“Our highest endeavor must be to develop free human beings
who are able, of themselves, to impart purpose and direction to their lives.”
— Rudolf Steiner
WALDORF WATCH
Welcome.
This Web site deals with
◊ Waldorf schools, also known as Steiner schools;
◊ Rudolf Steiner, the mystic who established the first of these schools; and
◊ Anthroposophy, the bizarre religion concocted by Steiner.
My name is Roger Rawlings.
I attended a Waldorf school from second grade through high school.
My mother was secretary to the headmaster at that Waldorf.
Because I was in the school for so long, and because I occasionally questioned the headmaster,
I gained some insights into the school's secret, occult agenda.
More to the point, as an adult I have studied approximately one zillion books,
booklets, and essays about Steiner's doctrines and about Waldorf education.
(It feels like a zillion, anyway.)
Some of these materials were written by my old headmaster,
but the great majority were either written by Steiner himself
or they contain transcripts of lectures, meetings, and private conversations
conducted by Steiner.
My objective is to share the fruits of my research with anyone interested in understanding
the educational program Steiner laid out.
Many Waldorf schools proudly display the quotation you see at the top of this page. It certainly sounds good. And perhaps Rudolf Steiner meant it. And undoubtedly many Waldorf school teachers and administrators take it seriously.
But what does it really mean, in the context of Waldorf education? Explaining fully will take some time — in a sense, the rest of this Web site is devoted to providing a highly detailed explanation.
But for now, for starters, here is a glimpse:
The worldview underlying Waldorf schools is an occult religion that involves doctrines of evolution and reincarnation. Human beings move upward as they gain “knowledge of higher worlds” by developing clairvoyance. Preparation for clairvoyance involves such things as heightened imagination and dream consciousness.
Waldorf schools aim to spread the religion. To this end, Waldorf school teachers serve as missionaries or priests.
Returning to the quotation, above: There is only one correct “purpose and direction” in life: It is the evolutionary path laid out by Steiner. Children are encouraged to move toward this path as “free human beings.” According to Steiner, all real human beings are free — Waldorf schools don't make us free; freedom is our birthright (although things are different for people who are not really human). True freedom means willingly submitting to the intention of the many gods who stand over mankind, Steiner taught. In practice, this means we should all accept Steiner’s religious teachings.
That’s it, in brief. I know it sounds bizarre, but truly, that’s it. (As for the bit about people who aren't human, you should know that for every Steiner quotation that sounds sort of attractive, there are others that are the reverse. Here's one: Telling Waldorf teachers to conceal many of his doctrines, Steiner said, "Imagine what people would say if they heard that we say there are people who are not human beings.")
Don’t take my word about Waldorf schools. Focus on the quotations I provide throughout this Web site — the words spoken by Rudolf Steiner and his followers. Read as much of this material as you wish, then draw your own conclusions.
In addition to Rudolf Steiner, Anthroposophists quoted on this site include Clopper Almon, Christopher Bamford, Hermann von Baravalle, John Fentress Gardner, and Franz E. Winkler, among others. I wrote most of the essays here, trying to explain Anthroposophical thinking and Waldorf pedagogy. Other authors represented on the site include Dan Dugan, Pete Karaiskos, Ian Robinson, Margaret Sachs, Debra Snell, Peter Staudenmaier, and Diana Winters.
I feel that I should apologize for writing so much about Steiner and his works. But please remember that I am trying to cover the output of a man who published many books and delivered almost innumerable lectures on a vast array of subjects.
Because of the enormity of the task, I have probably made some minor errors here or there. But I am confident that almost everything you will find here is both true and accurate. (And if, when reviewing my work, I find any errors — large or small — I will correct them immediately.)
◊◊◊◊
By far the longest and most comprehensive essay on this site is "Unenlightened" —
far too long for many people's taste.
So, I have included two briefer versions.
"The Waldorf Scandal" is extremely brief, while
"I Went to Waldorf" falls somewhere in the middle.
All three report the strange doings at the Waldorf school
I attended. Choose whichever version suits you.
The other essays on this site branch out in multiple directions,
examining all manner of issues related to Waldorf schools.
For a guide to them, see the Table of Contents.
The site also includes an alphabetized Index.
Happy browsing.
◊◊◊◊
Quite understandably, my criticisms of Rudolf Steiner, Anthroposophy, and Waldorf education are upsetting to some people. Various attacks have been aimed at me as a result. They are unimportant. The occasional true statements made about me in such attacks are unimportant; the many false statements made about me are equally unimportant. I am unimportant.
All that matters is the truth of the essays you will find here at Waldorf Watch. I have done my level best to write the absolute truth throughout this Web site. Check me. I have documented all of my essays thoroughly, so you can easily see what sources of information I have used. Read my words, read the words of others — especially Rudolf Steiner, whom I quote extensively — and determine the truth for yourself.
- Roger Rawlings
credit
The wet-on-wet painting, above
— typical of Waldorf school art —
is from the PLANS Web site
[http://waldorfcritics.org/index.html]
