Embedded Files
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WALDORF / STEINER
NEWS ARCHIVE
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October 1, 2019
to
October 15, 2019
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This site supplements Waldorf Watch.
To go to Waldorf Watch itself, please click here:
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The news items below are presented in reverse chronological order — newest first, oldest last.
Please excuse a certain amount of repetition in the contents of this archive. Items that now appear close together on the screen may have originally been separated by intervals of several days.
Many of the items in this archive generalize about Waldorf schools, describing them as Rudolf Steiner and leading Waldorf representatives have said they should be and as evidence shows they often are today. Not all Waldorf schools, Waldorf charter schools, and Waldorf-inspired schools conform to this model precisely. To evaluate an individual school, you should carefully examine its stated purposes, its practices (which may or may not be consistent with its stated purposes), and the composition of its faculty.
— Roger Rawlings
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.October 14, 2019
KEEPING UP WITH
WHAT THEY READ
The Anthroposophic Press provides reading matter of great interest to Rudolf Steiner's followers, including Waldorf teachers who are devoted to Steiner's preachments. The Press publishes books of its own, and it promotes books published by allied publishing houses. By taking note of the volumes promoted on the Anthroposophic Press website, we can gain valuable insights into the beliefs embraced by Anthroposophists and kindred spirits today.
Here are two books that will soon be available through the Anthroposophic Press, as described on the Press's website:
SATURN - MARY - SOPHIA
Star Wisdom, Volume 2
[By] Robert A. Powell , Julie Humphreys, Yvan Rioux, Kevin Dann, Phillip Malone, David Bowden, Richard Tarnas, Lucian Schloss and Claudia McLaren Lainson
Edited by Joel Park...
Lindisfarne Books [an imprint of the Anthroposophic Press]...
Available: November 2019
From the publisher:
SATURN-MARY-SOPHIA (2020) includes articles of interest on star wisdom (Astrosophy) [1], as well as a guide to the correspondences between stellar configurations during the life of Christ and those of today [2]. This guide comprises a complete sidereal ephemeris and aspectarian, geocentric and heliocentric, for each day throughout the year [3]...
The STAR WISDOM series is concerned with these heavenly correspondences during the life of Christ and is intended to help provide a foundation for cosmic Christianity, the cosmic dimension of Christianity [4]...
Readers can begin on this path by contemplating the movements of the Sun, Moon, and planets against the background of the zodiacal constellations (sidereal signs) [5] today in relation to corresponding stellar events during the life of Christ. In this way, the possibility is opened for attuning in a living way to the life of Christ, who is now — since the onset of his Second Coming in 1933 [6] — spiritually present in the etheric aura of the Earth...
According to the anonymous author of MEDITATIONS ON THE TAROT [7] the guiding being of the Saturn Sphere is none other than the Virgin Mary, who has manifested in history as both Isis and Sophia [8]. The year 2020 is very special for the planet Saturn.
The year begins with a conjunction of Saturn and Pluto in January and ends with a conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter (a “Great Conjunction) in December. This year’s contributions will highlight, from a variety of perspectives, the influence and guidance we can receive in a particularly potent way during 2020 — the year of Saturn and Isis–Mary–Sophia.
Finally, the monthly commentaries for the year are provided by Joel Matthew Park, supported by Julie Humphrey’s astronomical previews for each month. They offer us an opportunity to connect the spiritual with stellar configurations during 2020. This direct interaction of human beings on Earth with angels [9] — as well as other heavenly beings connected with the stars [10] — is intended to help the reader develop the capacity to receive the wisdom-filled teachings of the angelic hierarchies [11].
[https://steiner.presswarehouse.com/Books/BookDetail.aspx?productID=721941]
NATURE SPIRITS AND WHAT THEY SAY
Messages from Elemental and Nature Beings
[By] Verena Staël von Holstein
Translated by Brian Strevens and Wolfgang Weirauch ...
Clairview Books [an independent publisher]...
Available: January 2020
From the publisher:
“I can perceive spiritual beings in my surroundings.... I can communicate with higher spirit beings of either an elemental or non-elemental kind [12], when they are willing. I can perceive the human aura [13], as well as certain areas of the astral plane [14].... I can see the aura of plants and animals. I can speak with the guardian beings of plants and animals, inasmuch as they’re interested.” —Verena Staël von Holstein
Verena has learned to see and speak to elemental and nature beings [15]. What’s more, she is able to translate their language into human terminology and thought [16]. In this remarkable book, seventeen nature spirits are interviewed through her, almost as if these beings were sitting in front of us. Through the conversations we learn what spirits of fire, air, water and stone have to say — as well as hearing from beings of glass, silver, salt, paper, and even spirits of our dwellings and homes! They speak about their work with nature and their regrettable lack of contact with human beings [17]. They describe the secrets of the cosmos, and tell of humankind’s past and future. The nature beings have surprising views on the environment, on natural disasters, good and evil, love, and redemption. The interviews throw up [18] beautiful, but sometimes disturbing insights into our world.
Nature Spirits and What They Say offers an enchanting view of the world of elemental beings — but it also calls on us to recognize the seriousness of the situations they describe. As Verena explains, humans owe a huge amount to nature spirits, and we need to discover new ways of approaching them with full consciousness [19]. This valuable book gives us the means to do just that.
[https://steiner.presswarehouse.com/Books/BookDetail.aspx?productID=747024]
Waldorf Watch Footnotes
[1] Astrosophy (the word means "star wisdom") is essentially a refined form of astrology (this word mean "star study"). [See "Astrology" and "Astrosophy".]
[2] The "Star Wisdom" books are, in effect, astrological/astrosophical guides written for use by Rudolf Steiner's followers. The books compare the star formations calculated to have been present in the sky during Christ's life on Earth to the star formations visible in our sky today. This becomes the basis for the astrological/astrosophical guidance provided in the books. (The "Star Wisdom" books succeed the "Journals for Star Wisdom" published previously by Lindisfarne. Those books served the same purpose.)
[3] A "sidereal ephemeris" is a table specifying the position of a star in the sky at various regular intervals. An "aspectarian" is a chronological list of planetary positions relative to one another. A "geocentric" astrological chart, table, or list deals with celestial objects as seen from the Earth (as if the Earth were central); a "heliocentric" chart, table, or list deals with such objects as the would be seen from the Sun (as if the Sun were central).
[4] I.e., a form of Christianity melded to the study of the stars or cosmos. Anthroposophy bears some resemblance to biblical Christianity, but it also diverges from it widely. Thus, for instance, the "Christ" of Anthroposophy is the Sun God. [See "Sun God" and "Was He Christian?".]
[5] I.e., the constellations in the zodiac, especially as identified by astrological "signs": Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, and Pisces.
[6] Steiner taught that the Second Coming of Christ (which Christians still anticipate as a future event) has already occurred. [See "Second Coming" in The Brief Waldorf / Steiner Encyclopedia.]
[7] The Tarot is a pack of 78 cards used in fortune-telling. At least some Anthroposophists place faith in the Tarot and in the guide MEDITATIONS ON THE TAROT: A Journey into Christian Hermeticism. Apparently written in 1967 by an unknown author, this book was first published in 1980.
[8] Isis was the ancient Egyptian goddess of fertility. Sophia, as understood in Anthroposophy, is the goddess of wisdom — she is the divine aspect of divinity. In a sense, she is Anthroposophy itself — Anthropo-Sophia. [See "Goddess".]
[9] According to Anthroposophy, angels are gods one spiritual rank higher than human beings. Steiner said there are nine ranks of gods, with angels standing at the lowest divine level.
[10] These are gods standing at higher levels than angels; they generally dwell upon or around stars and constellations, Steiner indicated.
[11] The "angelic hierarchies" should more properly be called "divine hierarchies" — they are the nine ranks of gods, as described by Steiner. Anthroposophy is polytheistic. [See "Polytheism".]
[12] "Elemental beings" or "nature spirits" are, according to Rudolf Steiner, primarily the spirits that dwell within (and are the essence of) the four "elements" of the natural world: gnomes (the essence of earth), sylphs (the essence of air), fire spirits or "salamanders" (the essence of fire), and undines (the essence of water). There are also other, secondary types of elemental beings, Steiner taught. [See "Neutered Nature".]
Von Holstein diverges from Anthroposophical teachings when she indicates that elemental beings are "higher spirit beings." Elemental beings are actually lower than humans on the great chain of being, according to Anthroposophical belief. As described by Steiner, "higher spirit beings" are, generally speaking, gods (all of whom stand higher than humans).
[13] See "Auras".
[14] The "astral plane" is one potion of the spirit realm, according to Steiner: It is the "soul world," which is lower than the "spirit world." [See "Higher Worlds".]
[15] You should ask yourself whether you believe Ms. von Holstein. Why? Or why not? (If I walked up to you and said that I can see and speak with invisible beings, would you believe me? Why not?)
[16] This, at any rate, is her claim in this remarkable book.
[17] According to Steiner, humans used to have knowledge of, and contact with, elemental beings. The ancients, he said, were naturally clairvoyant. [See "atavistic clairvoyance" in The Brief Waldorf / Steiner Encyclopedia.] But, Steiner said, humans have generally lost the ability to see beyond mere physical reality, as we have become more and more densely (and blindly) materialistic.
[18] Sic.
[19] Although most people today have lost their clairvoyant powers, Steiner said, a few have retained them. And some — such as himself — have learned how to develop and deploy a higher, more precise form of clairvoyance. Steiner claimed he could teach his followers how to develop such "exact" clairvoyance, which enables users to accurately perceive elemental beings, gods, and the spirit realm generally. [See "Exactly" and "Knowing the Worlds".]
— R.R.
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.October 11, 2019
A WALDORF SCHOOL
SATISFIES INSPECTORS
Inspectors from the UK government's Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted) have found glaring weaknesses at a number of Steiner schools in England. [1] In some instances, the faulted schools have failed to improve following these inspections, and they received additional highly critical reviews after subsequent inspections. [2] But in other cases, concerted efforts by faculty and staff enabled criticized schools to improve. Such seems to be the case for a Waldorf-Steiner school in the city of Brighton.
The following is from The Argus [East Sussex, England]:
Brighton Waldorf School improves
after being found inadequate
By Laurie Churchman
A STEINER school criticised for its “uninspiring” teaching and pupils’ “poor behaviour” has now made the improvements inspectors required [3].
In a damning report earlier this year, Ofsted said those in charge of the Brighton Waldorf school [4] had an “overgenerous” view of its quality.
Ofsted identified a list of problems, from bullying, disruptive behaviour in the classroom and disengaged pupils to lessons pitched at the wrong level [5].
But after a recent review, it found the private school...now “meets all of the independent school standards that were checked during this inspection”.
The new report said: “There is still some inconsistency in the quality of teaching. However, school leaders have taken positive steps to make improvements that are welcomed by pupils, staff and trustees.”
The school is still rated inadequate [6]. But headteacher Damian Mooncie said: “The judgement remains in place until the next inspection, but to all intents and purposes Ofsted is recognising that this is not an inadequate school [7]..."
Since the original inspection, Ofsted found more time had been devoted to subject-specific teaching at the school, “to help pupils to catch up in areas where they may not be achieving as well as other pupils nationally"...
Steiner schools like the Brighton Waldorf are controversial.
They are popular among the liberal and bohemian middle classes, and adhere to a curriculum developed by the Austrian occultist Dr Rudolf Steiner [8]...
In 2014 the BBC investigated complaints of bullying being tolerated at Steiner schools [9]...
It reported that in one case, not in Brighton, a parent complained a teacher said they thought bullying was part of how kids “worked out their karma” [10].
[10/11/19 https://www.theargus.co.uk/news/17961304.brighton-waldorf-school-improves-found-inadequate/]
Waldorf Watch Footnotes
[1] See "The Steiner School Crisis".
[2] See, e.g., "Frome Steiner Still Failing Badly", October 4, 2019.
[3] Waldorf or Steiner schools are not all entirely alike — there can be considerable variation. [See "Non-Waldorf Waldorfs".] While academic standards are often low at Waldorf/Steiner schools [see "Academic Standards at Waldorf"], some of the schools are able to attain better academic results. A major factor is the degree of a school's devotion to Rudolf Steiner's occult (mystical, esoteric) directives. If a Waldorf/Steiner school moves out from Steiner's shadow, it may become more educationally respectable — but at the cost of ceasing to be a genuine Waldorf/Steiner institution intent on following Steiner's guidance.
[4] See https://www.brightonwaldorfschool.org.
[5] The list of faults was virtually all-inclusive, ranging from poor teaching, to questionable management, to rowdy student behavior. The leaders of the school were "overgenerous" in that they saw few if any problems; they thought their school was doing fine.
[6] This is the lowest assessment issued by Ofsted; it is equivalent to a failing grade (F). Whether Brighton Waldorf earns a higher assessment (whether it is officially no longer deemed inadequate) will hinge on a future inspection.
[7] The Argus and Mr. Mooncie may be placing an unduly bright interpretation on the results of the latest inspection. This was a brief, partial inspection; it did not check into all the matters covered in a full inspection. [To read the report of the recent, partial inspection — dated September 18, 2019 — see https://files.api.ofsted.gov.uk/v1/file/50115044. To see the report of the prior, full inspection — dated March 5-7, 2019 — see https://www.brightonwaldorfschool.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Ofsted-Report.pdf.] Nonetheless, the latest inspection found that the school has addressed the specific faults previously found at the school. Thus, the inspectors noted significant improvement.
[8] Waldorf founder Rudolf Steiner is often described as a "philosopher," a "scientist," or an "educational reformer." But, indeed, "occultist" is an accurate description. Steiner embraced this term, claiming to be a clairvoyant spiritual savant. [See "Occultism".] His followers generally regard him as one of humanity's greatest spiritual masters. [See "Guru".]
[9] Problems with bullying and other forms of abuse in Steiner schools have sometimes been alleged. [See, e.g., "Slaps" and "Extremity".] Ofsted found problems with bullying at the Brighton Waldorf; these problems have evidently been addressed. [For BBC reports from 2012 and 2014, see "BBC & SWSF".]
[10] Belief in karma is deeply woven into the Waldorf belief system, as propounded by Rudolf Steiner. [See "Karma".] This may bear on the issue of bullying if Waldorf teachers think they should allow some students to bully others because this is a fulfillment of karma (some students are fated to be bullies and others are fated to be the victims of bullies).
— R.R.
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.October 9, 2019
◊ News Briefs ◊
1.
HOW THEY GET STARTED
(SOMETIMES)
From The Port Lincoln Times [Australia]:
Steiner playgroup sessions to start
THE board behind the She-Oak Steiner School initiative will be starting playgroup sessions in Port Lincoln later this month...
The board is still working on its registration application for a school, but two, eight-session playgroups will begin in week two of term four [1]....
[10/9/19 https://www.portlincolntimes.com.au/story/6427114/steiner-playgroup-sessions-to-start/.]
2.
WALDORF GRAD
MAY AVOID SPOTLIGHT
From Rolling Stone [USA]:
Who’s Who of Witnesses Called
to Testify in the Impeachment Inquiry
And whether they plan to stonewall Congress
By Tessa Stuart
The trio of committees leading the House’s impeachment inquiry has unleashed a torrent of requests for documents and depositions from a cast of characters in the poorly scripted political thriller in which we are living ... Here’s who has been called, how they’ve responded and why...
State Department counselor T. Ulrich Brechbuhl
Blocked from testifying on October 8
House investigators believe, based on the information contained in the whistle-blower complaint, that Brechbuhl listened in on the president’s July 25th phone call with President Zelensky. [Secretary of State Mike] Pompeo has refused to make him available to testify before Congress [2]....
[10/9/19 https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/impeachment-inquiry-witnesses-guide-896181/ This article originally appeared on October 8.]
3.
NEARBY STEINER
MAY GO UNDER
From The Daily Mail [United Kingdom]:
Exhausted mother-of-five, 38,
is forced to spend three hours a day
on nightmare school run after
council rejected her appeal to send
her five-year-old son to same
junior school as his siblings
By Rod Ardhali
An exhausted mother-of-five is forced to spend three hours a day on the school run from hell after a Bristol council rejected her appeal to send her young children to the same schools...
The decision means that Ms Saunders spends an hour-and-a-half, twice a day, driving three of her children to and from three different schools...
[One of her sons] Phoenix is lucky enough to live within a ten-minute walk of his school, Steiner Academy...
[But] with Steiner Academy set to close in 2020 [3], Ms Saunders fears her school run nightmare could worsen if Phoenix's new school is not close enough to walk....
[10/9/19 https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7551283/Mother-five-38-forced-spend-three-hours-day-nightmare-school-run.html This article originally appeared on October 8.]
Waldorf Watch Footnotes
[1] This is how Steiner or Waldorf schools often get started: Interested parties set up a playgroup or two — or a nursery school — for very young children. Then, as the kids age from year to year, an attempt is made to accommodate them by adding a kindergarten, then a first grade, then a second grade, and so on. Meanwhile, new crops of kids are admitted to fill the emptied lower niches. Eventually, if all goes according to plan, a full-blown K-12 Steiner/Waldorf school may result.
[2] An anonymous informant (a "whistleblower") has alleged that, in a telephone call, President Trump improperly pressured the president of Ukraine to interfere in the 2020 American presidential election by conducting an investigation of Democratic candidate Joe Biden and his son. Thomas Ulrich Brechnbuhl — a 1982 graduate of a Waldorf school in suburban New York— has been identified as one of the parties who allegedly listened in on the call.
[3] Steiner Academy Bristol is one of the Steiner schools in the UK that inspectors have found seriously deficient. Whether all levels of Steiner Academy Bristol will close is unclear. A September 10 report in Bristol Live indicated that the upper portion of the school (the secondary school) will close next year. [See "Inadequate: Bristol, Frome, &...".]
— R.R.
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.October 8, 2019
ELVES, ANGELS, DRAGONS:
FUN, FESTIVALS, AND FAITH
Waldorf schools host numerous festivals and fairs during the school year. These colorful events serve many purposes. They are good window dressing for the schools, giving the schools a pleasing presence in their local communities. They attract new families onto the school grounds, families that may be induced to enroll their children at the schools. They bring back alumni, who may be induced to maintain or deepen their ties to the schools. And a certain amount of fund-raising may also occur — there are often booths and tables with various Waldorfish items for sale.
Currently, at Waldorf schools in the northern hemisphere, autumnal festivals are being staged. (South of the equator, this is the time for vernal festivities.)
Here are excerpts from an announcement of an upcoming autumn festival at a Waldorf school in California. From Pasadena Now:
Pasadena Waldorf School to Hold
Its 34th Annual Elves' Faire
Article and Photo [sic] courtesy of PASADENA WALDORF SCHOOL
The Pasadena Waldorf School (PWS) Elves’ Faire is a gift for the children hosted by the parents of PWS. It is a day filled with laughter, fun, and memory-making experiences. Attended by thousands of visitors from all over greater Los Angeles, new and returning friends enjoy the beauty of the campus and the rich activities created for this special day...
There are various places to shop and explore, activities and games for the kids (and young at heart) and over a dozen food vendors...
The 34th Annual Elves’ Faire will be held on Saturday, November 23, 2019....
[10/7/19 http://www.pasadenanow.com/pasadenaschools/pasadena-waldorf-school-to-hold-its-34th-annual-elves-faire/#.XZyf9S2ZNTY This announcement originally appeared on October 3.]
◊
Some Waldorf schools have already held autumn festivals. Here are excerpts from a report about such a festival held at a Waldorf school in Massachussetts. From The Newtown Bee:
Autumnal And Mythical
Festivities At HVWS
By Eliza Hallabeck
As leaves drifted in the day’s warm breeze, Housatonic Valley Waldorf School’s “dragons,” “trees,” and “angels” participated in a game on September 27 for its annual Michaelmas festival.
Students, faculty, and family members gathered behind the school for the day’s celebrations.
A description for the event reads, “The Michaelmas festival honors St Michael, the mythical dragon-slayer astride a white steed, who bears a mighty iron sword flashing like a meteor. Michael’s legend symbolizes the autumnal resurgence of human strength, willpower, and striving to overcome our inner Dragons — laziness, greed, doubt, fear of the future — who may have crept over us unnoticed during summer’s dreamy warmth and forgetfulness. Every September, our school honors the Michaelmas festival with songs, games, and a wonderful play featuring the grade school students”...
The “Angels, Trees, and Dragons” game began the day’s events ... After the game, students formed a line and played instruments around the outer perimeter of the field ... Later, students participated in a traditional play that shared the story of St Michael defeating a dragon....
[10/7/19 https://www.newtownbee.com/10052019/autumnal-and-mythical-festivities-at-hvws/ This item originally appeared on October 5.]
Waldorf Watch Response
There is more to Waldorf festivals than meets the eye.
One important point to understand is that, according to the Waldorf belief system, the beings represented in these festivals are real. St. Michael really exists — he is an archangel dwelling on the Sun. [See "Michael".] Michael is a warrior god who fights on behalf of the Sun God. [See "Sun God".] The dragon against whom Michael fights is the arch-demon Ahriman. [See "Ahriman".]
In Waldorf belief, these beings really exist. They are important presences in the cosmos as described by Waldorf founder Rudolf Steiner. So, for instance, Steiner taught that Michael now rules over human evolution, having replaced the prior ruler, the archangel Gabriel:
"[I]n November of the year 1879 there occurred on the astral plane something very similar to a birth ... The rulership of Gabriel was replaced by another archangel, under whose leadership we now stand, the archangel Michael ... [S]imultaneously with Michael a dark god has entered into his rulership: the god Mammon [aka Ahriman]...the leader of all vile black powers." — Rudolf Steiner, ESOTERIC LESSONS 1904-1909 (Steiner Books, 2007), pp. 232-233.
Even more surprising, perhaps, is that, according to the Waldorf belief system, elves — aka fairies, aka nature spirits or elemental beings — are also real. [See "Neutered Nature".] So, for instance, Steiner taught that the nature spirits called gnomes actually exist:
"A gnome is only visible to someone who can see on the astral plane, but miners frequently possess such an astral vision [i.e., clairvoyance]; they know that gnomes are realities." — Rudolf Steiner, FOUNDATIONS OF ESOTERICISM (Rudolf Steiner Press, 1982), lecture 27, GA 93a.
Attendees at Waldorf festivals are rarely told any of this. But these are, indeed, tenets of the Waldorf faith — the religion called Anthroposophy. [See the entry for "Anthroposophy" in The Brief Waldorf / Steiner Encyclopedia (BWSE)]. Students enrolled at Waldorf schools are usually not taught these tenets as such. But Waldorf students spend their years immersed in a culture that treats such mystical beings as essentially real. A subtle form of indoctrination may result from this and other elements of Waldorf practice. [See "Indoctrination".]
At their deepest level, Waldorf festivals are religious observances. This is clearest when the festivals are identified by religious titles such as "Michaelmas" — the mass of St. Michael, a holy day in the traditional Christian calendar. [See "Michaelmas".] The Waldorf versions of such holy days are quite different from what you will find in mainstream or orthodox churches; and they may be presented to outsiders in disarming terms ("Michael’s legend symbolizes the autumnal resurgence of human strength, willpower, and striving..."). Nevertheless, at root, these are religious events.
Genuine Waldorf schools — those that strive to faithfully fulfill Rudolf Steiner's vision — are, at their deepest levels, Anthroposophical religious institutions. [See "Schools as Churches".] The festivals celebrated at these schools often serve as enactments of Anthroposophical religious belief. [See "festivals at Waldorf schools" in the BWSE.] You might bear this in mind when lining up at a Waldorf food stall to buy an organic gingerbread gnome.
— R.R.
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.October 7, 2019
FRENCH ANTHROPOSOPHISTS APPEAL
THEIR TWO MOST RECENT DEFEATS
French Anthroposophists have a blogger in their crosshairs. They have sued him four times for his writings and public utterances.
Grégoire Perra was educated in Waldorf schools. He later became a Waldorf teacher and the author of numerous pro-Anthroposophical texts [1]. But, in recent years, Perra repudiated both Anthroposophy and Waldorf education. The blog at which he now chiefly expresses himself concerning these subjects is La Vérité sur les écoles Steiner-Waldorf {The Truth About Steiner-Waldorf Schools} [2].
Perra says that his purpose is to exercise his right of free speech in order to tell the truth about a movement he knows well from the inside. Anthroposophists allege that he defames them by spreading scurrilous lies.
The Steiner-Waldorf Schools Federation in France sued Perra for defamation in 2011. Perra won that trial resoundingly. [3]
This year, 2019, a group of Anthroposophical doctors, the French Steiner-Waldorf Schools Federation, and an individual Waldorf teacher resumed the legal assault. They all sued Perra at approximately the same time, again alleging defamation.
The suit by the doctors has yet to be tried, but Perra recently won the other trials, resoundingly. [4]
We might anticipate that French Anthroposophist would recognize by now the futility of their legal assaults on Perra, and desist. But their desire to silence him evidently remains strong. They have now filed an appeal of their two most recent courtroom losses.
Here are excerpts from a message Perra has now posted on his blog:
Dear friends, readers of my blogs, and supporters:
On 1 October, the Strasbourg High Court dismissed two complaints Anthroposophists lodged against me. The trial was held on 9 July 2019.
The Federation of Steiner-Waldorf Schools refuses to admit its defeat; it has appealed to the Colmar Appeals Court.
In their pride and detachment from reality, Anthroposophists rebel against the evidence of my good faith and their own loss of credibility, even as increasingly damning revelations [in the press] shed more light on Steiner-Waldorf pedagogy [5].
The Justice system will therefore have to make them understand the vanity of their approach for the third time in a row...
I need your support for this new fight, which I trust will have a successful outcome...
I engage in this struggle on behalf of all the victims of Anthroposophy....
[10/7/19 https://veritesteiner.wordpress.com/2019/10/05/les-anthroposophes-font-appel-mettons-la-patee-aux-anthroposophes/ Translation by Roger Rawlings, relying heavily on DeepL Translator.]
A school teacher (his subject is philosophy), Perra is not a rich man. The multiple suits filed against him have been costly. He solicits financial support at two related Okpal crowdfunding sites:
https://www.okpal.com/soutenir-le-lanceur-d-alerte-gregoire-perra/#/
https://www.okpal.com/soutenir-gregoire-perra-en-appel/
Waldorf Watch Footnotes
[1] He published, for instance, articles in such journals as TOUMANT, L'ESPRIT DU TEMPS, and LES NOUVELLES DE LA S.A.F. [See, e.g., "He Went to Waldorf".]
[2] Perra occasionally also writes on a range of subjects elsewhere. [See, e.g., https://gregoireperra.wordpress.com.]
[3] See "My Life Among the Anthroposophists", Part 3.
[4] See "Another Day of Victory: French Justice Proven Again", October 1, 2019. (The two suits were tried simultaneously, in a single, combined proceeding.)
[5] See, e.g., "From France: Charges of Abuse in Waldorf Schools", September 24, 2019, and "Digging to Learn What Waldorf Schools Are", September 14, 2019.
— R.R.
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.October 6, 2019
KEEPING UP WITH
WHAT THEY READ
The beliefs of Rudolf Steiner's followers today are fully as mystical and otherworldly as the beliefs of their predecessors. Indeed, Anthroposophical beliefs now are virtually indistinguishable from Anthroposophical beliefs then. There is little if any forward movement within the Anthroposophical world. Instead, there is stasis — Steiner's followers today remain mired in antique fallacies and falsehoods. We should sympathize. But we should also be alarmed. Waldorf education is founded on Anthroposophical untruths.
One technique for investigating the Anthroposophical mindset is to examine what Anthroposophists today are writing and reading. Here are two new books due to be released in the next few weeks by the Rudolf Steiner Press. I will quote the descriptions given by the publisher, and I will append some footnotes:
COLOUR, HEALING AND THE HUMAN SOUL
Understanding colours and using them for health and therapy
[By] Gladys Mayer
From the publisher:
In a delightful study — originally comprising two separate booklets — the accomplished artist and teacher Gladys Mayer explains that colour is nothing other than the very substance of the soul [1]. Just as the body is made up of mineral, water, air and warmth [2], so the soul is made up of colour. This is revealed in the emotions of sadness and joy and the many shades in between, as expressed in human language — for example: ‘seeing red’, ‘rose-coloured spectacles’ and ‘jaundiced view’.
Mayer discusses the basis of colour theory and its methodology, and the importance of colour for everyday life and health [3]. It is as fundamental to the soul as air is to the body. By increasing our awareness of the spiritual laws of colour, we can acquire a balanced and enriched life of soul. Thus, colour can become a healing force in life [4], enabling us to tackle the deadening, grey aspects of our mechanised civilisation [5]. Based on the work of Rudolf Steiner, which she studied intensively for many years, Mayer offers an approach to colour that is of value to painters and artists, as well as to those interested in psychology, health and healing, spirituality and personal development.
GLADYS MAYER (1888–1980) attended Rudolf Steiner’s series of lectures on education at Stratford-on-Avon in 1922. The following year she visited Steiner in Switzerland and decided to become a painter and art teacher at the Goetheanum, Dornach [6]. She is the author of a number of titles including The Mystery Wisdom of Colour and Colours: A New Approach to Painting (1983).
6 November 2019; RSP; 68pp; 21.5 x 13.5 cm; pb;
£9.99 ISBN 9781855845657
[https://rudolfsteinerpress.com/viewbook.php?isbn_in=9781855845657]
INITIATIVE
The karmic spiritual impulse of the followers of Michael
How Ahriman works into personal intelligence
[By] Rudolf Steiner
From the publisher:
'Be a person of initiative, and take care that the hindrances of your own body, or hindrances that otherwise confront you, do not prevent you from finding the centre of your being, where the source of your initiative lies. Likewise, you will find that all joy and sorrow, all happiness and pain, depend on finding or not finding your own individual initiative.' – Rudolf Steiner, Dornach, 4 August 1924
Rudolf Steiner urges those who feel the calling of the Archangel Michael [7] to become people of initiative. The anthroposophist should be aware that, ‘...initiative lies in his karma [8], and much of what meets him in this life will depend on the extent to which he can become willingly, actively conscious of it.’ In the second half of this inspiring lecture, Steiner describes how the being of Ahriman [9] is able to work through the personal intellect [10] of human beings today. As a consequence, we are called upon to be inwardly awake and vigilant at all times.
6 November 2019; Trans. rvd M. Barton (single lecture 4 Aug. 1924 from GA 237); RSP; 40pp; 13.5 x 10 cm; pb;
£3.99 ISBN 9781855845640
[https://rudolfsteinerpress.com/viewbook.php?isbn_in=9781855845640]
Waldorf Watch Footnotes
[1] Spiritual colors, Steiner taught, should not be confused with merely physical colors. Nonetheless, physical colors have great spiritual power and meaning, Steiner taught. A clairvoyant situated in a blue room will see different spirits than s/he will see in a red room, for instance.
"What spiritual beings become visible in any particular instance depends on the colour to which we devote ourselves. In a red room, other beings become visible than in a blue room....” — Rudolf Steiner, quoted in John Fletcher's ART INSPIRED BY RUDOLF STEINER (Mercury Arts Publications, 1987), p. 95.
Because color has such spiritual impact, the walls of Waldorf classrooms are painted in colors that are meant to be spiritually appropriate for the age of the students who meet there. [See "color" in The Brief Waldorf / Steiner Encyclopedia (BWSE).]
Moreover, the color of a person's skin reflects that person's level of spiritual advancement.
“One can only understand history...if one pays attention to people's racial characteristics. And one can only understand all that is spiritual...if one first examines how this spiritual element operates within people precisely through the color of their skin.” — Rudolf Steiner , VOM LEBEN DES MENSCHEN UND DER ERDE - ÜBER DAS WESEN DES CHRISTENTUMS (Verlag Der Rudolf Steiner-Nachlassverwaltung, 1961), GA 349, p. 52.
The racism embedded in Anthroposophy is connected to Steiner's doctrines concerning color. [See "Steiner's Racism" and "Embedded Racism".]
[2] Here we find, in Anthroposophical teachings, the ancient belief that there are actually just four basic elements in nature (earth air, fire, and water). [See "elements" in The BWSE.]
[3] For an overview of Anthroposophical teachings about the color palette, see "Mystical Colors".
[4] Anthroposophists often practice "color therapy" in the belief that exposure to or use of specific colors can have specific healing effects. So, for instance, when a young Waldorf student became ill, an Athroposophical doctor told her parents that she should create pictures using crayons in a specific range of hues.
“The Anthroposophic doctor made a diagnosis: my child had lost the will to live. He announced one of the potential cures ... [W]e were to give our daughter red, yellow, and orange crayons to color with! I looked at my husband in disbelief." — Sharon Lombard, “Spotlight on Anthroposophy,” http://www.waldorfcritics.org/articles/lombard_sharon_csr0202j.htm.
[5] Anthroposophists generally oppose or resist many parts of modern life, especially those connected to "mechanistic" science and technology. [See "science" and "technology" in The BWSE.] Anthroposophists generally prefer the "wisdom" of ancient peoples. [See "The Ancients".]
[6] This is the Anthroposophical headquarters, named for the German writer Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. [See the section "The Goetheanum" in "Is Anthroposophy a Religion?"; also see "Goethe".]
[7] In Anthroposophical teachings, Michael is the Archangel of the Sun — a warrior god who fights on behalf of the Sun God, Christ. [See "Michael" and "Sun God".] Anthroposophists hold that the people "who feel the calling of the Archangel Michael" are Anthroposophists themselves.
"St Michael and anthroposophy are connected in a special way ... Michael inspires all human beings who wish to connect the human spirit with the spirit of the cosmos. Anthroposophy is also called the School of Michael." — Waldorf teacher Henk van Oort, ANTHROPOSOPHY A-Z (Rudolf Steiner Press, 2011), p. 78.
[8] Here we find yet another ancient falsehood embedded in Anthroposophical teachings: belief in karma. [See "Karma".]
[9] In Zoroastrianism, Ahriman is the devil, the opponent of the Sun God, Ahura Mazda. Anthroposophy has adopted the ancient belief in Ahriman, recasting Ahriman slightly as one of two arch-demons who oppose human evolution. [See "Ahriman".] The other arch-demon often discussed in Anthroposophy is Lucifer. [See "Lucifer".]
[10] Despite occasional statements to the contrary, Steiner rejected most of the knowledge acquired by humanity in the modern era. [See "Materialism U."] He particularly deplored the use and products of intellect or, more generally, the brain. [See "Steiner's Specific".] He associated intellection, especially as it is employed today, with Ahriman.
"Intellectuality flows forth from Ahriman as a cold and frosty, soulless cosmic impulse.” — Rudolf Steiner, ANTHROPOSOPHICAL LEADING THOUGHTS (Rudolf Steiner Press, 1998), p. 98.
As for the brain, Steiner said it does not produce thoughts or truth.
• "Within the brain there is absolutely no thought." — Rudolf Steiner, WONDERS OF THE WORLD (Rudolf Steiner Press, 1983), p. 119.
• ”[T]he brain and nerve system have nothing at all to do with actual cognition.” — Rudolf Steiner, THE FOUNDATIONS OF HUMAN EXPERIENCE - Foundations of Waldorf Education I (SteinerBooks, 1996), p. 60.
The implications for Waldorf education are potentially severe. Waldorf is, at least potentially, a form of education that devalues brainwork. [See "Thinking Cap".] Parents considering Waldorf schools for their children should consider this carefully. Can genuine education occur in an environment oriented toward ancient falsehoods and away from modern rationality?
— R.R.
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.October 4, 2019
FROME STEINER
STILL FAILING BADLY
The crisis among Waldorf or Steiner schools in the United Kingdom (UK) continues [1]. Inspectors have found many of these schools to be seriously deficient.
The Steiner Academy in the town of Frome has received intensely critical inspection reports in the recent past [2]. And the latest news is not good. The school evidently has not improved much if at all.
From SomersetLive [Somerset, UK]:
'Dysfunctional' Frome school still
failing to meet Ofsted standards [3]
a year after failed inspection
Steiner Academy in Frome [4] was given the poor grading last year and is still failing
By Jack Colwill
A Somerset school graded 'inadequate' [5] by Ofsted last year is still unfit for purpose [6], with a monitoring report describing it as "dysfunctional".
The Steiner Academy in Frome was given the 'inadequate' inspection result in November 2018 and placed into special measures [7] to improve performance.
However, a monitoring visit a year on has led Ofsted to say there has been no real improvement in standards and the school remains sub-par.
The academy, which was taken over by the Avanti Schools Trust [8] this year, was told in its initial report that it needed to make improvements in the area[s] of student safety, teaching standards and leadership and management [9].
This new review has concluded that while there have been recent positive changes in approach across these areas and that there has been "significant turbulence" in the school's staffing [10], "the pace of improvement is far too slow"...
The report's conclusions stated that the academy should not be looking to employ inexperienced teachers.
A letter from Jen Southall, Her Majesty's Inspector with Ofsted, to the management of the school said: "Having considered all the evidence I am of the opinion that at this time, leaders and managers are not taking effective action towards the removal of special measures [11].
"Having considered all the evidence I strongly recommend that the school does not seek to appoint newly qualified teachers [12]...."
[10/4/19 https://www.somersetlive.co.uk/news/somerset-news/dysfunctional-frome-school-still-failing-3389868 This article originally appeared on October 3.]
Waldorf Watch Footnotes
[1] See "The Steiner School Crisis".
[2] See "Inadequate" Bristol, Frome, &..."
[3] "Ofsted" is an acronym, standing for the UK government's Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills (or, as it is commonly known, the Office for Standards in Education). [See https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted.]
[4] Steiner Academy Frome is a Steiner "free school" — comparable to a charter school in the USA. Steiner academies typically follow the Steiner curriculum as much as possible, but they receive funding from the government and thus, in a sense, they are public schools.
[5] "Inadequate" is the lowest rating issued by Ofsted; it is a failing grade.
[6] I.e., the Academy is unfit to fulfill its function as an educational institution.
[7] "Special measures" are essentially emergency procedures meant to produce rapid improvement.
• "What does it mean to be put into 'special measures'? Once a school has been put into special measures, it is presented with an action plan by the local [education] authority — detailing key areas they need to develop in order to leave the category. The monitoring of the action plan then passes to Her Majesty's Inspectors [HMI] who visit the school typically once a term for one to two days to evaluate progress. Once HMI are satisfied that the action plan has been completed and all points satisfactorily addressed, then they will go back to Ofsted and ask them to schedule another inspection. If Ofsted agree with HMI's judgment, the school is then removed from the special measures category." — CambrigeshireLive.
• "When schools are graded inadequate, there are two possible categories they can fall into. Special measures is the worst of the two, the other being ‘serious weaknesses’. [Special measures] means that the school is failing to provide its pupils with an acceptable standard of education, and is not showing the capacity to make the improvements needed. Serious weaknesses schools aren’t currently providing good enough education, but inspectors feel leaders have shown they know what must be done to turn things around." — ChronicleLive.
[8] Avanti is a multi-academy trust: It is an educational trust that runs several schools under a single board of trustees. [See https://avanti.org.uk.] In the past, Avanti specialized in administering Hindu schools in the UK. Several Steiner schools that have received damaging inspection reports are now seeking assistance from Avanti. Whether Steiner and Avanti are a good fit for each other has been doubtful. Steiner Academy Frome has given Avanti its first chance to try to improve a Steiner school. The results so far are less than encouraging.
[9] The school was found to fail in almost every possible way: Students were not kept safe, the teaching was poor, and management was ineffective.
[10] Such "turbulence" can be good if it means incompetent teachers are replaced by better teachers. But turbulence (instability, tumult) can also clearly be bad (producing confusion and strife), and Ofsted indicates that Steiner Academy Frome has tended to hire inexperienced teachers instead of teachers who have proven track records. (Waldorf or Steiner schools have often preferred inexperienced teachers who have received Waldorf/Anthroposophical training, rather than more experienced teachers who are not spiritually devoted to the Waldorf system and/or Anthroposophy.)
[11] I.e., the school has not yet improved sufficiently to warrant the end of the emergency measures imposed on the school.
[12] I.e., the school should not continue hiring teachers who have only recently received their teaching credentials.
— R.R.
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.October 3, 2019
◊ News Briefs ◊
1.
ANOTHER STEINER SCHOOL
RATED UNSATISFACTORY
School inspectors have found numerous Waldorf or Steiner schools in the United Kingdom (UK) to have significant deficiencies. Another such school has now been added to the list.
From CambridgeshireLive [Cambridge, UK]:
Ofsted [1] inspectors have highlighted
the schools across Cambridgeshire
which need to make improvements.
Here are all the schools rated as Inadequate or Requires Improvement
By Richard Brown
There are a total of 34 establishments across the county [2] that have been rated as either 'Inadequate' or 'Requires Improvement' by the educational body [3].
Schools rated as 'Inadequate' are usually either categorised as having 'serious weaknesses' or are placed in special measures [4].
There are four levels of rating, consisting of 'Outstanding', 'Good', 'Requires Improvement' and 'Inadequate' [5]...
Cambridge Steiner School
Hinton Road, Fulbourn, Cambridgeshire, CB21 5DZ
Rating: Requires Improvement
Latest report: June 17 2019....
[10/3/19 https://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/news/cambridge-news/cambridgeshire-schools-ofsted-ratings-worst-17019265 This article originally appeared on October 2.]
Waldorf Watch Footnotes:
[1] Ofsted is the UK government's Office for Standards in Education.
[2] I.e., Cambridgeshire. (The "establishments" are schools: educational institutions or establishments.)
[3] The "educational body" is Ofsted, which inspects and evaluates many schools in the UK. "Inadequate" is equivalent to a grade of F; 'Requires Improvement' is equivalent to a D or, at best, a C-.
[4] I.e., emergency measures are imposed, aiming to rescue these schools.
[5] "Outstanding" is equivalent to an A; "good" is equivalent to a B or, at worst, a C+. Schools that do not receive evaluations "Oustanding" or "Good" are considered substandard. In the recent Ofsted inspections, some UK Steiner schools have been rated "Good." None has been rated "Outstanding". [See "The Steiner School Crisis".]
2.
WALDORF GRADUATE EMERGES
AGAIN IN IMPEACHMENT PROBE
An alumnus of an American Waldorf school has become a figure — probably tangential, but possibly central — in the Trump impeachment proceedings [1]. Here is a quick update, focusing on a packet of documents passed to Congress by the Inspector General of the State Department.
From The Daily Beast [USA]:
Giuliani [2] Says Some of the Documents
State Dept IG [3] Handed to Congress
Came From Him
Trump’s personal attorney reportedly said Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told him he would "refer" allegations against Biden "for investigation" [4].
By Justin Baragona
...The chairs of the House Intelligence, House Foreign Affairs and Oversight committees [5] released a joint statement ... "The documents provided by the Inspector General...reinforce concern that the President and his allies sought to use the machinery of the State Department to further the President’s personal political interests [6]."
The committee chairmen further noted that the IG "stated that his office interviewed Secretary Pompeo’s Counselor, Thomas Ulrich Brechbuhl [7], who informed the Inspector General that Secretary Pompeo told him the packet 'came over,' and that Brechbuhl presumed it was from the White House"...
Earlier this week, Congress subpoenaed Giuliani for records relating to the Ukraine controversy that blew up following a whistleblower's complaint about the infamous July 25 call [8] in which President Trump pressured the Ukrainian president to investigate the Bidens. The president's attorney has since hired a lawyer to represent him during the congressional investigation.
[10/3/19 https://www.thedailybeast.com/rudy-giuliani-says-some-of-the-documents-state-dept-ig-handed-to-congress-originated-with-him This article originally appeared on October 2.]
Waldorf Watch Footnotes
[1] See "The Case of Donald Trump and the Waldorf Alumnus", September 28, 2019.
[2] I.e., Rudy Giuliani, who is serving as Donald Trump's personal attorney. (Giuliani was once mayor of New York City, among other offices.)
[3] I.e., the State Department's Inspector General. The IG's jobs is to detect and prevent abuse, fraud, waste, and mismanagement in the Department.
[4] I.e., the White House evidently sent the Secretary of State a packet of documents accusing Democratic presidential candidate Joseph Biden and his son of corruption, centered on the nation of Ukraine. The Secretary evidently replied that he would pass along the packet so the charges could be investigated.
[5] These are committees of the House of Representatives that are investigating President Trump and his associates. The State Department IG gave Congress copies of the documents Giuliani had given to Pompeo.
[6] President Trump is accused of attempting, in a phone call, to extort political favors from the president of the Ukraine. President Trump's conduct is allegedly an impeachable offense (a "high crime or misdemeanor"): He allegedly used his office to seek personal benefits for himself. The documents given to Congress by the IG seem to show a similar offense: "the President and his allies" tried to use a department of the US government "to further the President’s personal political interests."
[7] T. Ulrich Brechbuhl graduated from an American Waldorf school in 1982. [See, again, "The Case of Donald Trump and the Waldorf Alumnus", September 28, 2019.]
[8] This was the phone call in which President Trump allegedly tried to extort personal favors from the president of Ukraine. According to some reports (denied in other reports), T. Ulrich Brechbuhl listened in on this call. His boss, Secretary of State Pompeo, has admitted that he (Pompeo) listened in on the call. [See "Pompeo Confirms He Listened to Trump’s Call to Ukraine President", New York Times, October 2, 2019.]
— R.R.
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.October 2, 2019
AFTER A DAY OF VICTORY:
AN INTERVIEW WITH PERRA
A major French news magazine, Le Point {The Point}, has published an interview with Grégoire Perra, the former Waldorf student and teacher who has recently won another judicial victory [1] over his antagonists in the Anthroposophical community. Here are excerpts:
"Anthroposophy is a Cult that Threatens Society"
INTERVIEW. Prosecuted for defamation, Grégoire Perra, an opponent of Rudolf Steiner's pedagogy and biodynamics, has just won his case.
Interview by Thomas Mahler
He is the bête noire of Anthroposophy and the Steiner-Waldorf schools ... A former teacher in these alternative schools, Grégoire Perra was sued for defamation ... Grégoire Perra has just been acquitted by the Strasbourg criminal court, acknowledging the good faith [in his writings] ... We interviewed Grégoire Perra again [2] a few hours after this legal victory, which affirms his right to freedom of speech.
Le Point: You have just won your second trial against the Steiner-Waldorf Schools Federation [3]. What is your reaction?
Grégoire Perra: There were two complaints against me [4]. A first one came from the Steiner-Waldorf Schools Federation objecting to an article on my blog...in which I discussed the pseudo-medicine [5] practiced in conjunction with these schools. The other complaint came from a teacher at the Steiner school in Verrière-le-Buisson ... This complaint related to an article I wrote about school trips arranged by Steiner schools. I revealed on my blog that this teacher organized a class trip with sixth graders on the theme of "mineralogy and astronomy." But the speaker [who addressed the class during the trip] was none other than René Becker, Secretary General of the Anthroposophical Society in France, who has no competence in mineralogy or astronomy. Having been a student and then a teacher at Steiner schools, I know that these class trips are particularly good times to indoctrinate children with Anthroposophy [6]...
[Le Point:] Do you think they want to shut you up?
[Perra:] Yes. I am the target of harassment. There is still a third trial [yet to be decided], a complaint from the association representing Anthroposophic doctors ... The three lawsuits were brought against me simultaneously [7] ... In all, Anthroposophists asked the court to fine me €94,000. Their behavior is typical of cults ... They attack in a coordinated way ... The objective: to shut me down, to force me to close my modest blog that informs people about the practices of these schools and allows victims to understand what they have fallen into. Having myself come out of this cult, I know it's not easy ... Most of the victims who consult my blog have a pressing need, in the first place, to understand what was done to them.
I have been the subject of a campaign of character assassination ... [Anthroposophists] use all means to try to silence me. What they may not fully grasp is that all these attacks only reinforce my belief that I must continue to publish my blog. I don't have this blog for myself. I have it for others, for those who have remained trapped in the clutches of the cult...[particularly] the children around the world who are recruited daily in Steiner schools...[and] those cancer patients who "treat" themselves with mistletoe and art therapy, according to Rudolf Steiner's barbaric and obscurantist methods, and who end up dying in excruciating pain...
This legal victory, in my opinion, is not mine. It belongs to all the victims [of Anthroposophy] ... I am not alone. In other countries around the world, other associations and individuals are doing similar work ... In Germany, France and England, journalists are producing groundbreaking reports ... In this regard, I should point out that journalist Margaux Duquesnes has just published an investigation into many cases of sexual abuse that have been concealed in Steiner schools [8]...
[Le Point:] Are officials doing enough to address the issue of Anthroposophy?
[Perra:] In an email, Serge Blisko, former President of Miviludes [9], wrote to me: "On the advice of the Prime Minister's Office, we must stand aside on this issue." The current government has had several links with Anthroposophy. Françoise Nyssen, former Minister of Culture, founded a Steiner-Waldorf school in Arles ... Agriculture Minister Didier Guillaume recently praised biodynamics [10], and an article in favour of biodynamics was published in the Ministry of Agriculture's journal. In reality, biodynamics is a magico-religious practice, linked to Rudolf Steiner's religious cosmology, with the idea that the entire solar system reincarnates, and that it is necessary to come into contact with cosmic forces or highly sensitive entities such as gnomes, elves or undines...
Anthroposophy is not a philosophy, an ecological organization or a network of "alternative" schools. No. It's a cult. I am very concerned about the announced overhaul of Miviludes, which will soon cease to be interministerial and thus lose many of its prerogatives and means of action [11]. The government now is actually not doing anything to combat the threat that Anthroposophy poses to society.
[10/2/2019 https://www.lepoint.fr/societe/je-suis-la-cible-d-un-harcelement-des-pro-ecoles-steiner-02-10-2019-2338941_23.php Translation by Roger Rawlings, relying heavily on DeepL Translator.]
Waldorf Watch Footnotes
[1] See "Another Day of Victory: French Justice Proven Again", October 1, 2019.
[2] Le Point last interviewed Perra in April, 2019. [See "G. Perra, Getting to the Point", April 30, 2019.]
[3] The Steiner-Waldorf Schools Federation previously sued Perra in 2011. Perra won that trial resoundingly. [See "My Life Among the Anthroposophists", Part 3.]
[4] Keeping track of the suits filed against Perra can be a bit confusing. I will provide a running tabulation (perhaps more pedantically than necessary). So: Perra is referring, here, to the second and third of the suits filed against him by Waldorf representatives, the first having been filed in 2011.
[5] This is so-called "Anthroposophical medicine." [See "Steiner's Quackery".]
[6] For an overview of Anthroposophical indoctrination occurring in and around Waldorf schools, see "Indoctrination."
[7] Overall, these are the second, third, and fourth suits filed against Perra by Waldorf representatives and Anthroposophists. Perra has now prevailed in the first three of these four suits. The fourth suit has yet to be tried.
[8] See "From France: Charges of Abuse in Waldorf Schools" and "Charges of Abuse in Waldorf Schools - II", September 24-25, 2019.
[9] Miviludes (Mission interministérielle de vigilance et de lutte contre les dérives sectaires) is a French government agency that seeks to expose "movements with a cultic character whose actions affront the rights of man and fundamental liberties, or which constitute a threat to public order or which are contrary to [French] laws and regulations." — The Journal Officiel of 28 November 2002, quoted in Mission interministérielle de vigilance et de lutte contre les dérives sectaires.
[10] This is the form of organic agriculture based on Rudolf Steiner's teachings. [See "Biodynamics".]
[11] This is a reorganization planned by the French government. As reported in the national French newspaper Le Monde {The World}, Anthroposophists have campaigned to defang Miviludes, which has treated Anthroposophy as a cult. The reorganization may have this effect, eliminating Miviludes's autonomy. [See "La lutte contre les sectes dissoute dans celle contre la radicalisation" {The Fight Against Sects Folded Into the Fight Against Radicalization}.]
— R.R.
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.October 1, 2019
ANOTHER DAY OF VICTORY;
FRENCH JUSTICE PROVEN AGAIN
Grégoire Perra was educated in Waldorf schools. Like many other children, he was sent to Waldorf schools by loving parents who did not know that these institutions are deeply linked to an occult religion, Anthroposophy [1].
Perra was profoundly affected by his Waldorf experiences. As an adult, he became a Waldorf teacher and a prominent Anthroposophical figure in his homeland, France.
But eventually he became disillusioned. He renounced Anthroposophy and began publishing essays that expose hidden truths about Waldorf schools [2]. For his pains, he has now been sued four times by Anthroposophists accusing him of defamation.
Perra won the first of the resulting trials in resounding manner [3]. That trial, and Perra's initial triumph, came in 2013.
The second and third suits filed against Perra were combined and processed in a single, joint trial. Arguments in that trial were heard on July 9 of this year. (The remaining suit, filed by Anthroposophical doctors, has yet to be tried.)
Now Perra has learned that he has triumphed again. He has prevailed in both of the suits argued on July 9.
Here is an announcement Perra has placed on his crowdfunding page [4], addressed to his many supporters:
Hello, I would like to announce the good news to you personally: I have just learned that I have won the first two Anthroposophical cases, which were tried on 9 July 2019 at the Strasbourg Regional Court. The plaintiffs, namely the Federation of Steiner-Waldorf Schools and Mrs Virginie Macé, a teacher at Verrières le Buisson School, were both dismissed by the judges, who acknowledged my good faith and the legitimacy of my writings. The fight continues because the plaintiffs can appeal, and there is still the complaint of the representatives of Anthroposophic medicine. But this is a day of victory! It is not my victory personally, but that of the victims of Steiner-Waldorf schools and Anthroposophy, for whom I have sought justice through the right of self-expression. Victory has been made possible thanks to your moral and financial support, and I would like to thank you wholeheartedly for the trust you have placed in me, which has brought us together in the values we defend. Thanks to this fresh victory, French society will be made more aware of the sectarian aberration that is Anthroposophy, and it will know more about what is really happening in Steiner-Waldorf schools. Thank you for making this possible. — Grégoire Perra
[10/1/19 https://www.okpal.com/soutenir-le-lanceur-d-alerte-gregoire-perra/#/ Translated by Roger Rawlings, relying heavily on DeepL Translator.]
Waldorf Watch Footnotes
[1] See "My Life Among the Anthroposophists", Part 1. [Also see, e.g., "Our Experience" and "Is Anthroposophy a Religion?"]
[2] See Perra's site La Vérité sur les écoles Steiner-Waldorf {The Truth About Steiner-Waldorf Schools}.
[3] See "My Life Among the Anthroposophists", Part 3.
[4] See "Soutenir le lanceur d'alerte Grégoire Perra" {Support the Whistleblower Grégoire Perra}. Perra's expenses have piled up as the Anthroposophical assaults on him have multiplied and proceeded. He currently estuimates he needs to raise about €16,000 euros to cover his legal costs. As of today, he has raised €11,481.
— R.R.
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