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-- Topica Digest --
Re: Another anthroposophist approves of genocide
By awaldenpond shaw.ca
Steiner's War
By awaldenpond shaw.ca
------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Mon, 05 Jan 2004 23:13:24 -0800
From: walden (awaldenpond shaw.ca)
Subject: Re: Another anthroposophist approves of genocide
Hi Barnaby,
You wrote:
) I used to think of myself as 'alternative', but had always felt vaguely
) uncomfortable with the 'alternative' milieu. I moved to a very new-agey
) town in England a few years ago and regularly encountered people with
) very strange ideas indeed. Then David Icke, the antisemitic new-age
) conspiracy nut, gave a lecture here to two or three hundred people. That
) really piqued my interest in the origins of new-age thought and I found
) I didn't have to look hard to find authoritarian, racist ideas under the
) sugar coating.
)
) About the same time I noticed the penchant for all things (American)
) 'Indian' in this town, and felt rather queasy as I began to learn about
) Indian history from books that didn't have purple covers or the words
) 'dancer', 'dreamer', 'eagle', 'wolf' or 'wind' in the author's name.
)
) I joined some lists and learned more. One of them is
)
) http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nafps/
)
) A week or two ago Joel Wendt popped up there, insinuating that people
) here are lying about him, so I started reading messages here, having
) been made aware of Waldorfcritics in the past by Deborah, and having
) read 'Ecofascism: Lessons from the German Experience' a few years ago,
) and so being aware of some of Peter Staudenmaier's work.
Thanks for the information - especially the link to the nafps list. I just
spent some time there - interesting place! I was intreagued by the response
Joel received after people read some of his "work." There are some very
informative posts there. I guess Waldorf Critics are not the only people
concerned about the concept of genocide with a spiritual twist.
-Walden
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 05 Jan 2004 23:59:06 -0800
From: walden (awaldenpond shaw.ca)
Subject: Steiner's War
So, I'm doing my Epiphany reading a la Steiner and come across something I
often wonder about (the upcoming big War) and as I remember Joel saying he'e
be back around this time after some seasonal prayers and such, I would like
Joel to offer commentary on this particular passage from:
The Work of Secret Societies in the World
The Atom as Coagulated Electricity
A lecture by
Rudolf Steiner
Berlin, December 23, 1904
GA 93
"It is impossible to conceive what might happen in such circumstances if
mankind has not, by then, reached selflessness. The attainment of
selflessness alone will enable humanity to be kept from the brink of
destruction. The downfall of our present epoch will be caused by lack of
morality. The Lemurian epoch was destroyed by fire, the Atlantean by water;
our epoch and its civilisation will be destroyed by the War of All against
All, by evil. Human beings will destroy each other in mutual strife. And the
terrible thing - more desperately tragic than other catastrophes - will be
that the blame will lie with human beings themselves.
A tiny handful of men will make good and thus insure their survival in the
sixth epoch of civilisation. This tiny handful will have attained
selflessness. The others will develop every imaginable skill and subtlety in
the manipulation and use of the physical forces of nature, but without the
essential degree of selflessness.
In the seventh epoch of civilisation, this War of All against All will break
out in the most terrible form. Great and mighty forces will be let loose by
the discoveries, turning the whole earth-globe into a kind of
[self-functioning] live electric mass. In a way that cannot be discussed,
the tiny handful will be protected and preserved."
Joel, what kind of war can our future relatives expect and who do you think
the "tiny handful" will be? Steiner sounds pretty sure about this event.
Thanks in advance for any insight you might offer.
-Walden
------------------------------
==^================================================================
You can ask any question about Waldorf you like here, no matter how basic. New threads are always welcome.
End of waldorf-critics topica.com digest, issue 1219
-- Topica Digest --
RE: Another anthroposophist approves of genocide
By barnaby_mcewan hotmail.com
Re: Another anthroposophist approves of genocide
By koala noos.fr
Re: Steiner's War
By fitzcandoservices yahoo.com
Re: Steiner's War
By awaldenpond shaw.ca
------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Tue, 6 Jan 2004 13:48:32 +0000
From: Barnaby McEwan (barnaby_mcewan hotmail.com)
Subject: RE: Another anthroposophist approves of genocide
) Thanks for the information - especially the link to the nafps list. I
) just
) spent some time there - interesting place! I was intreagued by the
) response
) Joel received after people read some of his "work." There are some very
) informative posts there. I guess Waldorf Critics are not the only
) people
) concerned about the concept of genocide with a spiritual twist.
)
) -Walden
I'm not Indian myself, in case anyone's wondering.
A good place to start learning about 'plastic medicine people' is with
Ward Churchill's essays 'Spiritual Hucksterism' and 'Indians R Us?'.
They're both anthologised in 'From A Native Son: Selected Essays On
Indigenism, 1985-1995' (South End Press 1995). And of course the nafps
folks are happy to help with non-wise-ass questions, as you'll have
seen.
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 06 Jan 2004 16:00:16 +0100
From: koala (koala noos.fr)
Subject: Re: Another anthroposophist approves of genocide
NOTICE: my previous post wasn't posted to the list. Therefore, both my
private and initial question to Peter S. and Peter S.'s answer are on the
same post.
You wrote:
)I have a question. Feel free to answer on the list if you don't like this
)private email.
)
)Do you think that if theosophy hadn't existed that Nazism would have
)existed?
)
)I mean if theosophy hadn't existed, there could have been a totalitarian
)regime in Germany, but not necessarily in the exact form it took, that is
)to
)say specifically a racist and anti-semitic one. All the main ideas of
)Nazism
)are deeply rooted in the theosophy "theories" (but can we call that
)theories?). There was no esotericism in Nazism except the one stolen or
)borrowed to theosophy.
I'd disagree with several of those claims. A number of the most influential
racists and antisemites within the Nazi movement had no esoteric background
and did not derive their racist and antisemitic beliefs from theosophical or
other esoteric sources. I do agree, however, that the esoteric currents
within Nazism drew heavily, though not exclusively, on theosophical
precedents. These currents were not necessarily typical of Nazism as a
whole, though, and they were frequently controversial within the party.
Also, some of the most formidable champions of esotericism within Nazi
circles fiercely rejected Theosophy and most of its offshoots, while
simultaneously sharing several of their basic assumptions. In general, I
think that the widespread ideological links at work here were the result of
a shared cultural consensus centered around esoteric racial doctrines, in
both theosophical and neo-pagan forms; in many cases this consensus operated
without the specific, direct, or overt influence of one faction of
esotericists on another -- that is, people like Rosenberg and Himmler often
ended up agreeing with Blavatsky or Steiner or List without even being
consciously aware of the connection, though there are also certainly cases
of deliberate appropriation and re-working of older esoteric themes. But for
every Rosenberg or Himmler there were other theorists of "racial hygiene"
who scorned esotericism and embraced what they saw as scientific, rather
than occult, confirmations of their views. As a result, esoteric topics were
among the most lively internal controversies within the Nazi movement, which
is one reason why Nazi attitudes toward anthroposophy varied so widely.
To answer your question at last: Yes, I think Nazism would have existed
without Theosophy, and it would still have been racist and antisemitic; but
it would have lacked some of the most striking and peculiar features that
continue to make it such an important case study for those concerned with
the legacy of esoteric politics. I would make a similar argument about
Italian Fascism; it would have existed without Evola or the School of
Mystical Fascism, for example, but its historical profile would have been
substantially different. I would be interested to hear what you think on
these matters.
)By the way, have you had time to read René Guénon and the translation
)"theosophy" in English?
No, I still haven't gotten around to any more Guenon, though I think I'll
need to at some point for comparative purposes. For now I am very focused on
early anthroposophical periodicals and some of Steiner's less accessible
works; in addition I'm working on an article about Steiner's philosemitic
and antisemitic phases. I hope to be able to broaden my scope by this
summer. We'll see. Thanks for your consistently interesting insights. Take
care,
Peter
_________________________________________________________________
Get reliable dial-up Internet access now with our limited-time introductory
offer. http://join.msn.com/?page=dept/dialup
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 6 Jan 2004 13:09:24 -0800 (PST)
From: Mark Fitzpatrick (fitzcandoservices yahoo.com)
Subject: Re: Steiner's War
--0-1485315903-1073423364=:31735
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
blah ..blah ..blah....
doomsayer's everywhere...loving the drama...
we are not so important in the scheme of things.
we are so small in the whole scheme...
begin speaking from the non-ego and your missive will become
more interesting...
walden (awaldenpond shaw.ca) wrote:
So, I'm doing my Epiphany reading a la Steiner and come across something I
often wonder about (the upcoming big War) and as I remember Joel saying he'e
be back around this time after some seasonal prayers and such, I would like
Joel to offer commentary on this particular passage from:
The Work of Secret Societies in the World
The Atom as Coagulated Electricity
A lecture by
Rudolf Steiner
Berlin, December 23, 1904
GA 93
"It is impossible to conceive what might happen in such circumstances if
mankind has not, by then, reached selflessness. The attainment of
selflessness alone will enable humanity to be kept from the brink of
destruction. The downfall of our present epoch will be caused by lack of
morality. The Lemurian epoch was destroyed by fire, the Atlantean by water;
our epoch and its civilisation will be destroyed by the War of All against
All, by evil. Human beings will destroy each other in mutual strife. And the
terrible thing - more desperately tragic than other catastrophes - will be
that the blame will lie with human beings themselves.
A tiny handful of men will make good and thus insure their survival in the
sixth epoch of civilisation. This tiny handful will have attained
selflessness. The others will develop every imaginable skill and subtlety in
the manipulation and use of the physical forces of nature, but without the
essential degree of selflessness.
In the seventh epoch of civilisation, this War of All against All will break
out in the most terrible form. Great and mighty forces will be let loose by
the discoveries, turning the whole earth-globe into a kind of
[self-functioning] live electric mass. In a way that cannot be discussed,
the tiny handful will be protected and preserved."
Joel, what kind of war can our future relatives expect and who do you think
the "tiny handful" will be? Steiner sounds pretty sure about this event.
Thanks in advance for any insight you might offer.
-Walden
==^================================================================
You can ask any question about Waldorf you like here, no matter how basic. New threads are always welcome.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Tue, 06 Jan 2004 23:49:37 -0800
From: walden (awaldenpond shaw.ca)
Subject: Re: Steiner's War
Hi Mark,
Welcome. You wrote:
) blah ..blah ..blah....
) doomsayer's everywhere...loving the drama...
) we are not so important in the scheme of things.
) we are so small in the whole scheme...
)
) begin speaking from the non-ego and your missive will become
) more interesting...
I am confused by what you write here. Interesting entrance but I have no
idea what you are talking about. Would you be willing to elaborate?
-Walden
------------------------------
==^================================================================
You can ask any question about Waldorf you like here, no matter how basic. New threads are always welcome.
End of waldorf-critics topica.com digest, issue 1220
-- Topica Digest --
Re: Laurel High School
By awaldenpond shaw.ca
What is Waldorf? (wasRE: Laurel High School)
By Percedol netscape.net
Re: What is Waldorf? (wasRE: Laurel High School)
By awaldenpond shaw.ca
------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Wed, 07 Jan 2004 10:00:19 -0800
From: walden (awaldenpond shaw.ca)
Subject: Re: Laurel High School
Hi Deborah,
I wanted to welcome you back to this list.
You wrote:
) It's a long story and one that nearly claimed my daughter's life,
literally. (It reminds me of what Sharon and Amos and their daughter went
)through.)
So sorry to hear of this. I cannot imagine what your family must have gone
through. Many of us have painful Waldorf stories. I know Sharon's story
and I feel sad to hear of yours, as well.
) All in all LHS is just like any other Waldorf school I've read and heard
about, i.e. the purpose is not education, but initiation.
Yes, and some people might say the difference between education and
initiation is not important. If, at the end of the day, the kids know that
2+2=4 and have completed enough eurythmy and wet on wet to be incarnated a
la Steiner (even if the parents do not follow that particular spiritual
path) - what is the problem? I recently heard an anthroposophist state, "as
long as it works, leave it alone." The question is - " does it work and if
so, who does it *work* for?" I have come to think that human beings often
"succeed" despite their formal education. I think the value of
institutionalized education is overblown - whatever the flavor. I know
many home-school and *unschooled* kids who are extremely bright, articulate,
socially competent people. I digress....
While I would not expect the Waldorf PR people to use words like
"initiation," I would (and do) expect them to fully inform prospective
parents of the occult nature of the education. Is Waldorf a religious
exercise? Absolutely. Is anthroposophy in the classroom. Absolutely.
Time to call it like it is and end the denial. IMO.
-Walden
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 8 Jan 2004 03:06:21 +0000
From: Percedol (Percedol netscape.net)
Subject: What is Waldorf? (wasRE: Laurel High School)
walden wrote:
)
) ) All in all LHS is just like any other Waldorf school I've read and heard
) about, i.e. the purpose is not education, but initiation.
P:
Waldorf is not about initiation. It could not be. You have to be
twenty-one years old to be able to follow the initiation discipline in
the path of the anthroposophically oriented spiritual science .
Before you are twenty-one the individuality is not yet ready for the
dicipline. Therefore, Waldorf is not about initiation.
)
) Yes, and some people might say the difference between education and
) initiation is not important.
P:
I think you might say that the difference of W education compared to
other schools is about giving an education that does not destroy the
potential ability to perceive the spiritual directly. So it's not about
teaching 'occultism', but about not spoiling the potentials.
I wonder if behind these attacks against W schools there is not an
attempt to prevent human beings from perceiving the spiritual. This
attack would be in the interest of many groups that don't want man to
become free. They want to avoid to mankind the direct experience of the
spiritual, because they want people to be believers: in a doctrine
(materialist, marxist, etc), or in a religion (which requires acts of
faith, instead of direct experience).
Is Waldorf a religious
) exercise? Absolutely. Is anthroposophy in the classroom. Absolutely.
) Time to call it like it is and end the denial. IMO.
)
) -Walden
P:
It would be surprising if the powers of darkness would leave something
like W education free from attacks, since through W education children
avoid to be exposed to a schooling system that damages or prevents the
ability to perceive the spiritual.
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 08 Jan 2004 00:37:24 -0800
From: walden (awaldenpond shaw.ca)
Subject: Re: What is Waldorf? (wasRE: Laurel High School)
) P:
) Waldorf is not about initiation. It could not be.
Did you not once state that you knew very little about Waldorf education?
You have to be
) twenty-one years old to be able to follow the initiation discipline in
) the path of the anthroposophically oriented spiritual science .
) Before you are twenty-one the individuality is not yet ready for the
) dicipline.
And how can you be sure of this? If you are sure - how about a twenty year
old? Must it be *exactly* twenty-one? I am not trying to be facetious, P,
just pointing to the dogma surrounding this point of view. And remembering
a *teacher* staring into my child's mouth, peering at his gums to see if he
was ready for the next stage of his initiation/education. Do the teeth need
to be fully visible - what if the teeth appeared the next day and my son was
forced to remain behind a grade. How would this affect his karma?
)Therefore, Waldorf is not about initiation.
Are you sure?
Merriam Webster:
Main Entry: ini·ti·a·tion
Pronunciation: i-"ni-shE-'A-sh&n
Function: noun
Date: 1583
1 a : the act or an instance of initiating b : the process of being
initiated c : the rites, ceremonies, ordeals, or instructions with which one
is made a member of a sect or society or is invested with a particular
function or status
2 : the condition of being initiated into some experience or sphere of
activity :
Moving right along...
From the Anthroposophical Society in Florida...
"Steiner (to the first Waldorf teachers) 'We shall only be able to achieve
our task if we see it as not only to do with the intellect and feeling-life,
but with the sphere of the moral and spiritual in the highest sense.' The
task was the following: to help the soul-and-spirit being of the child,
which has at birth descended to earth from a pre-earthly existence, to find
its place in the physical world and to make it competent for life . . . .
Rudolf Steiner shows how the developing human being on the long and arduous
path into the physical world passes through a series of clearly defined
stages, which make definite inner and outer demands. Both the curriculum and
the methods of teaching of the new school, as he now described them, were
designed to meet these demands as well as possible through the right
pedagogical measures . . . This was Waldorf pedagogy. The campaign for a new
social order had been especially well received in the big Waldorf Astoria
cigarette-factory at Stuttgart."
) P:
) I think you might say that the difference of W education compared to
) other schools is about giving an education that does not destroy the
) potential ability to perceive the spiritual directly.
No, *you* might say that - not me. What about "other schools" that believe
they too are helping children to perceive the spiritual directly? Lots of
spiritual schools besides Waldorf. And many wonderful schools that allow
children the freedom (real freedom) to explore their interests and their
environment (a la Sudbury Valley, for example) Are they, in your opinion,
out to "destroy potential abilities of children to perceive spiritual
directly?" Is Steiner's view of spirituality the only real view? I
remember this elitist view of spirituality - it bounced around the halls of
a certain Waldorf school and I am so very happy to be free of it.
So it's not about
) teaching 'occultism', but about not spoiling the potentials.
You know, we would probably agree that mass media, sugar drinks, donuts and
consumerism should not be part of a child's education. I gotta tell ya,
though... Waldorf does not have a monopoly on providing a non-material,
natural type of education. Matter of fact, kids see right through much of
the pretending that goes on in many of these schools.
) I wonder if behind these attacks against W schools there is not an
) attempt to prevent human beings from perceiving the spiritual. This
) attack would be in the interest of many groups that don't want man to
) become free. They want to avoid to mankind the direct experience of the
) spiritual, because they want people to be believers: in a doctrine
) (materialist, Marxist, etc), or in a religion (which requires acts of
) faith, instead of direct experience).
"Attacks?" Again we see the melodramatic black and white world of
anthroposophy. I want to talk about my direct experience with Waldorf
education and about the research I have done for the past few years. That's
it, P - nothing more than that. Pretty simple. In doing this, I am accused
of "attacking" Waldorf. Better yet - this is done by me in an attempt to
"prevent human beings from perceiving the spiritual." Let's not stop
there... I "don't want man to become free."
My goodness. You really believe those who try to help Waldorf with it's
shabby PR campaign have the power to prevent human beings from perceiving
the spiritual? And you believe I espouse the virtues of Marxism *and*
materialism! I wonder about the "etc." How can you possibly arrive at such
a judgement, P?
Reality check (you could simply have asked): I meditate. I eat organic
veggie food. I volunteer with groups like Amnesty International, PLAN
International (hungry kids version - not related to PLANS), I climb
mountains and have *spiritual moments* when I reach the top, I work with
enviro groups, I have wonderful friends who follow very spiritual paths, I
enjoy deep conversations with my kids about respect and power and religion
and philosophy and materialism and consumerism and politics and how *I*
certainly do not have any of the answers. I listen to my kids. Etc.
I doubt even the Dan's and Diana's and Peter's of the Waldorf Critics world
have any interest in transforming Waldorf kids into Marxists. What do you
think?
) It would be surprising if the powers of darkness would leave something
) like W education free from attacks, since through W education children
) avoid to be exposed to a schooling system that damages or prevents the
) ability to perceive the spiritual.
Would you be willing to think that "the powers of darkness" might just be a
concept that exists only in you mind? Please consider that question - as I
phrased it - and let me know the result. Thanks.
-Walden
------------------------------
==^================================================================
You can ask any question about Waldorf you like here, no matter how basic. New threads are always welcome.
End of waldorf-critics topica.com digest, issue 1221
-- Topica Digest --
Re: Digest for waldorf-critics topica.com, issue 1221
By gideonmills yahoo.com
Re: Digest for waldorf-critics topica.com, issue 1219
By gideonmills yahoo.com
RE: Of critics and cynics...
By dkimble mystrotv.com
------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Thu, 8 Jan 2004 08:47:38 -0800 (PST)
From: Gideon Mills (gideonmills yahoo.com)
Subject: Re: Digest for waldorf-critics topica.com, issue 1221
--0-848970637-1073580458=:54555
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
From: walden
Subject: Re: Laurel High School
Hi Deborah,
I wanted to welcome you back to this list.
You wrote:
) It's a long story and one that nearly claimed my daughter's life,
literally. (It reminds me of what Sharon and Amos and their daughter went
)through.)
So sorry to hear of this. I cannot imagine what your family must have gone
through. Many of us have painful Waldorf stories. I know Sharon's story
and I feel sad to hear of yours, as well.
This community as a whole is wholly unhealthy - we refer to it as toxic actually - and the presence of the anthrops has made it even more so. It's a small, absolutely white town and even without the anthrops it is like living in the 1950s. This town is anti-intellectual in the extreme and, of course, bigoted (particularly as concerns race and color) in the extreme, which is why the anthrops fit in so well. The rivalries between the locals (who act if they are the indigenous people of this land, e.g. they refer to themselves as "natives") and the anthrops are just that, rivalries. The few locals who are concerned with the increasing presence of the anthrops base their concerns on financial reasons, e.g. inflated land prices, anthrop businesses (not all of which are new age) taking profits from local businesses, the heavy anthrop presence in the public school (and especially the fact that they have their own publically funded school) which translates into power to influence school
board decisions, their clear presence within the health care system, including the local hospital and clinics, and the fear that the anthrops will "become" situated in local governmental positions (too, late - they are already there).
I have spoken with some of the local fundamentalist christians and they focus on what they perceive as the devil-worship of the anthrops; the bigotry and occult nature of anthroposophy doesn't seem to bother them at all.
Yes, and some people might say the difference between education and
initiation is not important. If, at the end of the day, the kids know that
2+2=4 and have completed enough eurythmy and wet on wet to be incarnated a
la Steiner (even if the parents do not follow that particular spiritual
path) - what is the problem?
Few of the local Waldorf graduates have made it outside of this area. Several have left here for college and many if not most have wound up back here, working in their parents' businesses or not working at all. I do know of three LHS graduates (who were Pleasant Ridge graduates) who apparently have seemed to break out of here; two of them were extremely anxious to leave this area and as far as we know haven't reappeared. Unfortunately, it seemed to be more their parents' behaviors (marrying, divorcing, marrying, divorcing, etc.) that drove them away.
Last year my daughter was babysitting for an eight-year old girl who found a note from one of my daughter's LHS classmates. (He was 15 years old at the time.) This girl took the note and corrected the spelling and other mistakes as a joke, but in actuality it is a good illustration of the general lack of basic education we have noted among the Waldorf graduates.
While I would not expect the Waldorf PR people to use words like
"initiation," I would (and do) expect them to fully inform prospective
parents of the occult nature of the education. Is Waldorf a religious
exercise? Absolutely. Is anthroposophy in the classroom. Absolutely.
Time to call it like it is and end the denial. IMO.
LHS had a large amount of grant money remaining during my daughter's first year there. We were both on the advisory committee and asked about that money and requesting its use for, for example, field trips, speakers, camcorder(s) and other audio-visual equipment. We were repeatedly told that it could not be spent for those items and when I asked where in the charter contract it stated that, I was informed by the bookkeeper that a copy of that contract was not available. It took over a year for me to obtain a copy of that contract and I had to use an "open records" request. Of course, nothing in that contract supported the bookkeeper's assertions. There was a deadline by which the money had to be spent or lost. Two weeks before that deadline the teacher took it soley upon herself to spend the money with no input, that I know of, from anyone else. I remember walking into the school several weeks later, opening a cupboard and finding skeins of yarn and thread that were purchased
with the grant money. Some books were also purchased, but they were all purchased from the local bookstore which is heavily new age and owned and staffed by anthrops.
By the way, one of LHS's students and her entire family are involved in the new movie, "Troy," as actors. The LHS student plays one of the princesses and her brother is a stand-in for Brad Pitt. Not surprising that they chose this particular movie to be involved with.
Deborah
---------------------------------
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 8 Jan 2004 09:03:37 -0800 (PST)
From: Gideon Mills (gideonmills yahoo.com)
Subject: Re: Digest for waldorf-critics topica.com, issue 1219
--0-1213542950-1073581417=:70053
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
From: walden
Subject: Re: Another anthroposophist approves of genocide
Thanks for the information - especially the link to the nafps list. I just
spent some time there - interesting place! I was intreagued by the response
Joel received after people read some of his "work." There are some very
informative posts there. I guess Waldorf Critics are not the only people
concerned about the concept of genocide with a spiritual twist.
-Walden
Over the past three years I have posted quite a bit to the nafps list re: anthroposophy. (Much of it is lost because yahoo summarily deleted the first two nafps groups, because of pressure from several new agers who were exposed there.) From my first exposure to anthrops six years ago I made a connection to new ageism, but it took several years for me to find definitive and demonstrable links. Actually, it was Joel W.'s juxtaposed with Peter S.'s writings and what I learned from nafps that helped immensely in that regard.
Until I moved to rural Wisconsin I had had no direct contact with either new agers or anthrops, even though Minneapolis (from where we moved) has a Waldorf school and certainly its fair amount of new agers. Living in the inner city community we were fortunately isolated from them. I cannot imagine anyone promoting either new age or anthroposophy feeling comfortable or safe there. That is why I just cannot fathom what is wrong with the Black people of Milwaukee or the people of Pine Ridge who are allowing their children to be immersed in that stuff, unless it is a case of absolute corruption of those in leadership positions.
Deborah
---------------------------------
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 8 Jan 2004 17:37:09 -0700
From: "Dave Kimble" (dkimble mystrotv.com)
Subject: RE: Of critics and cynics...
Instead of contributing to the interesting discussion, I'd like to point
out that actually, in 1897 the *Indiana* State House did vote (67-0 no
less!) to pass a bill redefining pi to be 3.2. The bill died in the
Senate. There is interesting information about this at:
http://www.urbanlegends.com/legal/pi_indiana.html
It occurs to me that it may be instructive to note that others of our
species are capable of such nonsense (maybe a small contribution after
all).
To err is human, to err for personal gain particularly so,
Dave
-----Original Message-----
From: joel [mailto:hermit tiac.net]
Sent: Tuesday, December 16, 2003 1:57 PM
To: waldorf-critics topica.com
Subject: Re: Of critics and cynics...
[stuff deleted]
[No, its a kind of inside joke. There is a story that the State
Legislature in North Dakota once tried to pass a law declaring that Pi
was a more simple number. Its what is called in America an Urban Myth
(never really happened).
[stuff deleted]
------------------------------
==^================================================================
You can ask any question about Waldorf you like here, no matter how basic. New threads are always welcome.
End of waldorf-critics topica.com digest, issue 1222
-- Topica Digest --
Re: Steiner's War
By hermit tiac.net
Re: Another anthroposophist approves of genocide
By hermit tiac.net
RE: Of critics and cynics...
By hermit tiac.net
Re: Steiner's War
By awaldenpond shaw.ca
indigenous america speaks
By dan dandugan.com
------------------------------------------------------------
Date: 09 Jan 2004 15:16:17 -0700
From: Joel Wendt (hermit tiac.net)
Subject: Re: Steiner's War
On Tue, 2004-01-06 at 00:59, walden wrote:
) Joel, what kind of war can our future relatives expect and who do you think
) the "tiny handful" will be? Steiner sounds pretty sure about this event.
) Thanks in advance for any insight you might offer.
Dear Walden,
Actually I don't think about such things very much. I understand a
little what is being said, mostly in that I can see in modern social
existence the seed forms of such strife, with this list and the nafps
list being typical examples, although one can find this phenomena
everywhere.
Human beings produce individualized thought contents, based upon
individualized experiences, but then proceed to assume that if
differences in point of view exist, then one person must be right and
another wrong.
Extremists from the political left hate extremists from the political
right, neither side willing to consider that both could be right and
both wrong in some fashion. As I tried to point out before, when
discussing "ego's collection", that to introspection this phenomena of
individualized points of view is quite understandable, and that it
wouldn't hurt us socially to come to an appreciation of this fact. But,
people love their "collection", and the resulting vanity as regards its
value makes it hard to let it go.
So, if we look about us socially, and watch how people make smaller and
smaller communities, sometimes just communities of one, in order to
preserve their "collection" (favorite ideas and feelings), then we can
see how even in our time there already exists a mini-war of all against
all. It is far easier to hate that which is radically different from
our own favorite views, than to face our own shadow.
Its all about the beam and the mote, something we were taught about
2000 years ago, and are quite far from understanding.
By the way, I am not entirely sure I will be here much longer. As I
considered my life, and what work I want to do in the future, over the
Holy Nights, playing word games in a war zone hardly seemed to be
something worth spending the time and emotional energy that would be
required.
warm regards,
joel
------------------------------
Date: 09 Jan 2004 15:19:10 -0700
From: Joel Wendt (hermit tiac.net)
Subject: Re: Another anthroposophist approves of genocide
On Sun, 2003-12-28 at 06:18, Barnaby McEwan wrote:
) At least Joel has a use for Indians: for him, they evolved to keep
) America 'pristine' until white people arrived.
This is not a true statement of what I have written. But, then I don't
expect people to be interested in the truth here.
joel
------------------------------
Date: 09 Jan 2004 15:49:33 -0700
From: Joel Wendt (hermit tiac.net)
Subject: RE: Of critics and cynics...
Dear Diana,
This is nothing new here.
An ancient mid-east aphorism is as follows:
Guard your thoughts, for they will become words
Guard you words, for they will become deeds
Guard your deeds, for they will become character
Guard your character, for it will become destiny
Then there is what Christ said, at:Matthew 5:28 "But I say to you that
anyone who so much as looks with lust a woman has already committed
adultery with her in his heart."
Then there is 12 Step work.
Of course, to introspection, the will element of thinking becomes quite
plain and obvious - thoughts arise from our will, conscious or
unconscious, although of course we don't want to admit to being
responsible for this part of existence, unless we have received in life
those hard lessons that make the aphorism above quite clear to us in
practice.
Anyone who wants to make serious changes in their life has to begin
with what they allow to arise in their thought life first. This very
frequently requires learning about the emotional life, because much
thinking is driven by emotions (not reason).
But then, being responsible in the invisible world of thought is a
place a lot of folks don't want to go, so being in denial of the truth
here is very human, although this denial does not come from actual
knowledge of the realities.
joel
On Tue, 2003-12-23 at 21:20, Diana Winters wrote:
) Joel wrote:
)
) "Thoughts are as much a deed as any other activity."
)
) I think this way lies madness - and I hate, in particular, to see
) children tormented with such superstitions. Encouraging children to
) believe their thoughts are the same as deeds is shaming, confusing,
) punitive, and cruel. As well as intrusive - the child's thoughts are
) their own business and this busybody moralism leads the child to fear
) his/her thoughts are everyone else's business too.
) If every passing thought, whether good or bad, had the same moral weight
) or effect as something a person actually did, one effect is that when
) the thought is bad enough, the person must disown it (blame the gnomes
) for instance???), rather than realizing it is just a thought and can't
) actually hurt anyone. Living this way all the time would be very
) painful. In a way it makes sense, though it is very sad, that you would
) feel you would have to kill yourself if (paraphrasing here; apologies if
) I am not quoting you precisely) it turned out a lot of people agreed
) with the critics that your interpretations of Steiner were wrong. Joel -
) your thoughts are not your "deeds." Your thoughts are your thoughts.
) This is so sad! It makes it a devastating tragedy to ever be wrong -
) rather than simply a part of being human!
)
)
)
) "Thinking really can't be kept separate from feelings, although people
) in habitual denial of their feeling life believe this to be possible."
)
) Of course thoughts are connected to feelings, but I think if you can't
) sort out the two - tell which is which, and realize they are not the
) same thing - it would cause a person to frequently get into chaotic and
) angry interactions with others.
)
) If thoughts really were the same as deeds, there would be no possibility
) of civil society. Every day would be mayhem and murder. No trivial
) disagreement could pass without violence. In fact every trivial
) disagreement *is* violence in your scenario. Imagine what the roads
) would be like - think road rage is bad now? :) It's bad enough when
) people *do* act out certain thoughts - if just thinking them had exactly
) the same effect, it would not be safe to leave the house.
)
) In fact sometimes it seems like you think thoughts have *worse* effects
) than actions. Genocide is "destiny" and, hey, everyone should just get
) over it - but challenging or disagreeing with Joel Wendt, now *that* is
) vicious and unforgivable. :)
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 09 Jan 2004 19:20:30 -0800
From: walden (awaldenpond shaw.ca)
Subject: Re: Steiner's War
Steiner wrote:
"In the seventh epoch of civilisation, this War of All against All will
break
out in the most terrible form. Great and mighty forces will be let loose by
the discoveries, turning the whole earth-globe into a kind of
[self-functioning] live electric mass. In a way that cannot be discussed,
the tiny handful will be protected and preserved."
Walden wrote:
) ) Joel, what kind of war can our future relatives expect and who do you
think
) ) the "tiny handful" will be? Steiner sounds pretty sure about this
event.
) ) Thanks in advance for any insight you might offer.
Joel replied:
) Actually I don't think about such things very much. I understand a
) little what is being said....
Walden now asks: Then please share what you know about the pending war
because I really am interested. Also, in the same lecture, when Steiner
speaks about the sixth epoch he states:
"A tiny handful of men will make good and thus insure their survival in the
sixth epoch of civilisation."
I wonder why he would state that in the sixth epoch, a handful of "men" will
survive and then he omits the word "men" for the seventh epoch? Could have
been a typo or sloppy translation but these sorts of things are interesting.
Any ideas?
Joel continued ...) mostly in that I can see in modern social
) existence the seed forms of such strife, with this list and the nafps
) list being typical examples, although one can find this phenomena
) everywhere.
Quite the judgement, Joel. When I read your thoughts I feel confused
because it seems you see "strife" when I see inquisitive, thoughtful people
attempting to communicate. For example, where is the "seed form of such
strife" in this post from a member of the nafps list:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nafps/message/3298
"Dear Mr. Wendt,
I took the time to go to the links in order to read some of your
writings. I went with an open mind and tried sincerely to see your
points. Now I do agree that you are entitled to your opinions as long
as they do not interfere with the rights of anyone else, and the same
is true for anyone.
While your words have the glossiness of academia, the thinking
process reminds me of schizophrenics I have worked with. They have a
tendency to draw the most bizarre associations and conclusions from
an assortment of sources, and their conclusions are not often based
in reality. It seems to me that much of what you write is mere
opinion and speculation, disjointed at best. That is my opinion, and
as you are entitled to yours, I am entitled to mine.
I'm not sure that you understand that Native people are perfectly
capable of maintaining/determining their own culture/lifeways and
interpreting their own history/prophecies. Condescension, well-
meaning or not, is considered insulting by many people.
Who knows, if we were to meet I might like you personally, but I
would still disagree with many of your ideas."
Walden again: There again you see that people (just like on this list) take
issue with your "ideas" and not against you as a person. I wonder if and
when you come to understand this healthy part of human discourse, your
frustration level will all but disappear? I understand you feel frustrated
that some us do not seem to respect your life's work and that you have been
at this for many years. But respect cannot be demanded. I think one earns
respect by being respectful. When you talk about genocide as a necessity
and then patronize those those who find this concept disturbing, can you
really expect us to respect your years of work?
) By the way, I am not entirely sure I will be here much longer. As I
) considered my life, and what work I want to do in the future, over the
) Holy Nights, playing word games in a war zone hardly seemed to be
) something worth spending the time and emotional energy that would be
) required.
Again, if you are convinced you will find a "war zone," you might just find
such a beast. If, on the other hand, you are willing to accept that your
*ideas* are being questioned (you have made your ideas very public, btw) as
opposed to Joel-the-man being attacked, you might be surprised to see your
perceived "war zone" change into a field of possibilities. I really hope
you are willing to try.
All the Best for 2004.
-Walden
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 9 Jan 2004 12:52:51 -0800
From: Dan Dugan (dan dandugan.com)
Subject: indigenous america speaks
Re our discussion of Anthroposophy and Native Americans, the
following announcement comes from Rudolf Steiner College in Fair
Oaks, CA:
Indigenous America Speaks
January 31, Saturday 7:30-9:30 PM
Join us for a winter renewal to warm our hearts in preparation for
Spring. Stan Padilla, a multi-media community artist, will bring the
Spoken Word of the Elders, weaving together the native drumming of
the women's group called Awend/s (Iroquois word meaning "New Day")
and the haunting sounds of the Native American flute played by Grammy
Award-winning artist, Mary Youngblood.
$15 General, $10 Students and Seniors, $5 Children under 12
-Dan
------------------------------
==^================================================================
You can ask any question about Waldorf you like here, no matter how basic. New threads are always welcome.
End of waldorf-critics topica.com digest, issue 1223
-- Topica Digest --
Joel's writng on Indians
By barnaby_mcewan hotmail.com
RE: What is Waldorf? (wasRE: Laurel High School)
By Percedol netscape.net
------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Sat, 10 Jan 2004 13:21:31 +0000
From: Barnaby McEwan (barnaby_mcewan hotmail.com)
Subject: Joel's writng on Indians
I wrote:
) At least Joel has a use for Indians: for him, they evolved to keep
) America 'pristine' until white people arrived.
Joel replied:
) This is not a true statement of what I have written.
Here's what you wrote, at http://ipwebdev.com/hermit/wkslg.html
)Certain peoples left Atlantis and went to the West. This stream was a
)race destined to die out, carrying traditions which also in time would
)pass away. Their task was to live in a spiritual way in this new land,
)as stewards, preserving its pristine nature for a far future time, when
)the further demands of evolution would bring other peoples with other
)needs.(
Please explain succinctly how I've misunderstood your statement.
) But, then I don't expect people to be interested in the truth here.
*The* truth? Steady, Joel.
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 11 Jan 2004 04:44:35 +0000
From: Percedol (Percedol netscape.net)
Subject: RE: What is Waldorf? (wasRE: Laurel High School)
walden wrote:
)
) ) P:
) ) Waldorf is not about initiation. It could not be.
)
) Did you not once state that you knew very little about Waldorf
) education?
P:
The problem we are dealing with here is if one can follow a path of
initiation since he/she is in first grades, and the answer is no.
Whether is twenty or twenty-one it is not related to w schools anymore,
since at twenty one is most likely already out of it.
)
) You have to be
) ) twenty-one years old to be able to follow the initiation discipline in
) ) the path of the anthroposophically oriented spiritual science .
) ) Before you are twenty-one the individuality is not yet ready for the
) ) dicipline.
)
) And how can you be sure of this? If you are sure - how about a twenty
) year
) old? Must it be *exactly* twenty-one? I am not trying to be facetious,
) P,
) just pointing to the dogma surrounding this point of view. And
) remembering
) a *teacher* staring into my child's mouth, peering at his gums to see if
) he
) was ready for the next stage of his initiation/education. Do the teeth
) need
) to be fully visible - what if the teeth appeared the next day and my son
) was
) forced to remain behind a grade.
P:
This is a question that relates specifically to W education. I don't
know.
How would this affect his karma?
P:
I think one should look at each case.
)
) )Therefore, Waldorf is not about initiation.
)
) Are you sure?
)
) Merriam Webster:
)
) Main Entry: ini·ti·a·tion
) Pronunciation: i-"ni-shE-'A-sh&n
) Function: noun
) Date: 1583
) 1 a : the act or an instance of initiating b : the process of being
) initiated c : the rites, ceremonies, ordeals, or instructions with which
) one
) is made a member of a sect or society or is invested with a particular
) function or status
) 2 : the condition of being initiated into some experience or sphere of
) activity :
P:
This is a generic definition of initiation, not what is meant by
initiation in A.
)
) Moving right along...
)
) From the Anthroposophical Society in Florida...
)
) "Steiner (to the first Waldorf teachers) 'We shall only be able to
) achieve
) our task if we see it as not only to do with the intellect and
) feeling-life,
) but with the sphere of the moral and spiritual in the highest sense.'
) The
) task was the following: to help the soul-and-spirit being of the child,
) which has at birth descended to earth from a pre-earthly existence, to
) find
) its place in the physical world and to make it competent for life . . .
) .
) Rudolf Steiner shows how the developing human being on the long and
) arduous
) path into the physical world passes through a series of clearly defined
) stages, which make definite inner and outer demands. Both the curriculum
) and
) the methods of teaching of the new school, as he now described them,
) were
) designed to meet these demands as well as possible through the right
) pedagogical measures . . . This was Waldorf pedagogy. The campaign for a
) new
) social order had been especially well received in the big Waldorf
) Astoria
) cigarette-factory at Stuttgart."
)
)
) ) P:
) ) I think you might say that the difference of W education compared to
) ) other schools is about giving an education that does not destroy the
) ) potential ability to perceive the spiritual directly.
)
) No, *you* might say that - not me. What about "other schools" that
) believe
) they too are helping children to perceive the spiritual directly? Lots
) of
) spiritual schools besides Waldorf. And many wonderful schools that
) allow
) children the freedom (real freedom) to explore their interests and their
) environment (a la Sudbury Valley, for example) Are they, in your
) opinion,
) out to "destroy potential abilities of children to perceive spiritual
) directly?"
P:
I referred to public schools in Italy or for what I know in the US, plus
montesori schools. There may be other schools that are good as well. I
don't know every school system.
Is Steiner's view of spirituality the only real view? I
) remember this elitist view of spirituality - it bounced around the halls
) of
) a certain Waldorf school and I am so very happy to be free of it.
P:
I think that any view that points out that the first step of knowledge
is the liberation of thinking to achieve sense-free thinking or living
thought is correct for our time. Do you know any?
)
) So it's not about
) ) teaching 'occultism', but about not spoiling the potentials.
)
) You know, we would probably agree that mass media, sugar drinks, donuts
) and
) consumerism should not be part of a child's education.
P:
What's wrong with donuts? Mass media are important in the right measure
and 'cum grano salis'. For example there are important movies that
should be seen by people. News are also important, although we should be
careful and seek for alternative sources of information, possibly from
several different channels (books, newspapers, web, tv, radio) and
countries. Unfortunately, most media are in the hands of just a few
groups today.
I gotta tell ya,
) though... Waldorf does not have a monopoly on providing a non-material,
) natural type of education. Matter of fact, kids see right through much
) of
) the pretending that goes on in many of these schools.
P:
Or you may say non exclusively materialistic type of education.
But studying Darwin's theory very well, for example, is in my opinion
very important. And also weaknesses to this theory and underlying that
is a theory.
)
) ) I wonder if behind these attacks against W schools there is not an
) ) attempt to prevent human beings from perceiving the spiritual. This
) ) attack would be in the interest of many groups that don't want man to
) ) become free. They want to avoid to mankind the direct experience of the
) ) spiritual, because they want people to be believers: in a doctrine
) ) (materialist, Marxist, etc), or in a religion (which requires acts of
) ) faith, instead of direct experience).
)
) "Attacks?" Again we see the melodramatic black and white world of
) anthroposophy. I want to talk about my direct experience with Waldorf
) education and about the research I have done for the past few years.
) That's
) it, P - nothing more than that. Pretty simple. In doing this, I am
) accused
) of "attacking" Waldorf. Better yet - this is done by me in an attempt
) to
) "prevent human beings from perceiving the spiritual." Let's not stop
) there... I "don't want man to become free."
P:
I can believe that some of the criticisms are correct, but that the
dimension of this whole attack rises doubts about what's behind, no
matter if people is aware of it or only used.
)
) My goodness. You really believe those who try to help Waldorf with it's
) shabby PR campaign have the power to prevent human beings from
) perceiving
) the spiritual?
P:
It is not only going after W schools. It is attacking the figure of RS.
And you believe I espouse the virtues of Marxism *and*
) materialism! I wonder about the "etc." How can you possibly arrive at
) such
) a judgement, P?
P:
It is not about you. In Europe there is still a lot of left wing people
(in a marxist sense).
)
) Reality check (you could simply have asked): I meditate. I eat organic
) veggie food. I volunteer with groups like Amnesty International, PLAN
) International (hungry kids version - not related to PLANS), I climb
) mountains and have *spiritual moments* when I reach the top, I work with
) enviro groups, I have wonderful friends who follow very spiritual paths,
) I
) enjoy deep conversations with my kids about respect and power and
) religion
) and philosophy and materialism and consumerism and politics and how *I*
) certainly do not have any of the answers. I listen to my kids. Etc.
)
) I doubt even the Dan's and Diana's and Peter's of the Waldorf Critics
) world
) have any interest in transforming Waldorf kids into Marxists. What do
) you
) think?
P:
Again, this is more of a problem in Europe since in the US, marxism is
poorly represented.
)
) ) It would be surprising if the powers of darkness would leave something
) ) like W education free from attacks, since through W education children
) ) avoid to be exposed to a schooling system that damages or prevents the
) ) ability to perceive the spiritual.
)
) Would you be willing to think that "the powers of darkness" might just
) be a
) concept that exists only in you mind? Please consider that question -
) as I
) phrased it - and let me know the result. Thanks.
)
) -Walden
P:
I can think it. Thinking that there is no personified evil does not give
me an answer.
------------------------------
==^================================================================
You can ask any question about Waldorf you like here, no matter how basic. New threads are always welcome.
End of waldorf-critics topica.com digest, issue 1224
-- Topica Digest --
Re: Math with a New Age Flavour
By awaldenpond shaw.ca
------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Sun, 11 Jan 2004 23:36:14 -0800
From: walden (awaldenpond shaw.ca)
Subject: Re: Math with a New Age Flavour
I found this article very interesting for two main reasons:
1) It is one of a few relatively well researched pieces on Waldorf I have
seen in a newspaper
2) It shows that far from the view (held by some vocal anthroposophists)
that critics of Waldorf exist only within a tiny group of people in
California, the same Waldorf problems also exist on the other side of North
America.
I'll list a few items that I found of particular interest. First are the
very honest thoughts of Vincent Breton, founder
of the Rudolf Steiner Association of Quebec. This type of honesty is sadly
lacking in Waldorf outreach material.
From the article:
"The children do not hear directly about reincarnation. But the
pedagogy is based on this fact" acknowledges Vincent Breton, founder
of the Rudolf Steiner Association of Quebec. The anthroposophic
association has tried for 20 years to launch a private Waldorf school
in Quebec. Since 1994, it has organized a congress of information on
Waldorf pedagogy and anthroposophy. Without reprimanding the silence
that Elan Waldorf Montreal chooses to maintain on the subject of
anthroposophy, Vincent Breton says that the parents know that the
project is directly based on this philosophy and enrol their children
there in full knowledge rather than discovering it after the fact.
A child without a soul
According to Mr Breton, himself the father of four children, if the
letters are assimilated in second grade rather than first grade, it
is because the spirit, which lives before the birth of the child, has
not yet finished "incarnating into the physical body."
Walden: I look forward to the upcoming book by cult researcher, Yves
Casgrain, who has spent years researching this subject.
Percedol might be interested in how Yves tell us that the 'pedagogy has an
"initiating" character.' From the article:
'Yves Casgrain, ex-director of research at Info-Cult and author of a
book on cults, is preparing a book specifically on Waldorf schools.
The result of three years of interviews with teachers of numerous
private schools: "They are taught to be evasive, to know to whom it
is safe to talk, and about what to be silent." Without describing
anthroposophy as sectarian, Yves Casgrain reports the aims of a
former student: "If I decide to practice anthroposophy myself, it
would be via eurythmy [the 'science of movement'], which is a means
to enter into contact with the hereafter." This same student also
told him that at school they maintain that "when we do math, there
are angels who walk in the class."
Even if, continues Yves Casgrain, "the goal of these schools is not
to transform young people into anthroposophists," the pedagogy has an
"initiating" character: "The teachers have a long-term vision: to
prepare the child according to his karma and equip him for his future
lives, in three or four lives. It's more or less without the
knowledge of parents."'
Walden: We also learn of the silence observed by a certain Waldorf school
in Quebec. Why would one feel the need to remain silent when questioned
about a school? And once again, we learn about Waldorf schools and left
handed children. Seems this archaic practise continues in some Waldorf
schools. From the article:
"The fact that the organizers of Elan Montreal are so discreet about
the philosophy of Rudolf Steiner is explained perhaps by the fact
that they've already had a brush with the media. Since 1998, the
parents of the school La Roseliere de Chambly have observed a
moratorium of silence. At the time, the minister Pauline Marois had
not wanted to renew the permit for a special-focus school: the school
didn't use approved educational material, its director was also the
superintendent, and some parents had left, shocked by its esoteric
character (shown by a prayer to the sun). One mother complained that
the specialist had suggested as a treatment for her left-handed
daughter that she should write with her right hand."
Walden: Le Devoir is considered a decent, well respected newspaper in the
province of Quebec. This article, IMO, does not prove that Waldorf
education is "good" or "bad." Rather, the writer courageously looks behind
the silk curtains and smiling faces we so often are lead to imagine via
similar articles on education. Well done. I would welcome any other views
or reviews of this article.
-Walden
What follows is a translation by a volunteer of the December 6
article in Le Devoir: Les maths à la sauce nouvel âge
http://www.ledevoir.com/2003/12/06/42279.html
***
Math with a New Age Flavour
Waldorf schools, which many would like to see multiply in Quebec,
attract more than their share of controversy in North America.
"One, two, three, four. Five, six, seven, eight." They were ten
adults in a circle, standing and counting while tossing a beanbag
from the left hand (nine) to the right hand (ten), then to the left
(eleven), then to the neighbour on the right (twelve). With this
ballet, the parents experienced...the four times table. At least as
it would have been taught to their children if they had sent them for
first grade to a school following Waldorf pedagogy.
The dominant characteristic of this pedagogy: "the rhythms of
development" of children. That is why one teaches only through games
and imitation before seven years of age...because the soul is not yet
incarnated into the body. Between seven and fourteen years, the
emphasis is on oral instruction. Fairy tales, legends and myths are
therefore the focus of history courses...and biology!
Math is also reviewed through knitting. History, by modelling with
beeswax. The idea is that the afternoon subjects--such as gardening,
handwork or art--consolidate the learning of the morning. There are
no textbooks here. There are no computers or electronic media before
secondary school because of the conviction that these "stifle the
imagination" of young people.
A request had been presented to the school boards of Montreal and
Marguerite-Bourgeoys with the intention of introducing "the first
special-focus public school based on the Waldorf pedagogy in
Montreal."
After studying the project, called Elan Waldorf of Montreal, the two
school boards declined the request for schools years beginning in
September 2002 and 2003. The Montreal school board offered only
shared locations, although Elan Waldorf wanted a school entirely
dedicated to its own pedagogy. Marguerite-Bourgeoys justified its
decision citing school reform, which required all the attention of
its staff. But this was only a partial refusal: the Waldorf dossier
still sits on its list of projects to study. And Elan Waldorf pursues
its goal of opening a school by September 2003.
During the summer of 2002, eleven parents had attempted during
three-hour information sessions, to convince other parents to rally
to their cause. The atmosphere was warm and welcoming. The room
sighed with envy as three Waldorf graduates in their twenties
reminisced about the "non-competitive" atmosphere of their classes
(no graded tests in primary school). But questions were carefully
avoided. During the three hours, devoted in large part to stories,
dramas and songs, no one said the word "anthroposophy". Nor was it
mentioned in the twenty-three pages of documents given to the school
boards in November 2001. It is behind this term that all the
philosophy created in 1919 by the founder of Waldorf schools, Rudolf
Steiner, is concealed.
Saturating the whole educational thought process, anthroposophy
includes, among other things, the thesis of reincarnation and karma.
The "rhythms of development" of the child are based on the successive
arrival of three "bodies" which, according to Steiner, compose the
human being: the physical body, which incarnates at birth, followed
by the "etheric body" with the change of teeth (at about 7 years of
age) and the "astral body" which initiates puberty at 14 years of
age. Steiner was convinced that humans had already lived on Atlantis
and would one day live on Venus, Jupiter and Vulcan (sic) once, in a
future life, they had attained a more elevated stage of this
"development."
"The children do not hear directly about reincarnation. But the
pedagogy is based on this fact" acknowledges Vincent Breton, founder
of the Rudolf Steiner Association of Quebec. The anthroposophic
association has tried for 20 years to launch a private Waldorf school
in Quebec. Since 1994, it has organized a congress of information on
Waldorf pedagogy and anthroposophy. Without reprimanding the silence
that Elan Waldorf Montreal chooses to maintain on the subject of
anthroposophy, Vincent Breton says that the parents know that the
project is directly based on this philosophy and enrol their children
there in full knowledge rather than discovering it after the fact.
A child without a soul
According to Mr Breton, himself the father of four children, if the
letters are assimilated in second grade rather than first grade, it
is because the spirit, which lives before the birth of the child, has
not yet finished "incarnating into the physical body."
"They spoke to us about child development, but never that the soul
incarnates at the age of seven," insists a father who withdrew his
two children from the private Rudolf Steiner school in the 1990s--the
only Waldorf school on the island of Montreal--and wishes to remain
anonymous. Because children do not bring home homework, parents
ignore what is really happening. Once this father had looked through
anthroposophic works at the school library he had become
disillusioned.
He remembers meetings with the teachers: "Everything is very
controlled. The teacher speaks. One doesn't ask questions."
The teachers speak well of anthroposophy. They complete their Quebec
teaching certification with a special three-year training in
California, in France, at the training seminary of the Rudolf Steiner
school in Montreal, or at the Rudolf Steiner Centre at Thornhill in
Ontario. On their internet site, one can read that they do "intensive
work in anthroposophy for an education in depth," that they study
"the wisdom of fairytales" or they learn of the existence of "the
twelve senses."
Yves Casgrain, ex-director of research at Info-Cult and author of a
book on cults, is preparing a book specifically on Waldorf schools.
The result of three years of interviews with teachers of numerous
private schools: "They are taught to be evasive, to know to whom it
is safe to talk, and about what to be silent." Without describing
anthroposophy as sectarian, Yves Casgrain reports the aims of a
former student: "If I decide to practice anthroposophy myself, it
would be via eurythmy [the 'science of movement'], which is a means
to enter into contact with the hereafter." This same student also
told him that at school they maintain that "when we do math, there
are angels who walk in the class."
Even if, continues Yves Casgrain, "the goal of these schools is not
to transform young people into anthroposophists," the pedagogy has an
"initiating" character: "The teachers have a long-term vision: to
prepare the child according to his karma and equip him for his future
lives, in three or four lives. It's more or less without the
knowledge of parents."
The fact that the organizers of Elan Montreal are so discreet about
the philosophy of Rudolf Steiner is explained perhaps by the fact
that they've already had a brush with the media. Since 1998, the
parents of the school La Roseliere de Chambly have observed a
moratorium of silence. At the time, the minister Pauline Marois had
not wanted to renew the permit for a special-focus school: the school
didn't use approved educational material, its director was also the
superintendent, and some parents had left, shocked by its esoteric
character (shown by a prayer to the sun). One mother complained that
the specialist had suggested as a treatment for her left-handed
daughter that she should write with her right hand.
For the moment, the only primary and secondary Waldorf school on the
island of Montreal is a private school. There exist three public
primary schools in Quebec, in Waterville, Vistoriaville and Chambly.
One of these was mentioned several times on the news when Louis
Taillefer, a specialist in superconductors from the university of
Sherbrooke, received scientific honours and had used the publicity to
emphasize that his children were enrolled there. There are also
nurseries, such as L'Oiseau dâor (The Golden Bird) in Montreal. Each
time, the promoters of the school are parents like Mr Taillefer.
In the last year and a half, about ten initiatives have converged to
relaunch the defunct Association for Waldorf Pedagogy of Quebec. The
Chambly school wishes to expand into secondary education. Others are
working to establish themselves in Abitibi, in Adamsville and in
districts of Montreal. In Quebec, anthroposophist parents held a
public conference in January. "Since the parents are the prime movers
within the establishment councils," explains Vincent Breton, "we see
more and more of these initiatives for a different kind of
education." Elan Waldorf Montreal plans also to stage public
conferences.
Steiner and anthroposophy
Described in turn as a scientist, philosopher, artist and pedagogue,
the Austrian Rudolf Steiner lived from 1861 to 1925. He said himself
that he was endowed with clairvoyance. In 1913, he left the German
branch of theosophy, from which he borrowed certain dogmas such as
reincarnation, to found a new discipline--anthroposophy.
According to this belief, humans have existed in spirit form since
the creation of the world; they have progressed by traversing various
different stages, for instance that of Atlantis, and created the
animals.
Fairy tales, the Old Testament, Norse myths and the studies of the
Indian, Persian, Egyptian and Greek civilisations take on a whole new
significance when one reads Steiner. "In order to be effective, it is
essential to believe in these parables as absolute truths," he wrote
in The Education of the Child in the Light of Anthroposophy.
In forty books and 6000 lectures, Steiner detailed what he affirmed
were applications of anthroposophy, for instance anthroposophical
medicine, where are mixed the essences of arts and of homeopathy, and
a biodynamic agriculture, for which there are many organizations
today. But the best known of these applications are the Waldorf
schools, from the name of the Waldorf-Astoria cigarette factory where
Steiner created his pedagogy in 1919. More than 850 schools and
between 1200 and 2000 nurseries around the world use it.
Activities in the United States
PLANS, People for Legal and Non-Sectarian Schools, a group based in
California, is pursuing legal action against two public Waldorf
schools in America. It lists on its website dubious teachings it
attributes to anthroposophy: planets influence the growth of plants,
the Egyptians moved the blocks for the pyramids with the power of
sound. "They taught my son that Newton was wrong when he said the
spectrum of light was composed of many colours. And a teacher told me
that the heart does not pump blood," affirms Dan Dugan, one of the
members of PLANS, expelled from a school in San Francisco at the end
of the 1980s because he asked too many questions.
On the 10th of last February, PLANS suit was judged to be valid by an
appeal court in California. PLANS alleges that in using public funds
to promote anthroposophy, the school violates a basic rule of the
American constitution that says that religion has no place in public
schools.
The fact of allowing few or no questions during recruitment meetings
is typical, according to Mr Dugan. "Everything is programmed. The
parents are invited to play students. This intimidates them, thereby
avoiding adult questions and discussions."
AWSNA, the association of Waldorf schools and institutes of North
America, sells books on its internet site that explain how the Norse
myths explain the future of human evolution. AWSNA is also the object
of a lawsuit for racism and discrimination, an accusation that has
stuck to anthroposophy for a long time.
==^================================================================
You can ask any question about Waldorf you like here, no matter how basic.
New threads are always welcome.
------------------------------
==^================================================================
You can ask any question about Waldorf you like here, no matter how basic. New threads are always welcome.
End of waldorf-critics topica.com digest, issue 1225
-- Topica Digest --
contemporary anthroposophists on race I
By pstaud hotmail.com
contemporary anthroposophists on race II
By pstaud hotmail.com
------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Mon, 12 Jan 2004 14:00:00 -0600
From: "Peter Staudenmaier" (pstaud hotmail.com)
Subject: contemporary anthroposophists on race I
Contemporary anthroposophists on race, part I: "Hitler was a bad guy but not
entirely inaccurate."
While waiting patiently for an eventual reply from Joel (and Frank, and
Percedol, and so on), I got to perusing some of the lively exchanges on
several anthroposophical email lists, where the topic of race takes up a
remarkable amount of space. Two things in particular caught my attention: A
discussion from a year ago on the yahoo list "anthroposophy", and a couple
of posts from yesterday on the yahoo list "anthroposophy tomorrow". I'll
address each in turn.
In late 2002 a number of subscribers to the "anthroposophy" list responded
to several quotes from Steiner about race, including the
blondeness-bestows-intelligence passage. Some of their reactions can be
summed up in the line "Hitler was a bad guy but not entirely inaccurate."
What follows is a selection from these posts.
On Nov 28, 2002 "Br. Ron" wrote:
"I think this Steiner quote is only disturbing to those aspects of ourselves
that
have fallen prey to 'political correctness' and other over reactions to the
discoveries made about human genetics.
Hitler was a bad guy but not entirely inaccurate.
Multiculturalism is fine as long as we don't try to gloss over the fact
that even the most liberal scientists must confess to the deterministic
qualities of DNA.
Why is it we can recognize the unique qualities of certain breeds of animals
and try hard to keep those bloodlines pure but are so terrified of
recognizing
the same principles within the human species?
Let's face it. Breeding a miniature poodle with a St. Bernard obviously
effects the abilities of the offspring to get those kegs up those Alpine
peaks to those stranded climbers. Nor do we add English Bulldogs to
the racing roster at the dog track.
Likewise, with us god-monkeys, the northern races have greater
Stanford-Binet
ratings than do the darker races (the number of Mensa members decreases
proportionately to the population the closer we get to the equator)
But the lighter races lack the visceral and rhythmic qualities of their
darker counterparts."
(http://groups.yahoo.com/group/anthroposophy/message/6482)
This was followed by a post from "Sheila", also Nov 28, 2002:
"When one reads Steiner's teachings about the various races, this is not
"racist" as the word has come to be interpreted in these days of "Political
Correctness" but refers to the many races of mankind existing on the
physical early planet, such as the red race, the brown race, the white race,
the yellow race or the black race, etc.. It is a distinct fact that some
people are born with blue eyes [mine are blue], some with brown, black,
hazel, yellowish or green eyes, just as some people are born with blonde
hair, or brown, red, chestnut, auburn, black or brown/black hair as I was.
All these various colors bring with them certain definite mental, psychic
and physical talents and abilities no one race alone at this time in
evolution is able to give to the world, but put all together upon the
physical plane as we ourselves chose before incarnating, mankind as a whole
is able to cover all spectrums of his missions while working together in
unison, if he would stop warring for all the dumb reasons used as excuses."
(http://groups.yahoo.com/group/anthroposophy/message/6496)
And then a post from "Dr. Starman" on Dec 2, 2002:
"I've been saying for many years now that it was impossible to rationally
discuss race in the 20th century, because of Hitler and the Nazis. Now that
we're in the 21st, I wonder if we can finally start. I doubt it can be done
among many people--- but race HAS an esoteric significance. Of course, as
you know, these days it's required by the intolerant religion of the ruling
paradigm that you say that an individual is an individual and equal to every
other individual, and that it makes no difference if he's male or female,
European or African, or what have you, and anyone who does notice
differences is evil and has to be shouted down. This of course ignores what
everybody knows from personal experience, that there are definite character
traits of different nationalities, that the members of them generally show
regardless of the individual. The result of this Ahrimanic deception is
that these obvious truths are only discussed privately, with the result that
honest discussion of them is prohibited and therefore they can't be
understood scientifically or rationally. Anyone who tries to do so is
accused of unconsciously following stereotypes. So strong is this desire to
be politically correct that a clairvoyant like Rudolf Steiner is assumed to
have been doing the same thing, because it's unthinkable that he might have
been telling the truth. But different parts of the human being ARE
accentuated in the different races. To believe otherwise is to pursue a
political ideal of "equality" so much that reality is obscured.
As I say, I'm not sure we're ready to really talk about the occult side
of these things as it can be found in the Edgar Cayce readings,
Anthroposophy etc.. Perhaps it's better done outside of public discussion.
The quotes above don't actually have to do with race, but with ethnicity,
anyway. Anthroposophy does not hover in abstractions, but its pure ideas are
brought down to sensible reality, for instance in recognizing how the
different parts of the soul will be stronger in one type of people or
another. A "folk" or people is not just an abstraction, but rather a folk
spirit or folk soul, a being higher than a human being, lives in all the
members of one. This is a reality which can be perceived, politically
incorrect as that may be. Individuals by their karma will incarnate into
this or that group so that they may use the abilities they will be born
with. Rudolf Steiner could not have come anywhere except to the German
people, for instance. What you've quoted here should be part of reflecting
what it means to be an English speaking person, a Caucasian, etc. (Blond and
red hair of course, like blue eyes, occur only in the Caucasian race.)
Naturally, however, this subject cannot be scientifically examined so long
as it is surrounded by political hysteria. It only comes up frequently
because the enemies of Anthroposophy take these quotes and spread them far
and wide to discredit Steiner. There are many truths that can only be
understood properly on the path of initiation, and, when revealed to the
unprepared and uninitiated, are bound to be misunderstood."
(http://groups.yahoo.com/group/anthroposophy/message/6532)
Dr. Starman's next post celebrated the book The Bell Curve.
I will continue with part II, on the Aryan myth, in a moment.
Peter Staudenmaier
_________________________________________________________________
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------------------------------
Date: Mon, 12 Jan 2004 14:16:31 -0600
From: "Peter Staudenmaier" (pstaud hotmail.com)
Subject: contemporary anthroposophists on race II
Contemporary anthroposophists on race, part II: "After the Holocaust"
In a couple of recent posts to the "anthroposophy tomorrow" list, Tarjei
Straume took issue with my observation that the myth of the "Aryan race" did
not first become racist within the context of Nazi ideology, but was already
racist for decades before the founding of the Nazi party. In contrast,
Tarjei argues that it was the Nazis who first "brought this expression into
infamy", and that it was widely recognized as racist only "after the
Holocaust". His post can be read here:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/anthroposophy_tomorrow/message/1190
Since this same view has been expressed recently on the waldorf critics list
as well, by both Percedol and Soren, I thought I'd take this opportunity to
explain once more the history of the Aryan myth. The notion that this myth
first became racist under the Nazis is completely false, and the fact that
it persists among a wide range of contemporary anthroposophists suggests a
woeful lack of basic knowledge about the history of racist thought.
The very idea of an "Aryan race" was flatly nonsensical from the very
beginning. It is based on an obvious conflation of linguistics and biology,
and does not refer to anything in the real world. Moreover, the concept of
an "Aryan race", in the form which it typically took within European culture
in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, was inescapably racist. It
posited a superior Aryan stock who colonized the ancient world and founded
the great civilizations of antiquity. This is, by the way, exactly how
Rudolf Steiner used the term.
All of this was recognized by scholars and critics long before there were
any Nazis anywhere. The Nazi movement did not emerge until the 1920s and did
not come to power until 1933. But the basic confusion between language and
race had been pointed out by E.B. Tylor, the pioneer of cultural
anthropology, by the mid-1800's. Even Max Mueller and T.H. Huxley, who
contributed substantially to other aspects of the Aryan myth, ridiculed the
mixing up of language and race as early as 1870. By the time the Nazi party
was formed, there were numerous detailed critiques of Aryanism and related
racial concepts, written by German, French, British, American. and other
analysts, from Jean Finot to Franz Boas to WEB DuBois.
That Aryan supremacism was not a Nazi innovation has been a mainstay of
research on the topic for decades, including those works whose analysis of
racial ideology is closely circumscribed. Hannah Arendt's seminal essay on
"Race-Thinking Before Racism" (chapter 6 in The Origins of Totalitarianism,
1951) begins with the following remarks: "If race-thinking were a German
invention, as it has been sometimes asserted, then "German thinking"
(whatever that may be) was victorious in many parts of the spiritual world
long before the Nazis started their ill-fated attempt at world conquest."
The prominent archeologist J.P. Mallory begins his epilogue on the Aryan
myth as follows: "We cannot examine the legacy of the Indo-Europeans without
first dispelling the spectre of the 'Aryan Myth'. The world is all too
familiar with how the concept of racial supremacy was implemented by the
National Socialists in Germany, and we would be quite mistaken to imagine
that this grotesque obsession with the Indo-Europeans or, as they were then
more popularly known, the Aryans, was merely the creation of a handful of
Nazi fanatics." (Mallory, In Search of the Indo-Europeans, 1989) Indeed the
notion of an "Aryan race" was hardly specific to German thought; the British
made extensive use of this absurd concept during their colonial
administration of India, and a number of the most crucial theorists of Aryan
supremacy were French.
The best comprehensive account of this phenomenon remains Leon Poliakov's
1971 book The Aryan Myth. Poliakov writes in his Introduction : "In its
various forms, the Aryan theory nearly always involved a value-judgement in
favour of the Aryans, and the ideologists of the Third Reich did no more
than stress this bias out of all proportion." While it was at least
hypothetically possible for non-racists to use the term "Aryan race" without
supremacist meaning (Moses Hess comes to mind as a potential example), the
racist interpretation of the term had become predominant, indeed virtually
exclusive, many years before the rise of Nazism. Consider the following
examples:
Arthur de Gobineau, the "father of racist ideology", arguably did more than
anyone to promote the explicitly racist version of Aryanism, and was perhaps
the single most influential racist theorist of the 19th century. He died in
1882, a full half-century before the Nazis assumed power. Another important
popularizer of the racist conception of "Aryans" was Ernest Renan, whose
publications on this topic date back to 1848. Renan died in 1892, thirty
years before the term "Nazi" was even coined. The composer Richard Wagner,
probably the most famous 19th century racist and Aryan supremacist, died in
1883. Julius Langbehn and Ludwig Woltmann, who respectively represented the
'spiritual' and the 'scientific' versions of Aryan supremacy, both died in
1907, more than three decades before the Holocaust began. Edouard Drumont, a
"foremost popularizer of the Aryan myth", died in 1917. Numerous other
propagandists of the Aryan myth, from Ludwig Schemann to Houston Stewart
Chamberlain to Willibald Hentschel, achieved their dubious fame while Adolf
Hitler was still a child. And of course Helena Blavatsky, whose "Secret
Doctrine" was Steiner's chief source for the racist version of Aryanism that
anthroposophy adopted from theosophy, died in 1891.
Nor was the spread of racist Aryanism merely a matter of individuals. Even
excluding the rest of Europe, not to mention North America, the following
organizations propagated the racist Aryan myth in Germany, Austria, and
Switzerland before the appearance of the Nazis: the Deutschbund, the
Alldeutscher Verband, the Mazdaznan movement, the various Ariosophist
associations, the Deutscher Orden, the Artamanenbund, the Germanenorden, the
Hammerbund, the Thule Society, the Kampfbund fuer deutsche Kultur, and many
others. While Steiner's peculiarly esoteric variant of this ideology
differed significantly from some of these other versions, it shared the same
racist premises that marked the Aryan myth as a whole for decades prior to
the rise of Nazism.
There is an enormous range of excellent scholarship available in English on
this question. Aside from the books by Poliakov, Arendt, Mallory, and others
already mentioned, the following are highly recommended, and probably ought
to be on the reading list of any anthroposophist who still believes that the
notion of an "Aryan race" was innocent and harmless before 1933. On Gobineau
see Michael Bidiss, Father of Racist Ideology. On Chamberlain see Geoffrey
Field, Evangelist of Race. On Langbehn see Fritz Stern, The Politics of
Cultural Despair. On Woltmann see Michael Hawkins, Social Darwinism in
European and American Thought pp. 158-159. On Renan see Jacob Katz, From
Prejudice to Destruction pp. 135-138. On Drumont see William Brustein, Roots
of Hate, pp. 121-122. For more general treatments that are relevant to
Steiner and anthroposophy see Joscelyn Godwin, Arktos: The Polar Myth in
Science, Symbolism, and Nazi Survival; Edward Said, Orientalism; and George
Mosse, The Crisis of German Ideology, particularly chapter 5, "Racism".
Mosse's other recognized classic, Toward the Final Solution: A History of
European Racism, includes a crucial chapter titled "Nation, Language, and
History" which offers a fine precis of the Aryan myth. I am continually
baffled that anthroposophists remain steadfastly ignorant of this latter
book, an acknowledged standard work within the field, especially because it
contains a very rosy assessment of Steiner and anthroposophy. A mere five
minutes with this text would disabuse any anthroposophist of the
preposterous notion that it was the Nazis who made the Aryan myth obviously
racist.
Once we get past the nonsense about how "Hitler was a bad guy but..." and
the Aryan race idea only became dubious "after the Holocaust", it would be
nice to have a real discussion of racist thinking with some anthroposophist
out there. Any takers?
Peter Staudenmaier
_________________________________________________________________
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------------------------------
==^================================================================
You can ask any question about Waldorf you like here, no matter how basic. New threads are always welcome.
End of waldorf-critics topica.com digest, issue 1226
-- Topica Digest --
[NNA] Argentinian Waldorf school fighting for survival
By dan dandugan.com
------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Tue, 13 Jan 2004 10:48:10 -0800
From: Dan Dugan (dan dandugan.com)
Subject: [NNA] Argentinian Waldorf school fighting for survival
Copyright 2004 News Network Anthroposophy Limited. All rights reserved.
The following material may be republished without the prior consent
of News Network Anthroposophy. News Network Anthroposophy does,
however, require acknowledgement of the source and, if provided, the
author of the material.
+ + + + +
NNA-N E W S
Argentinian Waldorf school fighting for survival
London, 13 January (NNA) - A small but thriving rural Waldorf school
in the Argentinean province of Córdoba faces closure unless it can
raise the US$7000 (£3776, ¤5454) it needs to keep going this year.
According to a report in "Southern Cross Review" with an appeal for
donations, the Escuela El Trigal in Villa de las Rosas about 500
miles north-west of Buenos Aires will not survive unless it receives
outside help: "It will not always be so, but that it the reality
now," the appeal says.
The school, whose catchment area covers 25 kilometres, currently has
32 pupils - an increase of 100 percent from the previous year. It is
situated in a region where parents are often only able to pay minimum
fees, if any, although that is made up to some extent by a number of
families who pay considerably more than the current fees of US$16
(£9, ¤12) per month. This situation, combined with the country's
economic crisis of two years ago, from which Argentina is only slowly
recovering, has led to the current financial difficulties.
According to the report, teachers at the school earn about US$150
(£80, ¤116) per month, but social security payments increase the cost
to the school to about $220 (£118, ¤171). Then there are
administrative, building maintenance, construction and other costs.
Parents are building a new classroom themselves right at this moment.
The cost of building materials comes from a donation. The additional
classroom is needed because of an increase in pupils in 2004.
The situation is all the more urgent as the school has received an
outstanding inspection report from the provincial education ministry.
"I visited the fourth, second and first grades," the inspector
writes. "In all three grades the teachers demonstrated a high degree
of commitment and qualification for the specific task at hand and for
the Waldorf methodology.
"The children demonstrate a high degree of participation. They
respond with coherence, interest and they communicate with a very
special spontaneity and harmony. I observed a personalized
communication style, finely tuned to the pace and personality needs
of each pupil."
In another section she comments: "It is important to mention the
parents' dedication in respect to construction, maintenance and
improvements in all areas of the schoolŠ These tasks are undertaken
systematically by themselves or together with teachers and pupils."
The inspector concludes her assessment: "I congratulate the principal
and the team of teachers for the work they are doing and their
dedication to education, encouraging them to continue on their chosen
path."
end/cva
To make a donation see end of report at:
(http://southerncrossreview.org/gift.html)http://southerncrossreview.org/gift.html
+ + + + +
Item reference number: N040113-01EN
Date: 13 January 2004
More NNA reports at: http://www.nna-news.org/content/
------------------------------
==^================================================================
You can ask any question about Waldorf you like here, no matter how basic. New threads are always welcome.
End of waldorf-critics topica.com digest, issue 1227
-- Topica Digest --
Re: Digest for waldorf-critics topica.com, issue 1226
By gideonmills yahoo.com
Portland Waldorf School
By dan dandugan.com
Re: Portland Waldorf School
By momof2gals mindspring.com
------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Wed, 14 Jan 2004 11:16:03 -0800 (PST)
From: Gideon Mills (gideonmills yahoo.com)
Subject: Re: Digest for waldorf-critics topica.com, issue 1226
--0-1981433679-1074107763=:1405
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
"I think this Steiner quote is only disturbing to those aspects of
ourselves that have fallen prey to 'political correctness' and other over reactions to the discoveries made about human genetics.
Hitler was a bad guy but not entirely inaccurate.
Multiculturalism is fine as long as we don't try to gloss over the fact
that even the most liberal scientists must confess to the deterministic
qualities of DNA.”
I’ve noticed over the years that only people I recall using the phrase “political correctness” are those who otherwise show themselves to be people attempting to quash the speech of others. If I am correctly counting here I believe this phrase is used three times (at least once in all three posts). Also, this person clearly has no understanding of even basic genetics. Genetics is a complex discipline – one that I once considered entering – and there is no pseudo-science involved in it at least not on the laboratory level. I’ve known many geneticists and as crazy as I found most of them I don’t recall any of them “confessing” to the “deterministic qualities of DNA.” There was a lot of banter between them and the animal behaviorists re: “nature versus nurture” but that one or the other wholly determined the outcome of an individual was not something I ever heard posited by either side.
Also, multiculturalism has nothing to do with genetics. But then, knowing anthrops I suppose they have their own definition of “multiculturalism” just as they have their own definition of “culture.”
“Why is it we can recognize the unique qualities of certain breeds of
Animals and try hard to keep those bloodlines pure but are so terrified of recognizing the same principles within the human species?”
Slaveowners did attempt to breed humans for certain traits; that was an important impetus behind their raping of Black women. Apparently, anthops have no better understanding of biology and genetics than, for example, Thomas Jefferson.
“Likewise, with us god-monkeys, the northern races have greater
Stanford-Binet ratings than do the darker races”
The Stanford-Binet and its precursors were designed by white, European males and used by eugenicists to “prove” their dogma. Of course, someone isn’t going to design and publish a test the results of which place him at the bottom. It’s noteworthy that these tests were promulgated to get a measure of innate intelligence (which presumably made them scientific measures) and eugenicists and anthrops refer to them as reinforcing their beliefs re: “race” for which there is no scientific basis whatsoever.
"When one reads Steiner's teachings about the various races, this is
not "racist" as the word has come to be interpreted in these days of
"Political Correctness" but refers to the many races of mankind existing on the physical early planet, such as the red race, the brown race, the white race, the yellow race or the black race, etc.. It is a distinct fact that some people are born with blue eyes [mine are blue], some with brown, black, hazel, yellowish or green eyes, just as some people are born with blonde hair, or brown, red, chestnut, auburn, black or brown/black hair as I was.”
Well, even the U.S. Supreme Court confuses “race” with “color,” even though every civil rights statute I have read (which I assume would be all of them considering that is the area of law I specialized in during law school) makes a clear distinction between them. “Color” does have a biological basis; “race” does not.
“Of course, as you know, these days it's required by the intolerant religion of the ruling paradigm that you say that an individual is an individual and equal to every other individual, and that it makes no difference if he's male or female, European or African, or what have you, and anyone who does notice differences is evil and has to be shouted down.”
Where did he/she get this? For the past few decades the people I know and have read re: civil rights have spoken in the language of “equity,” not “equality.” The change came when it occurred to individuals and groups that we don’t want to be equal with anyone. Rather we want an even playing-field. That was the purpose of affirmative action (which does not exist without the base of non-discrimination), i.e. to even the field as much as is possible.
I have a personal observation re: our interaction with the Viroqua area anthrops. My daughter and I are African-American, Irish and my daughter is also Anishiinabeg (“Indian”). I quickly noticed that when we told them this, they became noticeably uncomfortable. Some became extremely uncomfortable. My daughter was actually told to her face that she couldn’t be “Black” because to them she doesn’t look Black. One Waldorf kid each time she crossed his path would state, “So. Do you still think you’re Black?” At first we thought it was just another instance of people outside the community from whence we came, where no one ever made any such statement, being so isolated from people of color that they were strictly operating under assumptions of the dominant culture. We eventually learned that by defining ourselves as we do, that we were undermining their very beliefs (their anthrop beliefs), particularly as concerns their own personal ancestries. The fact is that most if not all
people have no way of proving who their biological ancestors were. (In our culture we have a saying, “Mama’s baby. Papa’s maybe.”) After we realized where they were coming from, I brought it up as often as I could. I suppose it’s a bit perverse, but I do enjoy watching them squirm.
There has been so much written lately in novels and non-fiction re: genetics as it pertains to “race” and color that I have to wonder how anthrops could miss it. (Today, I am ordering “White Chocolate” through interlibrary loan; I just finished “Caucasia” this morning.) But then, I have noticed that they are not in tune with much of the rest of the world, including the nearest city. It must follow from their aversion to TV and any other source of outside information. A number of the local anthrops are protesting the current war/occupation in Iraq, but their understanding of Middle East history is almost non-existent. I believe they are protesting 1) to mainstream into other movements so as to appear credible and 2) because they do fear that the world won’t be here or won’t be to their liking when they next reincarnate.
Deborah
Deborah
---------------------------------
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 14 Jan 2004 17:23:12 -0800
From: Dan Dugan (dan dandugan.com)
Subject: Portland Waldorf School
From the Portland Oregonian,
http://www.oregonlive.com/metrosouth/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/metro_south_news/1074084988175220.xml
(Milwaukie is a town in the state of Oregon, not to be confused with
Milwaukee, Wisconsin.)
-Dan
***
Private school will greet public this week
The Portland Waldorf School, thriving but still little-known in
Milwaukie, offers an open house
01/14/04
TOM QUINN
MILWAUKIE -- More than two years after it won a contentious bidding
war for the former Milwaukie Middle School, the Portland Waldorf
School is becoming an established and thriving part of the community.
Enrollment at the private school is at a high of almost 350 students,
and plans are in the works to open a satellite
pre-kindergarten/kindergarten on Southeast 23rd Avenue in Milwaukie.
A first class of eight seniors graduated in June. Fourteen seniors
are due to graduate this spring, with 19 students in the freshman
class.
Still, many parents of school-age children don't know what goes on
behind the building's red brick walls, or that the Portland Waldorf
School offers a high school education. For those parents, the school
will hold an open house at 7 p.m. Thursday.
The event includes classroom tours, talks with teachers and a
presentation on the school's philosophy of experiential learning,
which is based on the teachings of an Austrian educator and
scientist, Rudolf Steiner.
Maya Muir, the school's enrollment and outreach coordinator, said
she's "getting more and more calls from public school parents who are
interested (in Waldorf) because we have the things that public
schools are cutting."
Muir said first-graders at the school learn about music and the arts,
and take instruction in two foreign languages as well as physical
education. It's all part of an unhurried approach to education that
encourages children to learn at their own pace.
"We believe very strongly that imaginative play is key, and is in
fact the foundation for later success," Muir said. "If they're doing
worksheets in kindergarten, they are going to be turned off. The
business of early childhood is play."
The school has a faculty and staff of 63, and class sizes average 28
students for first- through eighth-grades. Muir said that strikes
some parents as high, but the students also have special teachers for
lessons in areas such as the arts.
Classroom teachers act as administrators at Waldorf, and teachers
also make decisions about which students to accept into their
classrooms. Muir said applying generally involves a student visiting
campus to attend classes for three days.
Tuition at the school runs from $5,500 for preschool to $7,400 for
grades one through eight and $10,650 for high school. About 50
percent of students receive tuition assistance, Muir said.
"It's really a self-selection process," she said about applying to
Waldorf. "If people understand what happens here, and they want that,
then we're happy to have them.
"It's amazing how clear it is to everyone after a visit."
Tom Quinn: 503-294-5918; thomasquinn news.oregonian.com
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 14 Jan 2004 21:37:06 -0500
From: "Lisa D. Ercolano" (momof2gals mindspring.com)
Subject: Re: Portland Waldorf School
I would like to ask reporter Quinn why he considers the narrative below an
*article.* It is clearly a press release and promotional; the only thing the
reporter did was get a quote or two from the school's enrollment person. I
have been a newspaper reporter for more than 20 years, and I cannot recall a
time when I have put my byline on a piece like this that is really no more
than an advertisement for the school. In fact, our newspaper chain will not
even run Open House notices for free in the community bulletin board;
private schools have to pay advertising rates to do so.
If I were Mr. Quinn, I would be embarrassed to call this journalism.
Lisa
) From: Dan Dugan (dan dandugan.com)
) Reply-To: waldorf-critics topica.com
) Date: Wed, 14 Jan 2004 17:23:12 -0800
) To: waldorf-critics topica.com
) Subject: Portland Waldorf School
)
) From the Portland Oregonian,
) http://www.oregonlive.com/metrosouth/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/metro_south_new
) s/1074084988175220.xml
) (Milwaukie is a town in the state of Oregon, not to be confused with
) Milwaukee, Wisconsin.)
)
) -Dan
)
) ***
)
) Private school will greet public this week
)
) The Portland Waldorf School, thriving but still little-known in
) Milwaukie, offers an open house
)
) 01/14/04
) TOM QUINN
)
) MILWAUKIE -- More than two years after it won a contentious bidding
) war for the former Milwaukie Middle School, the Portland Waldorf
) School is becoming an established and thriving part of the community.
)
) Enrollment at the private school is at a high of almost 350 students,
) and plans are in the works to open a satellite
) pre-kindergarten/kindergarten on Southeast 23rd Avenue in Milwaukie.
)
) A first class of eight seniors graduated in June. Fourteen seniors
) are due to graduate this spring, with 19 students in the freshman
) class.
)
) Still, many parents of school-age children don't know what goes on
) behind the building's red brick walls, or that the Portland Waldorf
) School offers a high school education. For those parents, the school
) will hold an open house at 7 p.m. Thursday.
)
) The event includes classroom tours, talks with teachers and a
) presentation on the school's philosophy of experiential learning,
) which is based on the teachings of an Austrian educator and
) scientist, Rudolf Steiner.
)
) Maya Muir, the school's enrollment and outreach coordinator, said
) she's "getting more and more calls from public school parents who are
) interested (in Waldorf) because we have the things that public
) schools are cutting."
)
) Muir said first-graders at the school learn about music and the arts,
) and take instruction in two foreign languages as well as physical
) education. It's all part of an unhurried approach to education that
) encourages children to learn at their own pace.
)
) "We believe very strongly that imaginative play is key, and is in
) fact the foundation for later success," Muir said. "If they're doing
) worksheets in kindergarten, they are going to be turned off. The
) business of early childhood is play."
)
) The school has a faculty and staff of 63, and class sizes average 28
) students for first- through eighth-grades. Muir said that strikes
) some parents as high, but the students also have special teachers for
) lessons in areas such as the arts.
)
) Classroom teachers act as administrators at Waldorf, and teachers
) also make decisions about which students to accept into their
) classrooms. Muir said applying generally involves a student visiting
) campus to attend classes for three days.
)
) Tuition at the school runs from $5,500 for preschool to $7,400 for
) grades one through eight and $10,650 for high school. About 50
) percent of students receive tuition assistance, Muir said.
)
) "It's really a self-selection process," she said about applying to
) Waldorf. "If people understand what happens here, and they want that,
) then we're happy to have them.
)
) "It's amazing how clear it is to everyone after a visit."
)
) Tom Quinn: 503-294-5918; thomasquinn news.oregonian.com
)
) ==^================================================================
) You can ask any question about Waldorf you like here, no matter how basic. New
) threads are always welcome.
)
------------------------------
==^================================================================
You can ask any question about Waldorf you like here, no matter how basic. New threads are always welcome.
End of waldorf-critics topica.com digest, issue 1228
-- Topica Digest --
Re: Digest for waldorf-critics topica.com, issue 1228
By gideonmills yahoo.com
Re: Digest for waldorf-critics topica.com, issue 1228
By momof2gals mindspring.com
------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Thu, 15 Jan 2004 05:47:46 -0800 (PST)
From: Gideon Mills (gideonmills yahoo.com)
Subject: Re: Digest for waldorf-critics topica.com, issue 1228
--0-2130775986-1074174466=:31193
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Lisa wrote:
"I would like to ask reporter Quinn why he considers the narrative below
an
*article.* It is clearly a press release and promotional; the only
thing the
reporter did was get a quote or two from the school's enrollment
person."
This is how the Viroqua and La Crosse (Wisconsin) print media write about the local Waldorf schools. Also, several years ago when Sharon, Amos, I and another couple wrote letters to the editor of the Broadcaster (the local paper) re: an article done on PRWS, the editor first sent our letters to the PRWS soliciting response letters from them before our letters were ever printed. I called the editor (who is a ridgie) about what he had done and he insisted that it was standard policy for newspapers that are published only once per week. However, of course, this policy was only honored when it came to letters re: PRWS. I reported him to the "ethics" person of Lee Enterprises (the corporation that owns the paper) and not surprisingly there was no meaningful response.
Deborah
---------------------------------
Date: Thu, 15 Jan 2004 11:20:44 -0500
From: "Lisa D. Ercolano" (momof2gals mindspring.com)
Subject: Re: Digest for waldorf-critics topica.com, issue 1228
) This message is in MIME format. Since your mail reader does not understand
this format, some or all of this message may not be legible.
--MS_Mac_OE_3157010445_81796_MIME_Part
Content-type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit
If an editor has a child at a certain school, he needs to recuse himself
(and assign another editor who does not have personal involvement) when it
comes to stories or letters to the editor. In the journalism business we
call this "a conflict of interest" and those of us who care about doing our
jobs well not only avoid real conflicts of interest (like belonging to a
group and then writing about it, or writing about friends and family), but
also avoiding the *appearance* of conflict of interest. When newspapers or
radio and television stations allow this kind of pseudo and biased reporting
on any subject, they lose credibility with their readers/listeners/viewers,
and once you lose your audiences' trust, what do you have? Nothing, in my
opinion.
Sadly, it seems, a number of smaller newspapers seem unable or unwilling to
have their reporters put in the time and effort it would take to transform
an ordinary promotional press release that comes into their office
unsolicited (as I imagine the Portland Waldorf School open house release
came in, probably intended as a calendar item) into a real story. Perhaps in
this case, the reporter was told to write a story on the open house. (Hard
to imagine a town so slow and devoid of real news that a school open house
is news, but let's use our imaginations. We all know how much Waldorf
schools value imaginations! (g)) It those were the reporter's marching
orders, his first step would have been to find out if there is a real story
buried somewhere in the ad. That means he would probably have done an
internet search on "Waldorf education," which inevitably (if the reporter
was sharp) would have made him aware of PLANS and controversy surrounding
Waldorf schools elsewhere in the country and even the world. He could then
have proceeded to find out whether any such controversy exists in his town
over his school, etc. *That* would be news. (To be fair, a new school
opening after years of people trying to make that happen is also newsworthy,
as would be the reopening of a school that had closed, etc. But to make
something worth covering, it has to have something happening! A private
school holding an ordinary open house does not cut it.)
Sorry for the rant.
Lisa
From: Gideon Mills (gideonmills yahoo.com)
Reply-To: waldorf-critics topica.com
Date: Thu, 15 Jan 2004 05:47:46 -0800 (PST)
To: waldorf-critics topica.com
Subject: Re: Digest for waldorf-critics topica.com, issue 1228
Lisa wrote:
"I would like to ask reporter Quinn why he considers the narrative below
an
*article.* It is clearly a press release and promotional; the only
thing the
reporter did was get a quote or two from the school's enrollment
person."
This is how the Viroqua and La Crosse (Wisconsin) print media write about
the local Waldorf schools. Also, several years ago when Sharon, Amos, I and
another couple wrote letters to the editor of the Broadcaster (the local
paper) re: an article done on PRWS, the editor first sent our letters to the
PRWS soliciting response letters from them before our letters were ever
printed. I called the editor (who is a ridgie) about what he had done and
he insisted that it was standard policy for newspapers that are published
only once per week. However, of course, this policy was only honored when
it came to letters re: PRWS. I reported him to the "ethics" person of Lee
Enterprises (the corporation that owns the paper) and not surprisingly there
was no meaningful response.
Deborah
==^================================================================
You can ask any question about Waldorf you like here, no matter how basic. New threads are always welcome.
End of waldorf-critics topica.com digest, issue 1229
-- Topica Digest --
Benicia school board holds forum on possibilities of charter
school
By dan dandugan.com
Steiner quote
By awaldenpond shaw.ca
------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Fri, 16 Jan 2004 11:22:48 -0800
From: Dan Dugan (dan dandugan.com)
Subject: Benicia school board holds forum on possibilities of charter
school
Vallejo Times-Herald Friday January 16, 2004
http://www.timesheraldonline.com/articles/2004/01/16/news/news04.txt
Benicia school board holds forum on possibilities of charter school
By MARYANN MASLAN, Times-Herald staff writer
BENICIA - The Benicia Unified School District board heard pros and
cons Thursday for what could become the district's first charter
school.
Members of the Carquinez Charter School Foundation addressed public
and district concerns about financial impact on the district,
curriculum content and first amendment violations.
Charter schools receive Average Daily Attendance (ADA) funding, as do
public schools, which could have a negative impact on the district's
state funding.
"The bottom line impact to our school district is (whether the
school) is taking ADA away from our schools," said Denise Driscoll,
finance chairperson for the charter school.
Services purchased from the district would balance the loss of ADA
and add revenue to the district's coffers.
The 33 Benicia students who would attend the school would cost the
district $151,800 in lost ADA, Driscoll said. With services purchased
from the district, the district would show a positive balance of
$8,320.
Based on the Waldorf method, the Benicia charter school foundation
will use a teaching model that integrates the arts into all subjects.
The first Waldorf school opened in 1919 by Austrian philosopher,
scientist and artist Rudolf Steiner based on "educating the whole
child - head, heart and hands."
Dan Dugan, secretary of the People for Legal Nonsectarian Schools,
presented documentation to the board supporting the organization's
objections to the Waldorf method taught in public schools.
Dugan said that Waldorf schools become religious schools, and as a
former parent of a Waldorf student, he questioned curriculum based on
the founding principals of Steiner.
Charter school member Katie Berryhill assured the board that the
school was "not based on any religion, (nor) will any dogma be
taught."
"This is a public school!" Berryhill said.
Copies of the Carquinez Charter school's charter have been reviewed
by the board since submitted to the district in December.
Board members Shirin Samiljan and Jamie Blomdal asked for more
detailed curriculum to be presented to the board.
Although it began as a private school, the Waldorf method has been
adopted by charter schools in California since 1992. More than 100
local families in the area have shown interest in enrolling children
in the school.
- E-mail Maryann Maslan at mmaslan thnewsnet.com or call 553-6832.
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 17 Jan 2004 00:06:32 -0800
From: walden (awaldenpond shaw.ca)
Subject: Steiner quote
Whilst reading from the Steiner elib, I came across an interesting Steiner
quote. There is no source for the quote and I am wondering if anyone here
knows where Steiner actually said this? While I *do* try to read Steiner
objectively, I find this particular quote disturbing, although it might
explain some of my problems in trying to converse with anthroposophists here
and elsewhere. I read it to mean, "check your critical thinking faculties
at the door before entering," though I suspect others will view this quote
in another light. Anyhooo... if anyone knows the source, please post it
here. Thanks.
-Walden
Archive Caveat
http://wn.elib.com/Steiner/Books/GA010/English/GA010_appendix.html ("read
me first" pop-up)
The online Rudolf Steiner Archive includes works of Rudolf Steiner and
related materials. This is a major, ongoing volunteer effort to acquire
materials and convert them to electronic form. Texts are presented as
published. Many are early translations from the original German or from
other languages. We have included as many versions as we have been able to
obtain, particularly the original language publications.
The Reader is encouraged to keep in mind the conventions of the time of the
writings and/or translations. Many terms have come to be used differently
now, and newer translations would phrase things differently. For example,
early translations refer to "Man," which at the time meant "All Mankind."
Newer translations use the term, "Human Being."
It is neither the intent nor the purpose of the Archive to alter the texts,
other than to correct typographic/scanning errors. Again, the Reader is
asked to remember when the texts were originally written, translated, and
published.
Rudolf Steiner has given the following prefatory words for all of his
writings:
No person is qualified to form a judgment on the contents of this work, who
has not acquired - through the School of Spiritual Science itself or in an
equivalent manner recognized by the School of Spiritual Science - the
requisite preliminary knowledge. Other opinions will be disregarded: the
authors decline to take them as a basis for discussion.
When reading Steiner's works, be prepared to think. It is a first step to
understanding. It is a first step to opening oneself to myriad
possibilities. It is the first step in thinking, feeling, and willing.
------------------------------
==^================================================================
You can ask any question about Waldorf you like here, no matter how basic. New threads are always welcome.
End of waldorf-critics topica.com digest, issue 1230
-- Topica Digest --
Re: Steiner quote
By dan dandugan.com
RE: Steiner quote
By pstaud hotmail.com
Re: Benicia school board holds forum on possibilities of charter
school
By momof2gals mindspring.com
Just left & confused about what happened
By rockus5 msn.com
------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Sat, 17 Jan 2004 01:23:30 -0800
From: Dan Dugan (dan dandugan.com)
Subject: Re: Steiner quote
walden, you wrote:
)Whilst reading from the Steiner elib, I came across an interesting Steiner
)quote. There is no source for the quote and I am wondering if anyone here
)knows where Steiner actually said this? While I *do* try to read Steiner
)objectively, I find this particular quote disturbing, although it might
)explain some of my problems in trying to converse with anthroposophists here
)and elsewhere. I read it to mean, "check your critical thinking faculties
)at the door before entering," though I suspect others will view this quote
)in another light. Anyhooo... if anyone knows the source, please post it
)here. Thanks.
snip
)Rudolf Steiner has given the following prefatory words for all of his
)writings:
)
)No person is qualified to form a judgment on the contents of this work, who
)has not acquired - through the School of Spiritual Science itself or in an
)equivalent manner recognized by the School of Spiritual Science - the
)requisite preliminary knowledge. Other opinions will be disregarded: the
)authors decline to take them as a basis for discussion.
Yes, that's the official language that I've seen in several books.
)When reading Steiner's works, be prepared to think. It is a first step to
)understanding. It is a first step to opening oneself to myriad
)possibilities. It is the first step in thinking, feeling, and willing.
Those lines are the anonymous elib editor's conclusion to his or her
instructions to the reader. I found the pop-up on elib's pages--the
quote is indented there, which makes it clear.
I found another version of it on file:
Privately printed for the members of the College of Spiritual Science
at the Goetheanum. No one is considered competent to pass judgment
upon these writings who has not acquired the prerequisite knowledge
demanded by this school, either through the school itself or in a
manner approved by it. Opinions expressed by other persons will be
disregarded; the authors of the writings in question will engage in
no discussion of them. [Steiner, Rudolf. "Cosmic Ego & Human Ego"
Lecture in Munich, January 9, 1912, GA 130]
The different versions tip us the original is probably in German. It
may not be possible to pin it down to an original source; maybe at
some point the editors started using it on all publications.
-Dan Dugan
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 17 Jan 2004 14:34:22 -0600
From: "Peter Staudenmaier" (pstaud hotmail.com)
Subject: RE: Steiner quote
Hi Walden, hi Dan,
)Rudolf Steiner has given the following prefatory words for all of his
)writings:
)
)No person is qualified to form a judgment on the contents of this work, who
)has not acquired - through the School of Spiritual Science itself or in an
)equivalent manner recognized by the School of Spiritual Science - the
)requisite preliminary knowledge. Other opinions will be disregarded: the
)authors decline to take them as a basis for discussion.
I have seen the same passage in German in some volumes from the
Gesamtausgabe, the official edition of Steiner's complete works, but I don't
have a copy of GA 130 at hand so I can't check the citation that Dan
provided. The "all of his writings" part is obviously wide of the mark, but
this does represent the attitude that many anthroposophists bring to
Steiner's theosophical and anthroposophical texts. There is a similar
passage in chapter 35 of Steiner's autobiography, about the proper and
improper way to approach the lecture transcripts; this passage is also often
reprinted in Gesamtausgabe editions. I agree with Walden that provisos like
this reflect the standard anthroposophist suspicion toward critical
thinking, but I think the main function these caveats serve is to ward off
non-esoteric interpretations of the texts by declaring them a priori
inadmissible. This helps to explain why so many anthroposophists think that
non-anthroposophists have taken Steiner's teachings "out of context"; what
they mean is that non-anthroposophists have failed to read these teachings
in the proper anthroposophical light. Even relatively sophisticated
anthroposophists fall into this trap fairly frequently; it is a common
feature of esoteric movements. One more built-in barrier to meaningful
public discussion.
Subarctic greetings to all,
Peter Staudenmaier
_________________________________________________________________
Check out the new MSN 9 Dial-up — fast & reliable Internet access with prime
features! http://join.msn.com/?pgmarket=en-us&page=dialup/home&ST=1
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 17 Jan 2004 15:31:16 -0500
From: "Lisa D. Ercolano" (momof2gals mindspring.com)
Subject: Re: Benicia school board holds forum on possibilities of charter
school
Uh!
) From: Dan Dugan (dan dandugan.com)
) Reply-To: waldorf-critics topica.com
) Date: Fri, 16 Jan 2004 11:22:48 -0800
) To: waldorf-critics topica.com
) Subject: Benicia school board holds forum on possibilities of charter school
)
) Vallejo Times-Herald Friday January 16, 2004
)
) http://www.timesheraldonline.com/articles/2004/01/16/news/news04.txt
)
) Benicia school board holds forum on possibilities of charter school
) By MARYANN MASLAN, Times-Herald staff writer
)
) BENICIA - The Benicia Unified School District board heard pros and
) cons Thursday for what could become the district's first charter
) school.
)
) Members of the Carquinez Charter School Foundation addressed public
) and district concerns about financial impact on the district,
) curriculum content and first amendment violations.
)
) Charter schools receive Average Daily Attendance (ADA) funding, as do
) public schools, which could have a negative impact on the district's
) state funding.
) "The bottom line impact to our school district is (whether the
) school) is taking ADA away from our schools," said Denise Driscoll,
) finance chairperson for the charter school.
)
) Services purchased from the district would balance the loss of ADA
) and add revenue to the district's coffers.
)
) The 33 Benicia students who would attend the school would cost the
) district $151,800 in lost ADA, Driscoll said. With services purchased
) from the district, the district would show a positive balance of
) $8,320.
)
) Based on the Waldorf method, the Benicia charter school foundation
) will use a teaching model that integrates the arts into all subjects.
) The first Waldorf school opened in 1919 by Austrian philosopher,
) scientist and artist Rudolf Steiner based on "educating the whole
) child - head, heart and hands."
)
) Dan Dugan, secretary of the People for Legal Nonsectarian Schools,
) presented documentation to the board supporting the organization's
) objections to the Waldorf method taught in public schools.
)
) Dugan said that Waldorf schools become religious schools, and as a
) former parent of a Waldorf student, he questioned curriculum based on
) the founding principals of Steiner.
)
) Charter school member Katie Berryhill assured the board that the
) school was "not based on any religion, (nor) will any dogma be
) taught."
) "This is a public school!" Berryhill said.
)
) Copies of the Carquinez Charter school's charter have been reviewed
) by the board since submitted to the district in December.
)
) Board members Shirin Samiljan and Jamie Blomdal asked for more
) detailed curriculum to be presented to the board.
)
) Although it began as a private school, the Waldorf method has been
) adopted by charter schools in California since 1992. More than 100
) local families in the area have shown interest in enrolling children
) in the school.
)
) - E-mail Maryann Maslan at mmaslan thnewsnet.com or call 553-6832.
)
)
) ==^================================================================
) You can ask any question about Waldorf you like here, no matter how basic. New
) threads are always welcome.
)
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 18 Jan 2004 09:27:10 +0000
From: An cazares (rockus5 msn.com)
Subject: Just left & confused about what happened
Hello,
This is a discussion group I thought I would never join! Five years
after discovering Waldorf education, participating in a Waldorf Teacher
Training Program & and sending all of my young children to Waldorf or
Waldorf inspired schools - I decided to cut my losses and run. I
believe that my 5 year old's las