Cultic Studies Review, Vol. 2, No. 2, 2003, Page 155
sun, silver with the moon, copper with Venus, lead with Saturn, iron with Mars, tin with
Jupiter and quicksilver with Mercury.‖ This ―thinking was magical: macrocosmic astrological
influences were all important‖ (Ahern, 1984, p. 149).
Interestingly, even before discovering other esoterically informed Waldorf critics on the
Internet and delving into Steiner‘s doctrine, we were able to pin point our negative
experiences in a letter. About three months after leaving Waldorf the development officer
asked us to engage in an exit interview. I told my husband that I would never sit before
that faculty again but agreed to answer their questions in letter form. Why had we removed
our daughter from Waldorf? This is what we wrote:
February 17, 1999
We feel that a clearer distinction should be made to prospective parents on
the sectarian nature of Pleasant Ridge Waldorf School. It would be helpful if
the institution were more responsible in clarifying the ―mystic Christian‖
character of the school. Had we known that the curriculum and operation of
the school were based exclusively on Rudolf Steiner‘s insight, clairvoyance,
aesthetics, eurocentricity, and religious beliefs (as interpreted by his
disciples) Pleasant Ridge Waldorf School would not have been our choice for
X.
The lack of enthusiasm and inspiration that X demonstrated during her years
at Pleasant Ridge always concerned us. She felt unchallenged during her
school day and expressed it often. Her attitude and frustration played a role
in our decision to take X out of Pleasant Ridge Waldorf School. She is doing
very well at Westby Elementary School. Her demeanor has improved, and she
never cries before or after school, as she used to, but rather looks forward to
her day.
Lack of teacher control in X‘s classroom at Pleasant Ridge Waldorf School was
also troublesome to us. We believe this problem took away much of her
potential in her education at Pleasant Ridge.
Our communications with the faculty and staff in coming to this decision were
as complete as we needed them to be.
Thank you for the opportunity to express our views in our departure.
Yours sincerely,
Sharon Lombard and XX.
Conclusion
Leaving Waldorf was a very difficult time for my family. Our world was turned upside down
and inside out. Although some people have positive experiences with the schools, others
have troubling encounters with the movement. Years ago an ex-Waldorfer observed:
I think most parents get ―attached‖ to their kids being in the Waldorf schools
and they just want to look the other way when something uncomfortable
comes up. Or, they view the teaching as somehow -superior- because it is not
of this ―materialistic‖ world we live in. Especially when a parent starts their
child in the younger grades. By the time the child is in the school for a
number of years, the school has become -so- much a part of their -identity-
that they cannot face the possibility of letting go. It‘s very subtle but one
begins to feel it is more and more difficult to relate to others outside the
Waldorf circle. Eventually I felt I was living on some sort of ―Anthroposophical
island.‖ This alienation, coupled with my troubling questions finally convinced
sun, silver with the moon, copper with Venus, lead with Saturn, iron with Mars, tin with
Jupiter and quicksilver with Mercury.‖ This ―thinking was magical: macrocosmic astrological
influences were all important‖ (Ahern, 1984, p. 149).
Interestingly, even before discovering other esoterically informed Waldorf critics on the
Internet and delving into Steiner‘s doctrine, we were able to pin point our negative
experiences in a letter. About three months after leaving Waldorf the development officer
asked us to engage in an exit interview. I told my husband that I would never sit before
that faculty again but agreed to answer their questions in letter form. Why had we removed
our daughter from Waldorf? This is what we wrote:
February 17, 1999
We feel that a clearer distinction should be made to prospective parents on
the sectarian nature of Pleasant Ridge Waldorf School. It would be helpful if
the institution were more responsible in clarifying the ―mystic Christian‖
character of the school. Had we known that the curriculum and operation of
the school were based exclusively on Rudolf Steiner‘s insight, clairvoyance,
aesthetics, eurocentricity, and religious beliefs (as interpreted by his
disciples) Pleasant Ridge Waldorf School would not have been our choice for
X.
The lack of enthusiasm and inspiration that X demonstrated during her years
at Pleasant Ridge always concerned us. She felt unchallenged during her
school day and expressed it often. Her attitude and frustration played a role
in our decision to take X out of Pleasant Ridge Waldorf School. She is doing
very well at Westby Elementary School. Her demeanor has improved, and she
never cries before or after school, as she used to, but rather looks forward to
her day.
Lack of teacher control in X‘s classroom at Pleasant Ridge Waldorf School was
also troublesome to us. We believe this problem took away much of her
potential in her education at Pleasant Ridge.
Our communications with the faculty and staff in coming to this decision were
as complete as we needed them to be.
Thank you for the opportunity to express our views in our departure.
Yours sincerely,
Sharon Lombard and XX.
Conclusion
Leaving Waldorf was a very difficult time for my family. Our world was turned upside down
and inside out. Although some people have positive experiences with the schools, others
have troubling encounters with the movement. Years ago an ex-Waldorfer observed:
I think most parents get ―attached‖ to their kids being in the Waldorf schools
and they just want to look the other way when something uncomfortable
comes up. Or, they view the teaching as somehow -superior- because it is not
of this ―materialistic‖ world we live in. Especially when a parent starts their
child in the younger grades. By the time the child is in the school for a
number of years, the school has become -so- much a part of their -identity-
that they cannot face the possibility of letting go. It‘s very subtle but one
begins to feel it is more and more difficult to relate to others outside the
Waldorf circle. Eventually I felt I was living on some sort of ―Anthroposophical
island.‖ This alienation, coupled with my troubling questions finally convinced
