Cultic Studies Review, Vol. 2, No. 2, 2003, Page 117
In learning to understand a child, it is important to consider—in
addition to hereditary factors, which include race, ethnic background,
and the biological strands supplied by father and mother—what the
soul has brought with it out of supersensible realms. If we deepen this
line of thought, we shall take into account not only the prenatal
―gesture,‖ but also the spiritual origins as they manifested themselves
in previous incarnations. In other words, just as we have applied
certain questions regarding our own spiritual origins, we should
without jumping to quick conclusions also consider to which spiritual
streams our students belonged. (Querido, 1995, p. 85)
When I asked teachers at my son‘s school about the racism that I found in books we sold at
the school, their answer was that ―some of Steiner is difficult.‖ Anthroposophists think that
they can‘t be racists since they don‘t hate anybody. They don‘t realize that teaching racial
stereotypes, and believing that different races have different ―tasks‖ in human evolution,
and ought to die out when those supposed tasks are done, is also racism.
Steiner taught that Africans represent a child-like stage of evolution. Consequently, Waldorf
teachers may treat African-American children and teachers as though they have different
potential than those of European ethnicity. One such incident is documented in a Waldorf
supporter‘s article about racism in Waldorf:
A white mother of a successful biracial (African American and white) child
loved her son‘s Waldorf school but had to work constantly against teachers
who would tell her of the evolutionary limits of Black children. (McDermott,
1996, p. 4)
An African-American Waldorf teacher who was the first black teacher hired by the New York
Steiner School (in 75 years!) is suing them for racial discrimination. The legal complaint is
available at: http://www.waldorfcritics.org/active/articles/charmainecomp.pdf.
Cult-Like Characteristics of Anthroposophy
I describe Anthroposophy as a ―cult-like religious sect.‖ In the U.S., the Waldorf teachers
are the majority of the devotees. The major recruiting effort is towards the parents.
Characteristics that make it cult-like include:
Clinging to rejected knowledge (weird science)
Teachers must commit to Anthroposophy for advancement to full status
Secrecy: some core doctrinal material is not published, but only delivered orally.
Revelation of ―difficult‖ doctrine like the racial theory of history, and the role of
Lucifer, is guarded.
Exclusivity: only anthroposophic knowledge of man leads to right education
Closed system: almost all publications are from the group‘s own presses and
periodicals
Jargon redefines common language so public statements can be deceptive without
being ―lies‖, e.g. ―child development.‖
Separation: ―us vs. them‖ frequent put-downs of the outside world as being
―materialistic,‖ and public schools as being ―damaging.‖
Criticism is suppressed: No critical dialogue means elaboration, but no development,
of theory. All writers refer back to Steiner.
In learning to understand a child, it is important to consider—in
addition to hereditary factors, which include race, ethnic background,
and the biological strands supplied by father and mother—what the
soul has brought with it out of supersensible realms. If we deepen this
line of thought, we shall take into account not only the prenatal
―gesture,‖ but also the spiritual origins as they manifested themselves
in previous incarnations. In other words, just as we have applied
certain questions regarding our own spiritual origins, we should
without jumping to quick conclusions also consider to which spiritual
streams our students belonged. (Querido, 1995, p. 85)
When I asked teachers at my son‘s school about the racism that I found in books we sold at
the school, their answer was that ―some of Steiner is difficult.‖ Anthroposophists think that
they can‘t be racists since they don‘t hate anybody. They don‘t realize that teaching racial
stereotypes, and believing that different races have different ―tasks‖ in human evolution,
and ought to die out when those supposed tasks are done, is also racism.
Steiner taught that Africans represent a child-like stage of evolution. Consequently, Waldorf
teachers may treat African-American children and teachers as though they have different
potential than those of European ethnicity. One such incident is documented in a Waldorf
supporter‘s article about racism in Waldorf:
A white mother of a successful biracial (African American and white) child
loved her son‘s Waldorf school but had to work constantly against teachers
who would tell her of the evolutionary limits of Black children. (McDermott,
1996, p. 4)
An African-American Waldorf teacher who was the first black teacher hired by the New York
Steiner School (in 75 years!) is suing them for racial discrimination. The legal complaint is
available at: http://www.waldorfcritics.org/active/articles/charmainecomp.pdf.
Cult-Like Characteristics of Anthroposophy
I describe Anthroposophy as a ―cult-like religious sect.‖ In the U.S., the Waldorf teachers
are the majority of the devotees. The major recruiting effort is towards the parents.
Characteristics that make it cult-like include:
Clinging to rejected knowledge (weird science)
Teachers must commit to Anthroposophy for advancement to full status
Secrecy: some core doctrinal material is not published, but only delivered orally.
Revelation of ―difficult‖ doctrine like the racial theory of history, and the role of
Lucifer, is guarded.
Exclusivity: only anthroposophic knowledge of man leads to right education
Closed system: almost all publications are from the group‘s own presses and
periodicals
Jargon redefines common language so public statements can be deceptive without
being ―lies‖, e.g. ―child development.‖
Separation: ―us vs. them‖ frequent put-downs of the outside world as being
―materialistic,‖ and public schools as being ―damaging.‖
Criticism is suppressed: No critical dialogue means elaboration, but no development,
of theory. All writers refer back to Steiner.
