Waldorf

I hear Waldorf and Montessori mentioned together a lot (maybe they both appeal to free-thinking parents wanting a gentle, free learning experience for their children?) My only knowledge of Waldorf is that they use a lot of fairy tales, encourage free expression and believe that children should only play with toys made of natural materials like wood or fabric. Someone on the GCM parenting message board posted this Waldorf Critics site about Waldorf and its founder, Rudolf Steiner. I never knew it was founded on occult, karma and reincarnation.

Some quotes from the site: "Since the beginning, Waldorf schools have kept parents in the dark about the real intention of Waldorf education, which is to guide the reincarnation of the children's souls."

"Many Waldorf children are not immunized, and those parents who support immunization may be harshly judged. Steiner believed that certain diseases help children work out problem areas left over from their past lives."

"Waldorf is not just an 'alternative' education; it is a front for Anthroposophy. Anthroposophy has many of the characteristics of a cult, and the schools are the missionary arm of Anthroposophy."