Here is part of a lengthy discussion that grew out of a mother's report that a Steiner/Waldorf teacher used the word "nigger" in class. I have left the messages unedited — they are typical of online discussions, quickly written and posted, with spelling errors, etc., on all sides. (The mother, "maimuna," says the teacher read from a poem appearing in "a Steiner book." This seems to have been an Anthroposophical publication, but not a book by Steiner.)

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By maimuna Wed 22-Apr-09 18:25:03

[http://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/education/713603-waldorf-steiner?pagingOff=1]

[M]y daughters German teacher read from a Steiner book of poems

'THE BOY GOT SO MUCH CHOCOLATE ON HIS FACE HE LOOKED LIKE A NIGGER'

Then a boy who told her that all Black people are niggers was not punished, even though a girl who said her "arse was aching" after PE got 50 lines and a boy who told his teacher to F--- off was sent straight home!!

Thecaty, I can give you proof, would you like the name off the school and the teacher involved? I am fine to do that, if it was dealt with I would not feel the need to post on here!

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By northernrefugee39 on Wed 06-May-09 17:20:30

mimsum - a great post; it saddens me to hear once again what happened to your ds.

I'm still reeling about the teacher who used a book apparently devised by an anthroposophist, with the poem about a boy with "so much chocolate on his face he looked like a nigger" described by maimuna here

The word "neger" is pejorative, it translates as a derogatory word.

It isn't about one "thoughtless" teacher; it is about an anthroposopical book, used by a Steiner school, schools which are based on a philosophy which places races in an order of higher and lower, and inherently racist philosophy.

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By maimuna on Wed 06-May-09 21:26:43

No the teacher that used the word nigger in my daughters Steiner School was not young or inexperienced.

She told the class that the word is not racist, she moved my daughter to the edge of the class for complaining.

Even if she was one bad apple it is the way the school dealt with it which is our issue, she wasn't even suspended while the matter was looked into.

A few weeks ago a boy used the same word in the playground.

No discipline.

My mixed raced daughter got 100 lines for throwing a peice of cake at her friend.

A boy in the same class was sent home immediately for telling his teacher to f off.

The boy who said all Black people are niggers to my daughter was asked to appologize. Thats all.

You cannot deny that Steiner believes that we reincarnate through the races, there are so many quotes out there and you can buy the books on Amazon !!

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By maimuna on Wed 06-May-09 22:50:03

The word wasn't translated as black person. it was translated as nigger, the teacher told my mixed raced daughter that nigger is not a racist word.

She punished my daughter for complaining.

The school have done nothing.

Anyone interested Steiner just google Steiner racism which is what I did when a number of things weren't making sense

nobody here has managed to deny the reincarnation through the races, my husband is Black, apparently his race as baby like qualities, not racist?

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By maimuna on Mon 11-May-09 17:04:57

Hi Northern,

the school think the matter is over with, we had the stage two of the complaints process meeting and they thought everything was dealt with back then.

They were supposed to give us written notes of that meeting, they never appeared, we weren't told who their independent person at the meeting was, in fact we were fobbed off about the decision for two months.

Also they were supposed to explain in writing why they made the decision (which was basically to take NO action against a teacher who used the word nigger and told my mixed raced daughter that nigger was not racist a racist word)

We were never told the reason for their decision.

We are now at stage three and are just waiting for our independent person to give us a day when they are free to come with us.

— Compilation by Roger Rawlings