Cultic Studies Review, Vol. 2, No. 2, 2003, Page 156
me that something was very wrong (―Heather‖, private fax to Dan Dugan,
May 8, 1996).
Recently, Waldorf parent Nicole Foss reflected:
If Anthroposophy were only a church, our paths would never cross, but Anthroposophy does
not restrict itself to its circle of True Believers. Instead it sets up schools where these
disguised beliefs are foisted upon unsuspecting parents whose opinions can be disregarded
because they don‘t ―know the path.‖ These parents are expected to follow unknowingly the
requirements of a religion which denies to them that it even exists, and may be criticized in
their ignorance for anthroposophical incorrectness. No wonder so many parents initially feel
bewildered and later angry for having been deceived (Foss, 2003, March, 16.‖Percedol,‖
http://www.waldorfcritics.org/active/archives/WCA0212.html ).
An ex-Waldorf teacher who has recently filed suit against the New York Waldorf School for
racial discrimination, Charmaigne Usher-Paulson, expresses her feelings of loss on a private
Internet forum of ex-Waldorfers:
I realized today, that we all are in mourning. We mourn the loss of what
could, should have been. The sorrow, anguish, and anger that are laced
within our words demonstrate the sincerity of our aspirations for true
community and our reaction to deception.
I believe that we will utilize our strength, integrity, vision and hope towards
true renewal. The Waldorf movement does not ―own‖ beauty, art, songs, and
the idea of reverence for the earth. These ideals belong to us all and we will
impart these principles to our own family and community. Furthermore, we
will impart these things to others in a way the Waldorf movement could never
do. We will impart these things with love. That is the thing that is missing
from them, love (Usher-Paulson, 2002, October, 20. ―Hello from Charmaine,‖
waldorf-survivors-only@yahoogroups.com private communication).
You cannot love people if you are duping them. Ms. Paulson also writes: ―When you are
involved in the movement you are either ‗in‘ or ‗out‘. If you do not espouse and adhere to
the group, then you are ‗out‘‖ (2002, October, 21. ―Lawsuits…‖ private communication).
After beginning my study of Anthroposophy, while emerging from Waldorf, I was cast into a
state of grappling with metaphysical concepts like never before. I endured nightmares
prompted by the realization that I had been duped and from reading Steiner‘s bizarre
subtext. I agonized to discern ―what is real or unreal,‖ while at the same time facing my
daughter‘s illness. It was a period of much sadness, confusion, and anger. Discovering
Waldorf‘s subtext forced me to confront my own reality and reaffirm my own perspective on
life. Knowledge of Anthroposophy enabled me to put Waldorf into context and to recognize
its omnipresence in my daughter‘s lesson books. By reading Steiner, I gained an
understanding of our experiences as well as the words with which to speak about them. I
came to know that as an infidel, Anthroposophy is incompatible with my perception of
reality, and, as an artist, it conflicts with my vision of art. Steiner‘s racist doctrine coincides
with my experience of Apartheid—the reason I left my native South Africa. I went on to
take a couple of classes on cults and new religious movements at the University of Miami
and have become fascinated with alternate realities and cultic studies. I now have a much
better grasp of beliefs, believers, groups, leaders, followers and my own personal
worldview. Ironically, I had sent my daughter to Waldorf to get an education, when
ultimately, it was I who got the education.
Steiner told his followers that an ―occultist will never dream of imposing dogmas,‖ instead:
me that something was very wrong (―Heather‖, private fax to Dan Dugan,
May 8, 1996).
Recently, Waldorf parent Nicole Foss reflected:
If Anthroposophy were only a church, our paths would never cross, but Anthroposophy does
not restrict itself to its circle of True Believers. Instead it sets up schools where these
disguised beliefs are foisted upon unsuspecting parents whose opinions can be disregarded
because they don‘t ―know the path.‖ These parents are expected to follow unknowingly the
requirements of a religion which denies to them that it even exists, and may be criticized in
their ignorance for anthroposophical incorrectness. No wonder so many parents initially feel
bewildered and later angry for having been deceived (Foss, 2003, March, 16.‖Percedol,‖
http://www.waldorfcritics.org/active/archives/WCA0212.html ).
An ex-Waldorf teacher who has recently filed suit against the New York Waldorf School for
racial discrimination, Charmaigne Usher-Paulson, expresses her feelings of loss on a private
Internet forum of ex-Waldorfers:
I realized today, that we all are in mourning. We mourn the loss of what
could, should have been. The sorrow, anguish, and anger that are laced
within our words demonstrate the sincerity of our aspirations for true
community and our reaction to deception.
I believe that we will utilize our strength, integrity, vision and hope towards
true renewal. The Waldorf movement does not ―own‖ beauty, art, songs, and
the idea of reverence for the earth. These ideals belong to us all and we will
impart these principles to our own family and community. Furthermore, we
will impart these things to others in a way the Waldorf movement could never
do. We will impart these things with love. That is the thing that is missing
from them, love (Usher-Paulson, 2002, October, 20. ―Hello from Charmaine,‖
waldorf-survivors-only@yahoogroups.com private communication).
You cannot love people if you are duping them. Ms. Paulson also writes: ―When you are
involved in the movement you are either ‗in‘ or ‗out‘. If you do not espouse and adhere to
the group, then you are ‗out‘‖ (2002, October, 21. ―Lawsuits…‖ private communication).
After beginning my study of Anthroposophy, while emerging from Waldorf, I was cast into a
state of grappling with metaphysical concepts like never before. I endured nightmares
prompted by the realization that I had been duped and from reading Steiner‘s bizarre
subtext. I agonized to discern ―what is real or unreal,‖ while at the same time facing my
daughter‘s illness. It was a period of much sadness, confusion, and anger. Discovering
Waldorf‘s subtext forced me to confront my own reality and reaffirm my own perspective on
life. Knowledge of Anthroposophy enabled me to put Waldorf into context and to recognize
its omnipresence in my daughter‘s lesson books. By reading Steiner, I gained an
understanding of our experiences as well as the words with which to speak about them. I
came to know that as an infidel, Anthroposophy is incompatible with my perception of
reality, and, as an artist, it conflicts with my vision of art. Steiner‘s racist doctrine coincides
with my experience of Apartheid—the reason I left my native South Africa. I went on to
take a couple of classes on cults and new religious movements at the University of Miami
and have become fascinated with alternate realities and cultic studies. I now have a much
better grasp of beliefs, believers, groups, leaders, followers and my own personal
worldview. Ironically, I had sent my daughter to Waldorf to get an education, when
ultimately, it was I who got the education.
Steiner told his followers that an ―occultist will never dream of imposing dogmas,‖ instead:
