Wed, 15 Dec 1999

Settlement offer in US Waldorf court case rejected

/ Kompromißangebot im Streit über Waldorferziehung in öffentlichen Schulen in den USA abgelehnt.

By Christian von Arnim

(See N991201-01EN - Compromise offered in dispute over Waldorf education in US public schools)

Sacramento, 15 December (NNA) - The US grouping People for Legal and Nonsectarian Schools (PLANS) has rejected a settlement offered by two schools in California aimed at resolving a court case over the use of Waldorf eductional methods in US public schools.

A full hearing of the case is now likely to take place on 28 February 2000.

PLANS claims that the Sacramento Unified School District and the Twin Ridges Elementary School teach religion in their schools because their teaching is based on Waldorf education methods.

The schools dismiss the charge and respond that while they successfully apply the Waldorf method in their teaching, they do not teach the content of anthroposophy or Rudolf Steiner's writings.

This also formed the basis of their compromise proposal of a permanent injunction prohibiting the classroom teaching of anthroposophy or the published works of Rudolf Steiner and the expenditure of school district funds for Waldorf private education courses.

At the preliminary court hearing to decide whether the case should go forward to a full hearing, the court ruled that the public school programs using Waldorf methods had a secular (non-religious) purpose. However, the judge denied the motion for summary dismissal of the case by the school districts on the grounds that he believed the case could not be decided without a hearing to resolve important facts that were in dispute.

While PLANS, perhaps uncertain of ultimate success, has promised to pursue the case as far as the US Supreme Court if necessary, the school districts have pledged to continue with their Waldorf programs and to defend them vigorously if settlement is not reached.

When the compromise offer was made at the end of last month, lawyers for the school districts said: “While we hope for early resolution of this case, if PLANS does not accept this offer the school districts will vigorously defend these programs in the federal courts.”

PLANS was formed in late 1995 by former Waldorf parents and teachers. The group comprises an unusual coalition of interests ranging from non-religious sceptics to evangelical Christians, including the right-wing Pacific Justice Institute, which has underwritten financial support for PLANS' court action.

ENDS

N991215-01EN Date: 15 December 1999

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