waldorf steiner

[heninthemidden]

hi,

anyone had good experience of waldorf steiner education system?

[isenhart7]

wilderduck-I'm not a member of twitter but thanks for thinking of me.

[wilderduck]

Indeed, TheSmith. A very long thread.

[TheSmith]

Hey what an amazingly long thread.
And well worth a read!

[wilderduck]

mimsum posted near the beginning of the thread.

[TheSmith]

Where do I find postings about mimsum?

[wilderduck]

Fathers always welcome

Sadly that's true. I am still reeling from mimsum's experiences.

[TheSmith]

And some fathers too perhaps!
Seriously though I had not realised quite how stuck in a time warp the schools are. Not just regarding racism but also disabilities.

[wilderduck]

Hi TheSmith - I really do hope that the mothers who have talked about their experiences here have felt supported in that way

[TheSmith]

As a parent who once had children in a steiner school i am very interested in this thread. Amazing that there is a forum where people are able to describe their experience and be supported so well.

[mommybuddy]

wilderduck says:
"mommybuddy - you're clearly not a critic of SW education."

Maybe I don't know enough about SW to criticize more professionally, but I'm willing to learn. I just pulled my children out of Waldorf because those people were talking so weird in private they made my head spin, and I didn't want my kids to become spinheads and pinheads.

I've just been called a moron here too, but that's ok because I'm an adult. I hope you don't call your children such things though.

[wilderduck]

Isenhart - how are you getting on with John Prescott? Did you mean to post that last comment on your twitter?

[wilderduck]

mommybuddy - you're clearly not a critic of SW education.

[wilderduck]

No one has hijacked the thread. There have been many posters, they have all expressed their opinions.

Let's get back to the core issue: Rudolf Steiner, it is openly admitted by Jeremy Smith, the Communications Officer of the SWSF, believed he gained his 'knowledge' through clairvoyance: for which there is NO EVIDENCE. His 'knowledge' included a spiritual hierachy of races. This is fixed within the doctrine of Anthroposophy which underpins and is manifested in all Steiner schools.

Even if most teachers are not racist, enough believe in Anthroposophy and can't help but teach in a way which disadvantages black and ethnic minorities.

It is bad enough that this is happening in the private sector. Steiner schools are seeking State funding. Any government officials responsible for decisions about State funding should be carrying out Equality Impact Assessments to examine the effect on vulnerable and minority groups. If done thoroughly these will unmask the true nature of the philosophy underpinning Steiner Waldorf education.

It seems inconceivable if this is done that the UK government will continue to fund any aspect of Steiner Waldorf education or teacher training.

[mommybuddy]

wilderduck writes:

"Any game playing with those events demonstrates yet again that the posters representing SW education on this thread should not be allowed anywhere near children, here or in the US."

I couldn't agree more. My children have learned to run away fast if they recognize a Waldorfer or Anthroposophist in their vicinity. It would help if we organized and contacted our legislators so we could post pictures of those people in our neighborhoods, as a warning.

[isenhart7]

It's a question, wilderduck. You said a piece of literature would not be appropriate to read to today's school children-why not school children in general?

[Tizian]

heninthemidden,

I feel I need to apologise that people like TheRationalist, barking, and Northernrefugee39 have hijacked this thread for their extremist ideological secular humanist crusade against Steiner schools, making the discussion as mental as they have, much unfoundedly trying to smear and defame Steiner schools as much as they possibly can for primarily ideological purposes, keeping most normal mumsnetters (like nevergoogledragonbutter and others) from participating in it.

Maimuna, I'm sorry for what happened to your daughter at the Steiner school. At first I felt sceptical about what you wrote about what the teacher allegedly read from a "Steiner poem", a scepticism that turned out to be justified when I tried to check up on the verse you referred to.

While the verse as such possibly comes from another more racist time than the present (the author was born in 1925, and the book may have been printed for the first time in 1993) the teacher's choice of verse was thoughtless and she then made it even more racist by translating "Neger" (in German) as "nigger" and then in addition not even realising and understanding that this is a clearly offensive racist word. This was and is indefensible.

As I've mentioned, research (in Germany) indicates that her attitude probably is far less common at Steiner schools than at other schools, if judged by the attitudes of Steiner pupils.

I trust that the school has or will take the proper action with regard to the teacher, and that the Steiner Waldorf Schools Fellowship takes corresponding actions to prevent any similar incidences from occurring at that or any other Steiner Schools in the UK and Ireland in the future.

They are indefensible whereever they occur in society. I'm sorry your daughter and you had to experience it, especially at a Steiner school.

[wilderduck]

More games Isenhart? A little semantic nonsense? I am still and I will be until maimuna gets a full explanation from her Steiner school.

That will mean an admission that the philosophy underpinning Steiner Waldorf education is itself essentially racist.

[isenhart7]

Well, since you're and all, wilderduck I might as well ask, "Today's school children?" What about yesterday's and/or tomorrow's?

[wilderduck]

The novel 'To Kill a Mockingbird' is an extraordinary book which has helped to highlight racial prejudice for many years. But if schools in the US or the UK decide that other set texts are more appropriate for their students in the 21st century, that is their prerogative. It would not be appropriate, as you were perhaps highlighting earlier Isenhart, to read today's school children particular examples of Rudyard Kipling.

But all this is a diversion.

What has happened to Maimuna's dd in a Steiner school is beyond inappropriate. Any game playing with those events demonstrates yet again that the posters representing SW education on this thread should not be allowed anywhere near children, here or in the US.

This must be apparent to anyone reading your comments.

[isenhart7]

"The end of education should surely be service to others."

[northernrefugee39]

Crossed posts maimune
I hope you are ok.

I feel I need to apologise that peope like thecaty and tizian are continuing to make out what happened to your daughter was anything less that offensive and racist.

never mind mommy whatnot.

I'm sorry they are on mumsnet, which is meant to be a haven for mums to share their worries, concerns and ..good things too!

I'm not atall sure either of them are actually Mums, perhaps they'll fess up?

They both seem to have a vested interest in downgrading the seriousness of what happened to your daughter.

[northernrefugee39]

Unless it's Jay-Z or 50 cents.
Which might be altogether too subtle a context.
Was the German Steiner teacher a rap artist maimune?

[northernrefugee39]

Hi Dwinters
I think we'd twigged there was a loon in our midst.
As Manatee said- they must be sad people to be amused by trying to disrupt these real and harrowing events.

Hi Wilder-
Well said.

FFS thecaty

You are adding insult and offence to a situation which a child and family are going through.

And if you don't think that word is offensive, or could cause pain and hurt, you have no right to be teaching.

You are a moron.

And just in case(which for some strange reason I doubt) you aren't familiar with German

try looking here

and here

and here

and then try looking up the
words "pejorative" "derogatory" and "degrading"

And then hop it.

mommy wahtever your name is.
I hope you get the help you clearly need.

[wilderduck]

A word does not say itself.
That word is never, ever appropriate

It's all very well to talk about 'To Kill a Mockingbird' and to understand why that word is never, ever appropriate.

But it's a word that causes pain. For shame theCaty.