This classroom picture is an adaptation.
Rudolf Steiner's Waldorf School Movement was intended to develop the child's free spirit. Some Waldorf schools are now moving in a different direction --social justice. On the surface, social justice attitudes seem like positive values to promote, for who wants to see people oppressed? But is such an approach too one-sided for a classroom, particularly one filled with children in their formative years? Will children have a narrow view of life and history if they are taught to view themselves and everything else around them as victims of oppression? The oppressor / oppressed standpoint is Marxist ideology which is the basis of todays social justice movement popularized by the media.
Is The Association of Waldorf Schools of North America (AWSNA) Promoting Socialism?
The Neo-Marxist Social Justice Movement has infiltrated the WALDORF SCHOOLS with its emphasis on group identity according to race and gender in opposition to Steiner's vision of free individuality. "The Association of Waldorf Schools of North America (AWSNA) annual summer conference was on looking at Waldorf education through the lens of social justice." Communist / Socialist ideology of equal distribution was advocated at the AWSNA Conference: "social, monetary and land resources and rights need to be shared equitably." Read more about conference Download PDF
"social, monetary and land resources and rights need to be shared equitably." AWSNA Conference
Learn about the Social Justice Movement's threat to human freedom here.
Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School New Social Justice School Director
Has the Great Barrington Rudolf Steiner School made a dramatic move away from Steiner education and toward becoming a Social Justice school? Dr. Sue Das (new school director) seems highly experienced in social justice but lacking in knowledge of Waldorf education: Read more about Dr. Das.
"Dr. Das brings to her position at the Steiner School a deep commitment to equity and social justice in teaching and learning." Steiner School announcement
Emerson Waldorf School Diversity Committee
Many Waldorf schools are forming Diversity Committees to implement and monitor politically correct behavior according to Social Justice ideology in the schools. The Emerson Waldorf School encourages informants to come forward to report students, teachers, staff or even family members for offensive behavior they consider to be racist. As we have seen it is almost impossible to defend yourself against an accusation of being a racist. Read more about the Emerson Waldorf Diversity Committee
"If any member of the community – students, teachers, staff, family members – observes or feels threatened by racist behavior, please contact a member of the Diversity Committee." Emerson Waldorf Diversity Committee
Social Justice Curriculum For Waldorf Schools
How much of the Waldorf Curriculum Will Be Replaced By A Social Justice Curriculum? Moving a Waldorf/Steiner school toward Social Justice will necessarily change the curriculum. Here is a Sample Social Justice Lesson PDF from a Social Justice curriculum suggested by Waldorf inspired Oak Meadow. The Waldorf curriculum was founded on Rudolf Steiner's principles for developing free individualities. The Social Justice curriculum is founded on the ideology of postmodern neo-marxism, commonly known as political correctness, which emphasizes collective group identity according to race, gender and sexuality. A Social Justice curriculum will teach your child about the bias and injustice in the world, help them discover their group identity, learn about the injustice of capitalism, how they are oppressed by the privileged, and how they identify on the gender spectrum.
Dr. Torin Finser's new vision for Social Justice Waldorf Schools
According to Waldorf education expert Dr. Torin Finser of Antioch University New England, Waldorf Schools need to "connect with the current issues dividing our society: political polarization, racism, income inequality, immigration, nationalism, and religious fundamentalism." By focusing on these problems in the grade schools he says it can transform the local community. It sounds like Dr. Finser would like to turn the grade school children into political activists by introducing them to how terrible the world really is. Read more
Green Meadow Waldorf School -"broad commitment to social justice"
The goals of the school's "Diversity and Inclusion Committee" include increasing enrollment by giving special preference to underrepresented groups and an affirmative action hiring practice to diversify faculty and staff. They are in the process of training the entire faculty and staff to overcome their assumed prejudice in the "Undoing Racism" framework. These methods of reverse racism often are a divisive influence in the school community when qualified students and job applicants may be rejected because of the color of their skin. Studies show that there is more diversity within a group then there is between groups. Read more
