OpenWaldorf Mailbag

Here is a sampling of the many messages OpenWaldorf has received from Waldorf parents around the world!

OpenWaldorf.com encourages open feedback, whether it's positive or negative, pro or con. If you have something to share, we'd love to hear it. We love feedback!

A Sampling From the OpenWaldorf Mailbag

Now who isn't being open and honest?? No where on your site to you?disclose you displeasure with your experience.? Are you still a Waldorf parent?? Really you do have an agenda that you are not sharing.? Your presentation is very deceitful and misleading.? Smack of a tantrum.

This is a quote from your site:

"This web site is based on one Waldorf parent's ongoing personal journey. It has no official affiliation with Waldorf education, or anyone else!"

NAME WITHELD FOR PRIVACY

"We are happy to have you link to [AWSNA]" - Association of Waldorf Schools of North America

"I think your site is excellent." - Frank Thomas Smith, Southern Cross Review

"Your site is fantastic-- ...Thanks for all of the work you do!" - Mothering.com moderator

Would love to receive your updates... We are in the process of establishing a Steiner school in Mackay, Queensland....

WHO are you?! I know it says you're a Waldorf parent with an amazing daughter in the third grade. You are also inspired, a genius, and a revolutionary! Kudos to you for designing a site that will open eyes and minds without breeding rancor (plus simultaneously providing many opportunities for merriment). Wow.

NAME WITHELD FOR PRIVACY, mother of 3, Waldorf homeschooling parent, Costa Mesa, California

I just discovered your fake Waldorf site.? I'll be warning everyone for the next few years or until it's shut down that going there to learn about Waldorf would be like going to a site called OpenJudaism run by Josef Goebbels---- who, by the way, would be proud of your talent at deceptiveness and envious of your total lack of ethics. You should go far in advertising.

NAME WITHELD FOR PRIVACY

In your mailbag section, why have you withheld all the names of the people who love your website? What is the nonsense about protecting their privacy? People don't write feed back letters on the internet to protect their privacy! Your site completely lacks credibility. Perhaps some rather dim witted people will accept your take on things but the rest of us think you are silly.

Dare you to print this up front.

UNSIGNED BY AUTHOR

OpenWaldorf's Response

Great question, and thanks for your concern! The reason we don't publish people's names without express permission, is out of respect for their privacy. Privacy on the Internet is a big issue for some people, and we don't want to expose them to risk without their consent.

We are working on a feedback form that will enable people to specify whether or not they would like to have their name published on the site. Until then, we'd rather err on the side of courtesy to our subscribers.

We'd love to know what other people think about this issue. Should we post your name and email address without your permission or not? You can discuss this in the Opinions on OpenWaldorf.com forum in our OpenWaldorf forums.

I have only had a brief look at your site and like what I have seen. You have received some rather paranoid, it seems, criticisms casting aspersions on your intentions, perhaps from people who have been burnt or 'flamed' in the past.

Some of the questions you raise are quite challenging to provide brief 'sound-byte' answers - they take considerable contemplation and need openness on behalf of the listener/reader. People have to find their own truth.

Good luck with your project.

NAME WITHELD FOR PRIVACY

This website is fantastic. I am definitely in -- not that I bring any expertise myself!! Now let me go back and surf around some more.

Much wishes for a successful site!!

NAME WITHELD FOR PRIVACY

Good for you. I never responded to any of your earlier messages, but I personally welcome the diversity of voices & opinions ... I'll check out the site and see if it answers some of my questions.

Personally, I have been very happy as a Waldorf parent--but I am always looking for more. I have recently become interested in education policy, so I try to analyze from a policy perspective. Good luck with the site, I hope it adds much to the resources out there.

NAME WITHELD FOR PRIVACY

This is a fabulous site. I have friends who are very committed to Waldorf, but now that I've explored your site I feel that I'm seeing a more complete picture of what is at the core of Waldorf philosophy. Thanks for all your work on this. Your Research and Tools section is great and allows me to conduct my own unbiased research. I'll get the word out on this site.

NAME WITHELD FOR PRIVACY

I'm so glad you started openwaldorf.com. ... I'm looking forward to seeing what develops on your site. Thanks for all your work on it - it looks fabulous!

NAME WITHELD FOR PRIVACY

I checked out your site on the advice of some friends--BRILLIANT!!!?

I will joyfully refer this site to all my friends... as a neutral, informative site.

NAME WITHELD FOR PRIVACY

Is this a site dedicated to Waldorf Education because you love it, hate it, or are totally baffled by it?

Upon first skim through, you seem like a critic in disguise...appearing naive and inquiring, yet knowledgeable enough to be exhaustive in your presentation of Waldorf/Anthroposophy and Steiner.

Are you afraid that parents may be led down some dark path if they come to Waldorf education with less information than you have been able to dig up?

Really, I AM curious as to why you created this site. What in your journey to Waldorf education has led you to believe that others could benefit from your "findings"?

I am anticipating your honest response.

NAME WITHELD FOR PRIVACY

OpenWaldorf's Response

Great questions!

You can read more about the motivation for creating the site in an announcement made to the SJU Waldorf Education mailing list:

Announcing OpenWaldorf.com!

You can find more about how parents might benefit from open dialog about Waldorf on the OpenWaldorf "About" page:

About OpenWaldorf.com

If you have any other questions about OpenWaldorf, please feel welcome to raise them in the "General Discussion" area of the OpenWaldorf Forums:

OpenWaldorf Forums General Discussion

I am a newbie for 5 years or so and I must admit that I have at times sat and banged my head on the table in sheer frustration at the?sheer difficulties involved. It really need not be so hard and to make it thus simply buys into the fear that this is a cult of some?kind!

I?am?on the Council?of Management at my son's school, and I am forever saying " Please do not create and maintain?this dichotomy of insiders and outsiders" I?hope you get my drift...

Anyway, this really to say congratulations, good luck and?I will you well from this side of the pond?!!

All the best

NAME WITHELD FOR PRIVACY

Thanks for taking the initiative to create your site.

From my brief perusal of it, I think there's quite a lot of helpful material there. I hope building the site has helped you to become more knowledgeable and comfortable with what happens at the school.

....

I have a very real interest in having non-teachers becoming a larger force in the greater waldorf movement. AWSNA, of course, is all (former) teachers, and even most successfuly waldorf administrators are (or were) teachers, too.

Take care, John. I'll look forward to reading through your site.

Best wishes,

NAME WITHELD FOR PRIVACY

Looks good! I've followed your ups and downs with the WE list and continue to be interested in the most open debate/information possible. Will forward yours around to english readers here.

Tante grazie!

NAME WITHELD FOR PRIVACY