Sexual Abuse in Steiner Schools

http://www.antroposofia.be/steinerschool/wordpress/seksueel-misbruik/

This is a Google translation of an article from 2010. The translation is a little troublesome, but the meaning comes through.

Sexual abuse
by Ramon De Jonghe • 11/05/2010
Germany is a case of child abuse again come to light. In anthroposophic home for disabled people, the group leader himself, according to the testimony of his own son, molested some children.Victims are not the mentally handicapped children, but the children of employees who live in the home with their families. It was also the son that his father pointed to the youth.Lübeck Nachrichten published the news the day before yesterday, May 9th.'Child-abuse in the home for the disabled Lübeck / Köthel - Serious abuse allegation against a group leader at an anthroposophic handicap facilities in Köthel (District of Lauenburg): The 44-year-old man is under strong suspicion of having sexually assaulting over the years of children. His own, underage son, friend of the alleged victim, turned desperately to the youth welfare office. ' volledig article.

About the victims, the newspaper writes: Affected are a now 15 and a 18-year-old youth. The younger one is friends with the son of the suspects. He had told him about the abuse and so set the ball rolling.What is special is that even in the case of the 18-year-old from abuse is spoken. About that arose on this site in recent weeks still under discussion. Commenting on the post work-shy scum supporters of Steiner showed among other know that can not be spoken. Of child abuse at 18-year-olds While, however, according to Waldorf education until adulthood there is 21 years.

Now I have always had the strong impression that will not be lifted relationships between teachers and pupils. So heavily within the Waldorf school movement See this response from Lieven Debrouwere. 22/04/2010 15:06 And then a teacher who enters into a relationship with a student. Child abuse? That depends. As you know, Steiner schools are not eager to send children. Asap to the first year Which has the result that there may be students sitting in the last few years that already 18 years old. You can hardly speak of child abuse if such a student enters into a relationship with a teacher. Is it ethically justified? Probably not. But what do you do when you are head over heels in love? What do you do when school when that happens (and as is well known: such a thing happens only at Waldorf schools)? Teacher immediately dismiss? To the police as some parents demand? All of them are not easy. I mean: Each case must be considered separately.

He even joined by another steiner adept. Disciple, 06/05/2010 19:24  You're quite easy to confuse the user. People over 18 years are not children, and you can not therefore speak of child abuse, period. speak of everything that you want, but not from child abuse.On April 21 Lieven Debrouwere had indeed yet also said this : Also the "misuse and abuse" of children in Steiner schools is inflated grotesquely. I have in the 30 years that I have two very close steiner schools have experienced, heard of exactly one case of what you 'sexual abuse' might call. So that's one case that he himself knows. Someone else has yet another case. Tell former students about their experiences. Teachers are put for a while inactive. And so that is piling up. If you add all that and on that message, are you exaggerating? Strange.

From the comments:

steiner school haarlem  22/05/2010
at disciple:

I am a former student of Rudolf Steiner school haarlem, I've counted four incidents experienced in my time at this school ... one teacher later married the pupil, and the other three teachers have left the school.

Where did they go, I wonder? 

I've been with a girl in the class who is deflowered by a horticulture teacher .. which it persisted at the time said doubted whether they really wanted it .. it lijtk me more than clear that not all the teacher pupil ratio such as to be heard.

01/06/2010
Students steinerschool celebrate 18th anniversary class.

In the background are a lot of minors to see. And a parent. I have some parents of students facing the school concerned with this picture, and they responded by saying that the lady in question just dancing. (Well, stripping is dancing, but not just )
My youngest son (. 11y) was once on this site reading and immediately said, "Is that woman stripping in the school where we have been?"
"Yes, boy. But people call it as it is not stripping, but dance. "
To which he "Ho dude, who are no good."

I have the impression that it is something with which relationships between teachers and pupils. That the outside world sees it differently than the inner world.

Ramon DJV
28/09/2010
Anthroposophists indicate sexual abuse increasing.
http://antroposofieindepers.blogspot.com/2010/09/weten-of-non-weten.html

Translate and read the link above for admissions of sex abuse by the Christian Community Church.

Anonymous  22/11/2011

I know this story of free school haarlem and can confirm this message (first hand). Also, I have very bad experiences with the free school haarlem. It is a sectarian school which are swept., Just like in a sect such cases under the carpet There is for example in their statutes that they are based on the individual child, nothing is less true if you as a child is not within their ideal is you become seen as an apostate and handled accordingly.

I encourage all parents to never put their child in this school especially on the so-called. superstructure.

Ramon DJV
23/11/2011

Dag Anonymus,
Thanks for your comment. You perhaps know whether at the time was registered against the relevant teachers? Because I have received a few reports regarding some Waldorf school teachers which is known they establish relationships with students via private mail and that the police was passed. Perhaps these are the same teachers as those who you have known? You can let me know by Steiner schools (at) gmail.com
That "based on the individual" in the statute is obviously a paper measure.Something always pulls x number of parents who think it is really so. You have well noted that the real issue whether a child meets the anthroposophical development into it. Does that little or not you get the most bizarre situations (some children are not even considered human or devils).
Groet,Ramon

Harassment23/11/2011

Beste ramon
As far as I know, there is no declaration made the girl in question now has a normal life (such as it is) and want the whole story does not go rake. To protect this girl, I will not publish the name of this teacher.

I'll call all (future) parents to never free school haarlem to put their child.

Hell is other people 02/02/2012
Three relationships between underage students and teachers, I can attest as a former student of the Rudolf Steiner School in Haarlem, (a fourth is not known to me). This played around the 90's affected girls 16-18 years old, and teachers who were (in my memory) around 30. In one case, it resulted in a pregnancy.

To what extent there was involuntary, I can not judge. That is up to the individuals themselves. However, I believe that such relationships, even with mutual consent, a safe and pleasant school environment in the way and unhealthy for the development of adolescents. And three cases in a period of about five years is a relatively high frequency, especially on a relatively small school.

Were I to undesirable behavior, then a victim, I do not think I had reported it. The culture within the school I experienced so that students and parents who are critically drafted, could count on. Exclusion

I think that a nuance is in place here. Cross-border manners are not just reserved for free schools. Also, we are now 20 years on and I hope the school who has long seized to implement better policies. Chance A culture and school climate can change so much in so many years. 

I will not put my children in a free school because I have taken away from anthroposophy as food and education vision. following my own experiences On that basis, I would advise against parents. But I would not dare to say that the situation at the time was similar to the current conditions at this school or representative of private schools in general. Because I do not know.

anonymous04/02/2012

When it comes to numbers of abused children anthroposophic Zonnehuizen also occupies a prominent place. Some abuse cases have reached the court here. http://www.rhcvechtenvenen.nl/Utrechts-Nieuwsblad_1996
A multitude of abused children in the same case did not. Chancehttp://www.rhcvechtenvenen.nl/Utrechts-Nieuwsblad_1998

The abused children were part of a special vulnerable group, often placed out of home. The majority of abused children did not have access to a safe and secure home, where they could. Supervised from a justice and fair care Making this vulnerable group of children could be an easy prey, and the probability of detection for offenders and other knowers nil.http://www.rtvutrecht.nl/nieuws/231481

That the government her hands full of Zonnehuizen deducted, has besides the financial ones that prevent reason. It seems that they have taken into consideration here. "Separate abuse culture 'within anthroposophic institutions

Related links:
http://thewaldorfreview.blogspot.com/2012/09/the-indoctrination-of-students-to.html
http://thewaldorfreview.blogspot.com/2014/07/green-meadow-waldorf-school-sex.html
http://thewaldorfreview.blogspot.com/2014/08/waldorf-schools-how-well-do-you-know.html
http://thewaldorfreview.blogspot.com/2014/07/green-meadow-waldorf-school-sex-scandal.html