The public has unkowingly been funding the Waldorf-Method Charter Schools in the Sacramento area for more than a dozen years. Waldorf schools are located throughout the United States, some being private schools, but many are operated by local school districts including Sacramento City Unified, the lead defendant in a lawsuit.
Waldorf education is rooted in Anthroposophy, which was founded in the early 20th Century by an Austrian, Rudolf Steiner. His religion is a mish-mash of beliefs from Hindu reincarnation, European occultism, Norse mythology and a heretical form of Christianity. Steiner's teachings also reflect the racial superiority that gave rise to the Nazi regime.
Despite Steiner's blatantly racist views, teachers in Waldorf schools-including public schools-must attend training at Anthroposophical Institutions such as Rudolf Steiner College in Sacramento.
Brad Dacus, lead counsel for Pacific Justice Institute based in Sacramento has filed its opening brief with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, located in San Francisco, in a case that challenges the constitutionality of taxpayer funded charter schools that are based on occult teachings.
"We cannot have a constitutional double-standard where mainstream Judeo-Christian beliefs are excluded from public schools while unorthodox beliefs have access to funding," Mr. Dacus stated.
Pacific Justice Institute (PJI) is representing, People for Legal and Non-Sectarian Schools (PLANS), who want to make the public aware of the reality behind Waldorf's facade of progressive, arts-based education. And why is this out-in-left-field religion being funded by the Obama Admiistration?
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At trial, U.S. District Judge Frank Damrell ruled that Anthroposophy was not a distinct religion, and therefore Waldorf schools cannot violate separation of church and state even though the Ninth Circuit had already ruled three times in favor of Plans, Inc.
The argument of separation of church and state should not even be an issue since that is a false legal premise based on a letter written by Thomas Jefferson to the Danbury Baptist Convention declaring that the state is prohibited from forming and mandating a particular religious body that the people are compelled to support insuring that the people can organize and attend a church body of their choice, not the choice of the government.
THAT is the meaning of "A wall of separation between church and state." That's the actual quote. Readers are urged to read the complete letter from Jefferson by simply searching, Separation of church and State. Reading that letter in its entirety will make the intention clear and refute the definition that has been pushed on America in attempt to obliterate the church. Hopefully a public service law firm will take a new look at this controversy.
Meanwhile, since no government funding goes to Christianity, then no government funding, using our tax dollars, should fund teaching of the occult. This is what Brad Dacus and PJI are standing against.
For more information regarding Waldorf schools, go to: www.waldorfcritics.org