Cultic Studies Review, Vol. 2, No. 2, 2003, Page 112
Druids worshipping the sun. This celebration ended what was for this public
school teacher a very special month. (Peterson, 1995, p. 22)
Concealing Anthroposophy: Cult Science
Beyond the explicit content of prayers and rituals, Anthroposophy is present implicitly in
many Waldorf lessons. ―[I]n the great tableau of the main lessons from Class 1 to 12, you
teach the child/student in clear, separate terms, about all possible spiritual matters. The
curriculum is indeed, in a veiled way of course, Anthroposophy‖ (Whitehead, 1993, p. 27).
Anthroposophical influence is most obvious in Waldorf science teaching, which ranges from
odd to bizarre. My son David was taught, in seventh-grade physics at the San Francisco
Waldorf School, that Newton was wrong, and Goethe was right about color. The following
example is from the lesson book of a high school senior in the flagship school associated
with the West Coast teachers college:
Newton continued to elaborate on his Theory of Colors. He determined that
specific colors came about because all the other colors were absorbed. For
example, a blue shirt, is determined as blue because the shirt has absorbed
every other color, and has emitted (reflected) only that blue. Though his
theory has been proven incorrect, it is essential to learn about many of
Newton‘s theories in order for us to better understand the scientific frame of
mind. ...Just one of the many aspects of Newtonian physics that we have
adopted is Newton‘s Particular (particles) Theory of Light. (Charren, 1988,
npn.)
This is totally backwards, yet there are no corrections by the teacher. Newton‘s theory of
why a blue shirt appears blue has not been proven incorrect it is as valid today as it ever
was. Newton‘s theory of light particles was rejected by later science, and it didn‘t have any
influence on the development of today‘s quantum theory. It is quite incorrect to say that it
―has been adopted.‖
Another place that Waldorf science differs radically from the rest of the world is in
physiology. Anthroposophy has its own physiology. Steiner taught that the heart does not
pump blood, blood moves itself. ―Naturally, people began to think that the heart is really a
pump that mechanically pumps the blood through the body, because they no longer knew
that our inner fluids have their own life and therefore move on their own. They never
dreamed that the heart is only a sense organ that checks on the circulation of the fluids in
its own way.‖ (Steiner, 1985, p. 112) The author, along with another PLANS board member,
had the bizarre experience of hearing public school teachers defend this doctrine to the Twin
Ridges school board in Nevada County, California. They sincerely believed what their
Waldorf mentors had told them, namely, that this was cutting-edge science and the subject
of current university research. To prevent parent revolts, this doctrine is usually skirted in
Waldorf classes. The lesson block on circulation will be taught in an ambiguous way without
mentioning the pumping function of the heart.
The following is from a seventh or eighth grade lesson book that was proudly put on display
at the San Francisco Waldorf School.
Name: Laurel
Organic Chemistry Test
[Teacher‘s note] Excellent comprehension of the material, Laurel
I. Short Answer
1. Describe the nature of sugar in relationship to the four elements of
nature. Use examples from our experiments to illustrate.
Druids worshipping the sun. This celebration ended what was for this public
school teacher a very special month. (Peterson, 1995, p. 22)
Concealing Anthroposophy: Cult Science
Beyond the explicit content of prayers and rituals, Anthroposophy is present implicitly in
many Waldorf lessons. ―[I]n the great tableau of the main lessons from Class 1 to 12, you
teach the child/student in clear, separate terms, about all possible spiritual matters. The
curriculum is indeed, in a veiled way of course, Anthroposophy‖ (Whitehead, 1993, p. 27).
Anthroposophical influence is most obvious in Waldorf science teaching, which ranges from
odd to bizarre. My son David was taught, in seventh-grade physics at the San Francisco
Waldorf School, that Newton was wrong, and Goethe was right about color. The following
example is from the lesson book of a high school senior in the flagship school associated
with the West Coast teachers college:
Newton continued to elaborate on his Theory of Colors. He determined that
specific colors came about because all the other colors were absorbed. For
example, a blue shirt, is determined as blue because the shirt has absorbed
every other color, and has emitted (reflected) only that blue. Though his
theory has been proven incorrect, it is essential to learn about many of
Newton‘s theories in order for us to better understand the scientific frame of
mind. ...Just one of the many aspects of Newtonian physics that we have
adopted is Newton‘s Particular (particles) Theory of Light. (Charren, 1988,
npn.)
This is totally backwards, yet there are no corrections by the teacher. Newton‘s theory of
why a blue shirt appears blue has not been proven incorrect it is as valid today as it ever
was. Newton‘s theory of light particles was rejected by later science, and it didn‘t have any
influence on the development of today‘s quantum theory. It is quite incorrect to say that it
―has been adopted.‖
Another place that Waldorf science differs radically from the rest of the world is in
physiology. Anthroposophy has its own physiology. Steiner taught that the heart does not
pump blood, blood moves itself. ―Naturally, people began to think that the heart is really a
pump that mechanically pumps the blood through the body, because they no longer knew
that our inner fluids have their own life and therefore move on their own. They never
dreamed that the heart is only a sense organ that checks on the circulation of the fluids in
its own way.‖ (Steiner, 1985, p. 112) The author, along with another PLANS board member,
had the bizarre experience of hearing public school teachers defend this doctrine to the Twin
Ridges school board in Nevada County, California. They sincerely believed what their
Waldorf mentors had told them, namely, that this was cutting-edge science and the subject
of current university research. To prevent parent revolts, this doctrine is usually skirted in
Waldorf classes. The lesson block on circulation will be taught in an ambiguous way without
mentioning the pumping function of the heart.
The following is from a seventh or eighth grade lesson book that was proudly put on display
at the San Francisco Waldorf School.
Name: Laurel
Organic Chemistry Test
[Teacher‘s note] Excellent comprehension of the material, Laurel
I. Short Answer
1. Describe the nature of sugar in relationship to the four elements of
nature. Use examples from our experiments to illustrate.
