were something else.

cathyandfamily

26 May 2012 8:47PM

Our children went to a Steiner school until the penny dropped about the reasons why certain things were taught and done in a particular way; we whipped them out sharpish.....(and yes, attempts were made to change left handedness of one of our children, and as far as I know at this particular school I know two other left handed children who they have tried with recently too, so this is apparently still going on)
If anyone has any doubts about anthroposphy in the classroom, read the teacher training reading list and course content...... Jeevan Vasagar certainly should have:
http://ukanthroposophy.wordpress.com/plymreadinglists/
http://www.waldorftraining.org.uk/courses.html
School isn't a place where karma, past lives and consulting with angels should play any part in making judgements or decision about children, let alone their education. If Steiner's work  wasn't referred to so comprehensively in all areas of these schools, from the shape of the typeface to the colours on the walls, not to mention the content of the curriculum, it would be less alarming.
I understand that immersion into Steiner's beliefs is a staged process, and teachers are exposed to his more new age beliefs before gradually invited to study his more unusual creeds. It's more like a path of initiation than an education system. "Some are caught so it's worth the feeders who slip by" was how someone put it.
Within school communities,  angels, astral bodies and karma are "normalised". While I don't  think for a moment that the schools are full of racist bigots, to normalise connections between skin colour, eye colour and spiritual  advancement can never be far away, however gentle and spiritual the  sentiment. The schools are quite open about classifying the children  by medieval temperament,  which includes their body shape, pallor  and  physiognomy, and use these as tools  to help in their "child study"  sessions. In my view this is dangerous, anti-theraputic, anti  scientific, anti-intellectual and luminously wrong.

Helensf

26 May 2012 2:48AM

Response to JonathanKent, 25 May 2012 9:11PM

I went to a Steiner school and a girl in my class was left-handed but forced to write with her right. She was taken to the doctor to prove that she could use her right but was just choosing to use her 'wrong' hand. However this was twenty years ago so I would hope things have changed

restlessSF

25 May 2012 11:48PM

I worry a bit on Steiner schools as the perfect breeding ground for almost disappeared contagious diseases: measles, rubella, mumps, whooping cough, they could even bring tetanus back, with their love of gardening and walks in the forest. This because the view of steinerians, and of most of the parents that choose this schools, regarding vaccination is that is something dangerous, to be avoided in favour of a more "olistic" approach.
A sentence like this:"A reductionist biology which states or implies that the human body is a machine … is not one which nourishes the adolescent's deepest concerns. The current theories are just that – theories. They have not been in existence long and though presented as 'truth' they will inevitably change" should be enough to exclude the Steiner schools from every form of state help, I don't want my tax money to pay this. Thanks.
PS: Actually the bit I about changing theories is very interesting, it shows clearly how they just don't get the essence of the scientific method. Of course theories will change in time: In science a theory is valid untill somebody "falsifies" it with a repeatable experiment, and proposes a new one, that will then stay valid until somebody else will falsify it. Mind you, some theories are pretty hard to falsify...
There is no absolute truth, it is not religion.

Saff

25 May 2012 10:35PM

I was considering studying to become a Steiner nursery teacher when I read the website for the training college and came across a case study of a school which said - the teacher plays the lute while the angels lulled the children to sleep. I couldn't do it - as an alternative primary level education I think Montessori is better, it has an extremely well developed, intelligent maths curriculum and materials, science, geography, well designed reading and writing methods and materials, good geography materials (check out the trinomial and binomial cube from the maths materials and you can see the woman was a genius) and curriculum as well as all that creative/alternative stuff parents are looking for that seems to be lacking in mainstream. In a good montessori school children can get both and not miss out on the solid learning they need to survive in the world. In that sense it is more balanced than Steiner.

MrTubs

25 May 2012 9:58PM

I grew up near a Steiner school (near Gloucester) and had lots of friends who had attended it. Many had real problems adjusting to thr world...getting and holding down work, dealing with the reality of everyday life. They would often struggle emotionally and underachive. However I have brother with developmental disabilities who could not cope with state school and would have benefitted by being at a Steiner school.

 JavaJive

25 May 2012 9:22PM

I love almost all of the approaches of Steiner education, the gentleness, the softness and the humanity.
But I cannot send my kids to a school that demeans science - not the technology, but the process - as I have discovered in my life that the understanding of the natural world offered by science is one of the most beautiful of human achievements. I include Darwin and Einstein as part of this endless human project.
If you read Steiner's book the Kingdom of Childhood, he dismisses General Relatively with what I took to be a strong done of anti-semitism. Even with that issue aside, I have studied Relatively and its it one of the wonders of the human world - alongside the greatest art and literature.
Perhaps one day the Steiner movement will start to think for itself and modernise, not normalise, but incorporate the best of human values with the best and highest of all human achievement.
The you would have a real human force to reckon with. In hope... Dr Ben Lane (ex plain theoretical physicist now environmental technologist).

diotavelli

25 May 2012 9:17PM

Response to 0800, 25 May 2012 8:49PM

Look at how Steiner kids end up as adults. Are they evil, damaged, misinformed, ignorant, unhappy, unemployable, bored, suicidal, miserable, anti-social, zealots etc?

Yep, I know a family of three siblings, now in their thirties, all Steiner educated. One committed suicide a few years back. One is a recovering addict. The other is now a research scientist but talks passionately about her "wasted years", struggling to reach the level of her comprehensively-educated peers so as to get research posts and funding.
The suggestion that no kid who had a Steiner education didn't have a difficult life subsequently is fatuous and ridiculous.
You are quite obviously an idiot.

intandem

25 May 2012 9:12PM

I chose a Steiner school for the Kindergarten years, because I considered that a 4 year old didn't need to learn to read / write and research the internet for facts on bees. They could learn about bees by encountering them (experiential learning) and their time was much better spent playing freely in a beautiful environment and cared for by teachers who cared for them as human beings.
The problem I saw was that, once a child hits the 'classes' (age 6 and a half-7) the esoteric aspects of the education become too much and undermine a perfectly lovely way of teaching. i.e. Steiner schools are non-denominational, but really... they are based on Anthroposophy, which is the science of man from an esoteric point of view. The problem is that they wouldn't admit it. As an insider in the school, I once heard a senior teacher admit that 'we can't tell the parents that the education is based on Esoteric Christianity'. So the main issue for me was that they weren't being honest. This deceit was my main reason for taking my children out.

JonathanKent

25 May 2012 9:11PM

I've been interested in Steiner education since interviewing someone who went on to be a well known author who went to the Steiner school in Forest Row in Sussex. She couldn't read until she was 12 or 13, something she says she was never made to feel was a problem, but went on to write several very well thought of novels.
However recently I talked to someone else who went to the Forest Row school who said that left handed children were made to write with their right hand while holding a crystal in their left. That struck me as ante-diluvian, a realthrowback to Steiner education's 1920s roots, if true.
Has anyone else encountered this? If so I couldn't send my child to such a place

Parent Lied to by Waldorf

http://www.mothering.com/community/t/683104/life-after-waldorf-a-support-group/2\
40

Poster 1:
Hello again everyone,

I'm not sure how or where to begin. I tried to start from the beginning but it
felt stilted and I felt disconnected from what I was writing. I guess that's how
I've been dealing with it all these years, by disconnecting and not allowing
myself to feel what was happening. I was sucked into the whole Steiner thing
because I deeply desired community, and I had never really fitted into the
conventional frameworks, so I was so relieved to discover these hippy dippy
folks who looked and sounded just like me. When it all fell apart I totally took
the blame on board and thought that it was me, my son, and our social
difficulties. Now after reading this thread (sorry but I do not have the time
right now to go back and read the other whole thread) I'm scared because it
looks like I might have to start ripping the scabs off that old pain, for both
me and my son to heal. I have so many regrets about what happened to my son as a
result of my blindness, I so badly wanted to fit somewhere. So I have mixed
feelings about having discovered this thread. It's so good to know I'm not
alone, it's scary to start to look at it all again and face the fact that maybe
it wasn't all my fault, you would think I would be relieved about that wouldn't
you but actually I realised that I am frightened to put our story up here. What
if...... gulp someone reads it and recognises who I am. I've moved half a world
or more away from that community but I still want them to think well of me!!!!!
How nuts is that.

Oh well, gotta go make dinner for the lucky younger ones for whom a
Steiner/Waldorf education is NEVER going to happen.

Oh does anyone else think it curious that they are Steiner schools in Europe but
Waldorf in the USA?

Poster 2:
Is it your fault if you were led to believe one thing and then it turns out that
you were lied to? I don't think so. Everything in WS is crafted in such away
that unless you have a problem, you may never know what is really going on
behind the scenes. Which doesn't make anyone who has broken away a bad person,
how are you supposed to know? We wanted to do what we thought was "best" for our
children. Unfortunately Anthroposophy doesn't encourage doing what's best for
the individual child who doesn't fit into their molds like they should.
You should know you didn't do anything wrong. They may want you to think that
you did something wrong but your children come 1st. It takes courage to break
away and you should be proud of yourself.

Parent's Eyes Opened by Critical Reviews

Here's another story from the same thread started by "Beansavi" - a young
Waldorf teacher who, along with her child, was abused by Waldorf. I love the
little recommendation at the end of this one:

"This thread has been a fascinating read. Bean, I have shed tears from your
heart wrenching posts. Your councilor's words were spot on -- so many times I
swallow my outrage when something seems off because I fear humiliation that I
read the situation wrong or am overeacting. After reading your story -- I will
feel this way no more.

We were on the brink of joining the Waldorf community here and thankfully I had
an interaction with someone that pushed all my buttons and sent me running for
the exit. I was seeing a chiropractor who is ensconced in the local Waldorf
scene -- both kids attend, she's on all the committees, totally totes the pary
line, and preys upon her clients with children to join. She's a Waldofian
Witness! Her practice is run out of her home and some of her kids' "plant
stained toys from Germany" (love that whichever one of you said that!) are in
the office for patients' kids to play with as they wait. My dd, 3 at the time
and deeply into the Cinderella, Snow White, and all things pink and Disney
Princess, played happily with the Waldorf Toys.

At the end of one visit, the chiro made small talk with my dd as I whipped out
the checkbook. Inn her beautiful little girl voice, I heard my dd innocently ask
the chiro, "Do you got Cinderella?" I have no idea if she meant a doll or the
movie -- or just a plant stained wooden toy that was vaguely princess-like. The
chiro then responded to my child in the smuggest tone possible, "Oh no, the
children who live here do not watch TV." I could tell she was saying this as
much to my dd as she was to me. Writing these words, it might not seem like much
of an affront -- but it was the superior tone and the "Ah Ha!! Caught you! You
plastic-owning, TV watching wolves in plant dyed biodynamic sheep's clothing!
You are inferior!" I so wanted to say something, but just shrugged it off,
gathered up dd, and left. I now wish I hadn't bitten my tongue.

This women and her smug superiority became the face of the local Waldorf
community for me and we thankfully avoided going any further along in the
process of enrolling dd. She called and emailed a few times about both making
another appointment and why weren't we following up at the school? I never
responded. Like you, Bean, I saw her at the natural foods store, but walked in
the other direction.

Bean and other parents, you should really write a book or have a website with
your stories. That way, when someone googles Waldorf, your stories will come up
in their search."

Leaving Waldorf - Parent Support

http://www.mothering.com/community/t/683104/life-after-waldorf-a-support-group/1\
60

One poster:
Hello,

Thanks for this thread-I really need it right at this moment, my hsb. and I are
making the decision at this moment to leave our WS. This is so difficult, and
brought about by many, many concerns on behalf of our child. I am really hoping
to share with others whose children have transitioned to other schools, while in
the grades. I feel almost like we are surrounded by a fog that is gradually
beginning to lift after many years, yet I am so apprehensive. I am worried for
my child-we haven't discussed this change yet, as our decision has been
evolving, and I am worried that we will lose our community of friends, as those
leaving are generally portrayed as problematic. I can't believe we are in the
middle of this...sigh.

Second poster:
HI ______, you aren't alone. It can be difficult and worrisome but I think it
will get easier once you've decided to leave. My dd was angry 2 weeks ago when
we told her. Now she's getting excited about the change. We went past the public
school she will be attending and she was shouting "There's my new school,
There's my new school." I think she's know something isn't right for a while
with WS. So it's sort of a relief to not go back.

First poster:
Thanks for the support. Can I ask how you explained your decision to your
daughter? Our grown up concerns obviously are for us alone-all my daughter will
see is the loss of her friends of several years, and change is difficult for
her. On the other hand, perhaps I should be looking for the strengths and
resiliency that she has, rather than focus on the anxiety of the situation? Any
thoughts are helpful to me!

Second poster:
I guess it helped that my daughter has asked to go to public school for a while.
My dh, teaches in the school disctrict we are sending her. We also know at least
one other Waldorf family who sent their children for Kindergarten only at
Waldorf and is now at the same school where dd is going. My dd also knows a boy
in a grade ahead of her because of my dh's business. Plus being a teacher in the
school district we know lots of teacher's and administrator's. So we just told
her that she was going to public school because we were not happy with the
teacher that was selected to teach the class. We would find tutors to continue
her german and violin lessons. I think I may have told her something like, to be
a good parent sometimes means making big decisions to protect her interests and
remove her from situations which I see are harmful. We pointed out that she was
behind in math and that she would need to be tutored over the summer. If Waldorf
education was the best we wouldn't have these concerns. So she was pretty happy
because we were going to let her take violin. Any other questions about friends
I answered we shall see what happens. She asked about birthday parties, etc...
Since it was a year ahead of time we told her we couldn't answer things like
that, right now. My daughter never thinks in the here and now. So the transition
went easily. I never really let myself get really close to anyone in the class,
so it's not like I really felt she had strong ties to the children. The women I
talk to have either younger or older children and completely understand what the
class has gone through. They would have taken their kids out too. So she will
continue to have relationships with Waldorf children but just not the
dysfunction that went on with her class.

It also helps that many of my good friends live out of the state. So she sees
that my own friendships aren't limited to the Waldorf community. Plus with my
dh's business we have friends we only see once a year when we travel for shows.
So to me, a friendship is not limited to people you see on a daily basis. She
was also on the bullying end of the totem pole and I'm sure it's a relief to not
be going back to that. I hope this helps you and that it is understandable. I
was interupted by my littlest too many times to think straight.

Third poster:
I am glad you found us. I agree that focusing on your child's strengths is a
good place to start. Without trying to sound tacky, I felt my leaving the
Waldorf was very similar to leaving a cult. I was shunned and lost everything.

I was literally in a daze and humiliated. Maybe those feelings are stronger than
what you are going thru, but in any event, it helps to know how others dealt.

I cannot state strongly enough that my son blossomed after leaving Waldorf.
Quite frankly, he never looked back. At 12 years old he still talks about how
unhappy he was there, even when he looked like he was having fun.

Parents Warn Prospective Parent

http://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/parenting/1232574-Any-steiner-school-experiences/All\
OnOnePage

Original poster: "I went to a toddler group at our local steiner school today
and it was just lovely. There was such a calm atmosphere and my daughter adored
it. We've been thinking about schools for a while now and I wondered if anyone
had any good (or bad) experiences of a steiner education, in preschool, primary
and secondary levels. Many thanks in advance."

One poster: "I have a young nephew who attends a Steiner school. I have also
attended several of the school's fundraising events, and all I can say is that
my impression is not good. The kids are allowed to run wild, with no basic
manners or social skills in evidence. The parents all float around wearing their
hand-knitted-in-Peru ponchos, totally ignoring their kids' inappropriate
behaviour. The kids appear to be dab-hands at climbing trees, building bonfires
etc, but there's no great evidence of anything more academic than that. They
have to wear clothes made entirely of natural fibres, and are not allowed TV or
computer games, and "ordinary" kids' toys are frowned upon. However the thing
that most shocked me was that the teachers (who get called by their first names)
actually visit the kids' homes to inspect their bedrooms, and ensure there is
nothing "inappropriate".
My DS attends the local state school, and he is thriving under the routine and
discipline, and his literacy and numeracy are very good. IMHO children need a
bit of well-structured discipline. It pays dividends in the long run, and better
equips them for the real world, where you can't just wander off to look for
ladybirds whenever you fancy."

Another poster: "I think if you want a Steiner school which would not discourage
reading before the age of 7, you have to find a "poor" Steiner school, if you
see what I mean... one in which the teachers are not too really doing the
Steiner thing 100%... I do know of parents who have been called in for a talk
when it became clear in the Steiner nursery that their under 4s were allowed to
paint at home. This was considered by Steiner to be too early to be allowed to
use a paint brush and those nursery teachers were conscientious Steiner teachers
and put some pressure on the parents to stop painting at home.
I would also recommend you to read as widely as you can regarding anthroposophy
before sending your child to a Steiner school - there are an awful lot of books
which Steiner wrote himself. Then you have to look at your own school and try to
get an impression of how they implement Steiner´s ideas. This is not so easy, I
think, as a parent."

In the end:

Original Poster: I just wanted to thank you all for your posts! I've had some
lovely PMs too from people who were a bit worried about airing their views in
public - so thank you for those too!

To be honest I'm intrigued! The school seems lovely, the literature looks good,
the staff seem nice, the toddler group continues to be nice and the kids seem
happy...but there are so many people with bad experiences of Steiner it does
worry me. And there doesn't seem to be any middle ground - people have either
had horrific or amazing experiences.

So I'm left confused...albeit more informed! Thanks again"

Waldorf Teacher Trainee Changes Mind

http://www.mothering.com/community/t/683104/life-after-waldorf-a-support-group/1\
40

"My son attends a newly formed school (one year old) in a small community. I am
an aide in the classroom 1 day/week. I am also pursuing a degree in (regular)
education, and obviously I see firsthand the many constrasts between Waldorf and
public school practices. I have questioned some aspects of Waldorf from the
beginning. And others I fully appreciate and embrace. I have seen changes in my
son that are wonderful and I would not change for the world. As others have
said, there are some truly beautiful and dynamic things about the Waldorf
philosophy, ones that I intend to bring with me to the public school classroom.
However...there is an ugly side and I have defiinitely noticed the disfunction
and the fact that for those of us who see it, there is almost nowhere to go with
our concerns. The community is way too defensive and overprotective. When I
brought ANY questions (not complaints, just observations, and wanting
clarifications) about the educational practices of Waldorf to the attention of
our teacher, she completely ignored me and changed the subject!

For one example, being a minor in special education, I have questions about
dyslexia and other learning disabilities...are Waldorf teachers trained to see
the symptoms and signs of these problems? If so, how are they dealt with? Are
the children helped or are they asked to find another school that can better
handle their differences that make them unique from the other learners (in other
words, kicked out!)?

I attended a Waldorf seminar in which one of the presenters described the
problems her son had had in a Waldorf school with reading and writing, she
described her son as having nearly every classic symptom of dyslexia (though she
refused to label it as such). He was very frustrated in school because the
Waldorf way does not support kids with such issues. He got no help there, so she
pulled him out and tried homeschooling, she tried nearly everything she could
think of to help him and eventually gave up and resigned herself to the fact
that her son would never really be able to truly write or spell (and a lesser
ability to read). I just couldn't help wondering why did she not seek more
conventional help for her son so that he could overcome his disability and be
able to read and write? And how does Waldorf address this? It seems to me that
it is totally ignored. If so, how many kids slip through the cracks?

Additionally, one of the other major issues I have so far had involve the lead
teacher and personality conflicts. For one, she could at times be very degrading
to the children (telling them to "quit your crying!", etc). I think I was the
only one to question her less than professional handling of discipline and other
such issues. Then came the issue of favoritism. Because I was the one that was
always bringing up things she didn't want to hear, I was not her favorite aide,
while another aide was. This resulted in ridiculous and blatent acts of
favoritism. Once again, I was shocked by the lack of professionalism. Although I
did bring this issue to the teacher (she denied it all and said I was seeing it
all wrong), I did not take it further because she will, thankfully, not be
returning next year (her own choice). The favoritism that I saw seems to go
along with things others have mentioned here about the illusion of community,
and yet it is actually a limited community and just by saying the wrong thing,
you can find yourself on the wrong side of community. Which I find to be
extremely hypocritical and going against everything that Waldorf is supposed to
be about.

Lastly, I just wanted to say thank you to you all for helping me make a
decision. I have been until now tossing around the idea of pursuing
certification in Waldorf education once I have finished my current degree, and
then teaching at my son's school. My previous hesitation is that Waldorf is so
limited and so rigid. There is such a lack of room for diverse thinking (despite
the illusion otherwise). I personally want to teach to a more diverse population
than what is typically found at a Waldorf school. Secondly, I want more freedom
to teach what I want to teach and to teach in a way that recognizes the
diversity of the individual learner--which ironically, despite NCLB and
standarized testing, I think I will actually find easier to do in a public
school rather than a Waldorf school. Still, as a matter of convienience and the
needs of the school, I hadn't ruled out being a Waldorf teacher. Now, after
reading this thread, my mind is made up. I will not be going in that direction.

I want to also add that I know that these things also happen in public schools,
I am not naive enough to think that they don't. However, I would like to think
that there are more safeguards set up to help and protect parents and students
there than in a small community/private school setting, especially one in which
you are burned at the stake for even suggesting that there could be any faults
in the system."

Waldorf Teacher Abusive to Child

http://www.mothering.com/community/t/683104/life-after-waldorf-a-support-group/1\
00



"As we walked across the grocery store parking lot that first humid day of
summer, I said to my son, "Tell me what happened. Show me what she did. Pretend
you are Miss X. and show me what happened to you."

Sam immediately took on the persona of his teacher. He grabbed my wrist, two
fingernails digging into my skin.

"Come here!" he scowled in a stage whisper.

I looked around at the people eating lunch in the outdoor café. They were seated
in the shade at the wrought iron tables, under large green umbrellas. I knew
some of them thought they were witnessing a real incident, a child grabbing his
mother's arm in anger.

I didn't care.

I needed to feel what he had felt. I needed, from my primal mothering
soul-level, to be there with him in that moment that has haunted us both for
over five years.

Next, Sam told me Miss X. dragged him up the stairwell, into a nook between the
first and second floors. "Stop acting crazy!" she hissed. Sam had fire in his
eyes as he looked at me, taking on her persona.

"Stop it!" he cried… and... SLAP!

My wrist ached as it bent to an unnatural angle in his young hand. An impression
of pink remained on the back of my hand. His "beloved" teacher had smacked him
on the hand with the powerful force of an adult: projecting what felt like adult
emotions onto the back of his small, white hand.

That pink mark would eventually fade, but it's spiritual sting would remain. The
pink stinging sensation colored much of what Sam and I did for years to come.
The pink would bleed into all of our relationships: school, work, play, church,
and home.

There was no escape.

And to think... that same shade of pink was what had first drawn me to the
school."

Waldorf - Bullied Sick

"I think I would feel more comfortable if they told me that she had a karmic
score that she was paying back. They've always denied that their was a problem.
Even though 80-85% of the class went to the proper people, individually and said
there is a big problem. This year it was so bad that children were sick from
fear of being bullied and didn't want to go to school. I didn't know this until
a special meeting was called to announce the departure of the teacher. Then all
the parents told the college that they wanted a teacher who could deal with the
problems that keep reoccuring. It was also pointed out that many parents had
complained but everyone was told that they were the only family in the class
with the problem. I know that the children in the class were going through the 9
year change but I think this was magnified because of the adults denying it.
Also the child who was the bully, was given bare minimum punishments because
this child was a teacher's child. It is hard to feel that the children are in
safe environment because the teachers deny anything is occuring. Instead we were
told that because we didn't support the teacher this is why the teacher is
leaving. Well that's fine if they want to point the finger but they still deny
that anything happened. I know we all make mistakes but nothing has ever been
explained in a spiritual/anthroposophical way. It's always deny there's a
problem and if you get caught denying it, then say it's the parents fault. I
know I'm far from perfect but I guess I look up to these teachers. When little
ole me can see something is amiss it saddens me that something could have been
done early to head off this problem. I think considering my daughter's position
with the bully she did excellant this year. We also read tons of stories at home
to help her, took her to counseling, and got ahold of tapes from a Waldorf
counselour?/teacher? that talks about bullying in a child's life. Now the
question is will we get an experienced teacher, who can help these children? I
also might get her retested to see if her hearing has changed any. We've put her
on a special diet that is supposed help."

Waldorf Teacher Assistant Speaks Out

http://www.mothering.com/community/t/368640/a-safe-healthy-haven-waldorf-questio\
ners-concerns-thread/60

"There is much to provoke thought and discussion in your post. I can understand
where you are coming from with your questions having had two children go through
KG and also worked as an assistant. Anyway I have just highlighted this part to
answer for now.

When I was working as an assistant a very lovely woman was the teacher and I
liked her a lot. She had a really natural ability to work with children which
was separate from her waldorf ways. However, I was always concerned about the
way that she never seemed to tell the parents when they came to collect their
children if they had either been hurt or had caused hurt to others physically.
The events seemed not to be recorded at all either. Certainly I was not asked to
countersign anything which bearing in mind I was a witness I would have
expected.
My children were in a different KG and I got so fed up with them having to tell
me at home what had happened to them, we are talking bruises and bites here,
that I phoned the teacher and insisted that I was informed directly by her about
these incidents. In the first KG we tried I was once mortified by another parent
coming to tell me that my son had attacked her child. The teacher had said
nothing when I collected him but I had noticed he seemed very upset. As I was
doing work around the school I caught up with the teacher a couple of hours
later to find out about the incident. Turned out he had been hit by another
child, retaliated and then been chastised by the older boy whom he then hit out
at. My question was then as now, why did a child step in rather than a teacher?
This was the only time my son has ever hit out at anyone other than his sibling.
The teacher merely said that she had been planning to speak to me about it
sometime!
My feeling is that it creates a strange relationship between parent and child if
these events are effectively kept secret. As an assistant I was told that I was
not to converse with the parents about the children. I later learned as we were
going up the grades that the teachers there did not like the parents to
interfere with the discipline and that that was why we were not told if there
were problems. My children were very open though and tended to own up to me
about their misdemeanours anyway. The teachers did not appear to be very happy
that I knew so much whenever I approached them to get their view.
Sorry I have rambled on a bit. I did eventually have to withdraw my children
from their WS because I had so little faith that their basic safety needs were
being taken care of. I am not talking about rough and tumble stuff as my
children physically are bold in the outdoor life and very competent in their
bodies. However, I do expect to be told if my child has been injured or had an
accident or behaved seriously innappropriately. I am just not happy with an
environment that doesn't communicate these things to parents."

Waldorf - A Quick but Long-lasting Peek

http://www.montessorianswers.com/my-experiences-with-waldorf.html

"My experience at that Waldorf School lasted only 8 weeks, but still 23 years
later, I remember it like it was yesterday. I left my student teaching position
there confused and angry. How could anything so beautiful to look at, be so
deceiving? I hated Waldorf and my stomach turned whenever it was mentioned even
casually at a party. When people spoke of how kind, how multi-modality, how
integrated, how beautiful, …. My blood pressure rose. At first I tried to
explain what I knew to be the truth, but no one would listen."

Parent Discovers Bullying at Waldorf

http://www.mothering.com/community/t/683104/life-after-waldorf-a-support-group


"I had watched the first few classes of children at our school grow up. By the
time they were teens, I noticed that they had several behavioral patterns that
were alarming to say the least and very surprising for all that Anthroposophy
had touted as its effects.

These children were incessantly and intensely cruel toward the younger children
at the school, they were frequently seen rolling their eyes at the adults in the
community (both faculty and parents) and they were behaving in ways that were
not reflecting absorption of the values that Waldorf espouses - in fact, the
ways in which they were behaving were typical of children who've been
overcontrolled for too long and were angry.

To me, this all speaks of other kinds of lessons well-learned such as "Do as I
say, not as I do" i.e. teaching noble ethics such as the idea of reverence for
all beings and yet having some severe blind spots in reality that result in very
strange behavioral double standards that do not reflect any such concept (and,
in fact, reflect the extreme opposite - apathy for all/other beings).

Back then, still being the mother of younger children, I thought that this was
'normal' and that I should just chalk it all up to 'teenage rebellion' and
hormones, etc. Now I know otherwise. In fact, I am grateful to know dozens of
teens and young adults who are kind, thoughtful people and, interestingly, none
of them have ever been involved in Waldorf. The fact that ALL of the older
children I observed at the Waldorf school behaved this way to varying degrees is
quite striking to me and definitely not possible to write off as a nuance of
personality.

In fact, I believe that it is the result of
highly-coercive/authoritarian/paternalistic rearing and educating that utilizes
varying types of force and shaming as effective tools. That style of
rearing/educating is reflected in other schools of thought than just
Anthroposophy, to be sure, but the interesting thing to note here is that
Anthroposophy promotes itself as being a most natural, healthy, loving,
supportive, nurturing and evolved method. To me, it is most influenced by the
very prevalant (and therefore nearly invisible) anglo-Christian
dogma-as-default.

And, to clarify my stance ~ I would have felt totally ok and respectful of the
situation had these aspects been clearly expressed, especially when I and others
asked pointed questions regarding these matters. That way, I could have made an
educated decision about whether Waldorf was right for my family or not early on
instead of many years into our community and educational experience. Instead, I
experienced a pattern of avoidance to answer, answers that resembled fluttering
butterflies that were 'beating around the bush' and, at best, fancy answers that
felt like they had been heavily-scented with artificial floral constituents from
some PR rhetoric manual. THAT is my point of contention about all of this. My
opinion is that the facts of their beliefs and agenda need to be made waaaay
more clear and especially not hidden for fear of "people misunderstanding their
meaning" as if parents should routinely be distrusted to think intelligently for
themselves and make their own educated decisions about what is best for their
family and children."

Parent Trusts Waldorf - Finds Incarnation Problems

http://www.mothering.com/community/t/368640/a-safe-healthy-haven-waldorf-questio\
ners-concerns-thread/60

"My son started a Waldorf Kindergarten at age 3 ½ (at this particular school
they had the preschool and Kindergarten in one class). Because we moved he went
to another Waldorf school when he was 5 and ½.
When it was time to go to first grade, at age 6 and ½ he was unable to focus in
the classroom of 20 children. He had difficulty following the teacher's
instructions and had a hard time sitting still. Also his drawing was not the
same level as most of his peers. After a month he was deemed to be too"
immature" to stay in first grade and was sent back in Kindergarten. At the time
I did not question the decision. I trusted them.
Staying back in Kindergarten was a big mistake. My son became very unruly,
disruptive and refused to participate in the activities. In particular he hated
all the circle games and eurhythmy. All this only made the Waldorf teachers even
more convinced that my son was still not ready for first grade.
We finally got outside help and took my son to see an occupational therapist who
confirmed that he had both fine and gross motor skill delays known as dyspraxia
resulting from sensory integration problems. Sensory over stimulation also
explained why my son could not focus in the first grade classroom. It was not
because he was too immature, but because there was too much stimulation in the
Waldorf classrooms. The set up, which is rows of desks with the teacher in the
front and lots of copying from the blackboard, is not an idea setting for allot
of children.
It was one of kindergarten teachers who first suggested that my son see an
Occupational therapist. However once he started going to one she disapproved of
what the occupational therapist did. The OT usually liked to visit the schools
of the children she was treating to see how they were doing and then give the
teachers advise, but my son's teachers refused to even allow her to visit the
class room! Anyway just a few weeks before my son's 7th birthday some so called
Waldorf "expert" on children with learning problems saw him and maintained that
my son STILL was not ready to go to first grade! She (the "expert") even made
fun of the OTs report saying, "what is dyspraxia? I can't even pronounce it!"
Her only advice was that he was not incarnating properly into his body and he
would have to go to a Waldorf school for children with special needs This was
the final straw for me. I never took our son back to that kindergarten again.
We put our him in a Montessori School instead. He continued seeing the
Occupational therapist. My son made wonderful improvements. To my great relief
the Montessori teachers have had no problem getting him to learn and to follow
and do the work. Within a few months he learned to read and write, do basic
addition and subtraction. And he loved it! Everyone who knew him commented on
how much happier my son seemed after I pulled him out of the Waldorf school.
His Montessori teachers all shook their heads in disbelief over the fact that he
was held back in Kindergarten another year for they felt he was so ready to
learn!
It has been 6 months now. My son is thriving in his new school and all his
behaviour problems are improving. I am still getting used to him not being
considered a "problem" anymore! I look back and it is so clear that Waldorf was
so, so wrong for him. I see he was bored in Kindergarten and angry for being
sent back there. I see it never suited his personality."

Waldorf Student Shares Sad Story

http://www.mothering.com/community/t/368640/a-safe-healthy-haven-waldorf-questio\
ners-concerns-thread

"I guess I will share my experience with Waldorf here in case it helps anyone
looking for more information. Of course every Waldorf school is unique and my
experience is unique as well.

I attended Waldorf in grade 6. My family had just moved out to BC and heard bad
things about the local public schools and I was all set to enroll in one year
into a private Baha'i school so we just had one year until then.

Because I had gone through years in the public school system and was learning
reading with my mom at home even before we started it at school, I was very
shocked at suddenly being immersed in such a different style of learning.

We had no books, we never read in class or for homework. A class usually
consisted of the teacher giving a lecture and we could draw pictures or write
what he or she said. 2 kids in my class of 9 could not read at all, they were
the 2 who had gone through Waldorf from kindergarden age. Math class was drawing
shapes in our sketchbooks and also one time I remember nailing little nails into
a sheet of plywood and wrapping yarn around them to make it look like a star.

It was very hard to learn French and German because we couldn't practice reading
from a text at school or at home. Our teacher would say words and we'd repeat
them. That's it.

By the time I finished the year and went on to the next school, I was so far
behind in my Math that it took me almost the entire seventh grade spent in
after-school tutorials to catch up. Luckily I loved reading and had been reading
books at home even though it wasn't part of my school work at Waldorf, so that
didn't suffer. We didn't learn any science or geography or social studies at
all, so I was behind on all of those too.

I'm so glad that I only went there for one year, other wise I know it would have
taken me longer to catch up and Math has always been a challenge for me.

After that experience, I know I will never send any child of mine to Waldorf. I
loved learning to read when I did - reading was a very special part of my
childhood and I hope it will be for my children too. Also I want them to be
prepared well for university, and I know that if I'd stayed on at Waldorf for
all of high school, I'd never manage with college/university courses.

My younger sister unfortunately struggled with these same issues, since she also
attended Waldorf that year. She was in grade 3. After that year, my parents took
her out and put her in another school since we had moved to another area with a
better public school. She almost had to repeat grade 3 because of Waldorf, but
luckily the new teacher she had was willing to help her out after school if
needed with her reading etc.



Thanks for letting me share my experience, and very glad this thread is here for
those who need it."

Waldorf Teacher and Her Child Abused

http://www.mothering.com/community/t/368640/a-safe-healthy-haven-waldorf-questio\
ners-concerns-thread

Okay, here is part of my story. I will add more later, when I feel up to it.
I'm sure you all can understand the draining qualities of recounting abusive
experiences. Again, I am sharing here to encourage the bravery of others, and to
establish a safe place to talk and get support for what we have each been
through.

Please also reference posts numbers 164-166 later in this thread.

When my child was one year old, I heard about Waldorf Education from a friend.
Since I was in graduate school for Elementary Education, I was naturally
intrigued. I was drawn by the normal influences: the color, the softness, the
natural toys, the stories, the slow pace of the learning. It was pretty much the
opposite of what I was being taught in college.

I attended initial meetings for founding a school in my area (probably five
people at most) and did a lot of the grunt work to get the school going,
including using our truck to haul desks and blackboards from another school an
hour away.

Naturally, the people I was spending so much time with became my new community,
now that I was a new mother. My friends that still had no children and I grew
apart, and I let that happen. The common thread with my new friends was the
Waldorf school, and Waldorf Ed. Unfortunately, I didn't attempt to find any
other community. I felt like those I was with were the best of the best, and we
really knew what was best for our kids, and for kids in general. We were also
"mentored" by other schools and teachers, and so their opinion was that Waldorf
was superior, and they stated constantly how and why. Not good.

The Kindergartens became established, and one grade. After spending years to
help found the school, joining the local Anthroposophical study group, I became
a substitute, then Kindergarten Assistant, then French teacher. I eventually I
became a grades teacher at the school. They sent me, all expenses paid, to
Rudolf Steiner College where I studied for thirteen hours a day, five days a
week, in the summer.

After completing my foundation year of studies, my son was four and in
Kindergarten. Another child started putting his hands down the kids' pants and
grabbing them in front and in back. It took three meetings with the teacher to
get her to do anything. My son was switched by the teachers into another class,
and lost all of the friends he had ever known. The teachers said to me, very
rudely, that there was no switching him back. Period. Then they refused to
consider him for first grade although he met the age limit. He began a blinking
habit, and pooping in his pants "on accident".

No one at the school called Social Services, which is the law, despite my many
conversations about my concerns. I was told by the faculty chair that she
thought the school had to call S.S. and that a parent (like me) could not. I
believed her.

My son started acting out in class. He bit a child because he said the other
kids were too "baby" and messed up his inventions made in class. (He should have
been in first grade). He also said the teacher wasn't even looking most of the
time. Other kids got injured during playtime because the teachers were around
the corner, behind a bush, talking and not watching the kids. Other parents
complained. I was one. I pulled my child out of the school.

No other teachers ever did anything in general to hold others to the carpet. It
all fell on me, and I was overly stressed at that point because of everyone
else's habit of ignoring elephants under the carpet.

Because I was a teacher there, too, I was "punished" (the term the faculty
chose). I was required to write a six page apology letter to the Kindergarten
teachers, and it was closely edited and reworded by the new faculty chair (they
switched mid-crisis since the old faculty chair they considered to be too "on my
side") which took nearly the entire school year! I was soooo exhausted. People
also spoke to me regularly as if I was a child who was behaving badly-and I
wouldn't even speak to my own child in such an abusive tone as they were using!

I was required to write the Anthroposophical doctor they required me to see for
my son. In the letter I was to tell him I should not have told him about the
very reasons I was there to see him and why my son was having a problem, because
I could have ruined the Kindergarten teacher's career! It was assumed that I
told him about our situation because I was trying to win something at the
school, like I am a bad person, or mean with anger issues. I have since come to
understand that people see each other with their "own eyes" and that they saw me
in the way they, themselves, lived. They could not see outside of that.

I am a good, caring person and my concern was for my child-of course! It seems
silly to even have to say that, but they were so dysfunctional IMO that it can
mess with your head when you are feeling low for a moment.

I was also told by the school that my child could not come back the next year
for first grade and rejoin his lifelong friends with a new teacher.

My son's Kindergarten teacher had beers every Thursday night with the Board of
Trustees Chair (Head). The teacher admitted this in a fit of anger at a faculty
meeting. The BOT Chair , after a special meeting on "the crisis" asked her in
front of everyone if she still wanted to go to "Joe's" and have a beer since it
was Thursday. She said "Yeah". Nobodyelse responded! I brought it up the next
day and the new faculty chair said she would "think about it" noncomittally.
WTH? How unprofessional (and illegal with the EEOC) is that?

The BOT Head and this KG teacher discussed confidential things they should not
have. No one questioned this. This type of unprofessional behavior was
commonplace and anyone who spoke out was punished.

The former faculty chair told me that one parent was taken off of every
committee and her children threatened to be kicked out, if she "said one more
thing".

Additionally, the first faculty chair told me to look in the files to see if the
teacher had documented my son's behavior (since it was suddenly so "negative").
There was nothing. The faculty chair got the files out herself. Later, I was
told that because I looked in the file cabinet, and was also a paorent as well
as teacher in the school, then I would have to be on probation since looking in
the files was unprofessional. I said the faculty chair suggested it and was
present. They switched faculty chairs a few weeks before this statement and the
new one said that what the old one did was irrelevant: I looked in the files and
she (the new faculty chair) didn't like it, so the punishment would remain or
I'd lose my job. I was so dumbfounded. It was like the twilight zone! Completely
twisted.

There is much more to this, but I need to pace myself. Bottom line, when I said
they were going too far by also punishing my son (not allowed to return), they
said they were considering that statement to be my resignation. When I said it
wasn't, they said they didn't care, they were still considering it a
resignation, and released a memo to the school and parent community saying I
quit due to family difficulties. They also held a meeting with the parents of my
class without me. They couldn't even say the words, "fired", which is what they
were doing. I was given one more paycheck, and then my family had no more
income, not even through the summer.

After all the exhaustion and abuse, I had to look for another job as well as
grieve and recover. I can't even believe I stayed through as much as I did, but
at the time I viewed it as fighting for the school and stubbornly refusing to be
bossed around. I lost the battle, but I feel like I won the war, because we are
soooo much happier and healthier now. The school will never be much with such
karma behind them. I still hear all the stories of the same behavior, and that
makes me feel like they have learned nothing.

Too bad. But I just don't care anymore, except to help others who feel abused.
It took me three years to even realize how abused I felt. I walked around
embarassed, with my head down. But no more. Those people are the ones who
embarassed themselves. Shame on them.

My family and I are great now, though we do have "flashbacks". We are working on
baby number three, and I teach homeschoolers and enjoy being a family woman.

Sorry this is a bit disjointed, but as you know, I feel spent after talking
about it all.