Anyone who started and left Waldorf? Should I be getting cold feet about Anthropophosty?

[Anonymous]

Friends of ours found it was a disaster for their science-oriented kid. As others have discussed, he was shamed and made to feel bad that he wanted to learn about space and rockets - those weren't "appropriate" kindergarten interests (nor was anything beyond fairy tales and make believe - NOT this kiddo's thing).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Having kids for many years at a Waldorf, I have never found an education with so much reverence for other religions, races and beliefs. The children are taught to be racially blind and to appreciate those with handicaps or learning differences.

Oof, stop. This is not a thing.

[Anonymous]

We were invited to a parent meeting (being prospective parents) and they were talking on how their methods allowed the children to keep their clairvoyance powers. We thought it must be an inside joke, realized it wasn't, and that's when we started to feel anxious. Then they talked about the once-a-year ceremony of defeating the Devil. Yes, the Devil with their wooden classroom made swords. That's when we left (maybe ran).

[Anonymous]

Reading these Waldorf parent posts that talk about the founder’s explicitly racist ideology as if if were a charming idiosyncrasy is pretty disgusting. Reminds me of the old Germans I grew up with who would say “You know, Hitler wasn’t all bad.”

[Anonymous]

That didn’t happen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:That didn’t happen.

Wow, you’ve added so much to this conversation. So glad you stopped in to comment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I Have my son in a waldorf school outside of DC, but we are applying to wash waldorf for 2010. We are totally mainstream parents and find that it is a lovely school situation. I think it is the best gift I can give my kids (preserving their childhood) in this age of crazy media and fast paced lives. I don't know if we will continue until 12th grade, but my child has learned so many important things in PK (like manners and treating people with respect) that I think it has been a great experience. I have read those websites that are critics, but you just have to remember that they are extremes. Most of the parents and teachers I have met are lovely people and are very insightful when it comes to children

Your child will learn manners and respect at most private schools in the area.

[Anonymous]

We did a preschool class at a Waldorf school and didn't even finish the year it was so weird. We are regular people who value outdoor play, creativity, low screen time for younger kids. I was especially turned off by the feeling like what they said they valued didn't actually happen. There was very little creativity, lots of random rules that made no sense, and I got the sense there was a divide between the true followers of the education system and families like ours that were just trying to keep our preschoolers outside and having fun. We left.