DC Moms and Dads complaints

http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/67597.page

The first poster here should have stopped after the first sentence.  Everything after that pretty much contradicts what she said... TWR

I'm sad that anyone would decide to not have their children attend a Waldorf school because they heard that it was cultish. My children have been in Waldorf schools their whole lives. I have a daughter who graduated from a Waldorf high school, a son currently in a Waldorf high school and one finishing up grade school and headed into the high school. It has been such an amazing experience for all of us and I am so very proud of the individuals that they are. They see so much beauty in the world and they are such curious learners. They hunger for knowledge! I suppose the fact that they are all incredible artists doesn't hurt either. I'm very proud to say that my children attend Waldorf schools and I'm even prouder that my daughter is choosing to become a Waldorf teacher!

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Waldorf might be a great option early years... but for later on WATCH OUT. It is NOT for everyone. 

I know two families VERY well (one is a relative) with the SAME experiences at two different Waldorf Schools. From what I understand the teacher your child receives is a huge factor because the teacher stays with you for many years. While I understand the occult part turned you off... The poster from last night said something about it being cultish. Then she went on to share that her whole family has dedicated their lives to this education system which they clearly believe is great. But, if you take a step back... feels a little cultish to me. 

I have said this before on this board my neighbor could not READ in the sixth grade at Washington Waldorf in the 1970s. Her pediatrician literally intervened and pulled this child and her younger sister from the school. With tutoring and being held back a year or so, they ended up thriving at the French International school. 

A close relative of mine sent her son to the nursery program (I forget it's name) in SF. She was pleased with it. Then came Kindergarten. Her son had a strict German teacher who closely adhered to the philosophy and the parents who were very excited about Waldorf felt alienated. It was a disaster. My relative and her husband were so put off by the lack of any sort of real learning in the classroom, they were going to have to home school their son if they couldn't find a first grade which would take him. This relative sent me an email a few months back saying how her son was blossoming at his new traditional school. He had just learned to read (first grade) and was embracing it. Meanwhile his one friend at Waldorf was just learning the alphabet and was forbidden to try to read. 

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It is an odd philosophy that may not prepare our child. Also, Steiner's writings include some the "ordering of the races" that I found disturbing. Not that they teach these things in class, but the teachers DO study t (I asked a lot of questions at Acorn Hill about this and they confirmed it) and to me, to say "yes, there's racially offensive material in his writings and we do require that teachers read that but we don't believe it" seemed a little disingenuous to me.

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Steiner adapted his brand of nonsense into a form of education that was later called the Waldorf method (after his first school for children of workers at the Waldorf-Astoria cigarette factory). One of his first schools was the Goetheanum, The School of Spiritual Science. Steiner believed that humans experience reincarnation over several lives, the lowest of which are the colored races; the highest, of course, the white race. He also said that humans pass through seven spiritual stages (which he lifted from the seven shakras), and that education should be compatible with these stages. 


YOU HAVE TO BE CRAZY TO ALLOW YOUR KIDS TO BE PART OF THIS NONSENSE....!!! 

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Well, were we not prepared for the cultish secrecy at our small, gossipy Santa Cruz Waldorf. Inept and dysfunctional. They really wounded my son deeply. I don't think we could ever go back--iit would have to me the best, since Waldorf Schools vary GREATLY, as do the teachers with their three years of schooling. 

Rescue remedy is not the cure--just stop insisting that what you ate saying is channeled from your heart. La, la, la. It should work out fine if your child is a mild one. Oh, didn't You know? Waldorf is alright if you are a girl, but not for boy, our 6 year old boy told us. We didn't get it right away, but we got it now. 

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