Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Justice
On this page, you will find:
DEIJ Resources:
Teaching About Race, A Waldorf Parent’s Guide
This guide offers developmentally appropriate ways to talk about race with children.
Words and their multiple uses reflect the tremendous diversity that characterizes our society.
Our mission is to help writers and editors think critically about using language—including words, portrayals, framing, and representation—to empower instead of limit.
DEIJ Book List
The Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Justice Committee have created a Diversity Book List to consider Click here
Our Position on Steiner’s Statements on Race:
The Waldorf School of Atlanta (WSA) is founded on the principles of education developed by Rudolf Steiner. WSA strives to offer a curriculum that serves our students’ intellectual, emotional, physical, and spiritual growth and development. Our school acknowledges that some of Steiner’s writings contain racist ideas that our school rejects. These ideas are not a basis of our curriculum or our pedagogical approach. Steiner also taught that individual work toward conscious evolution and pursuit of truth are necessary for human development. We believe the majority of Steiner’s teachings align with our school’s intention to foster a community where all students are met with dignity and respect.
We acknowledge that this work is not easy or quick, and that we may not always get it right. Nevertheless, we are committed to the continuing pursuit of improving diversity, equity, and inclusion in our school community because our students, our families, and our world deserve nothing less. It is our belief that hate and injustice directed toward any community is hate and injustice directed toward us all.
The Waldorf School of Atlanta welcomes students and their families, faculty, and staff, regardless of race, religion, gender, or sexual orientation. We are proud of our commitment to diversity at The Waldorf School of Atlanta and we work consciously to build a welcoming community that includes a diverse range of families. We support all family structures.
Our school strives to be a reflection of the rich, cultural city in which we live. As learners, teachers, parents and friends, we provide a welcoming and supportive environment where all perspectives, ideas, and ways of being are honored in authentic ways through our curriculum, school policies, and community life.
Furthermore, The Waldorf School of Atlanta is committed to providing financial assistance to families in need, and we have expanded our after school programs to support working parents.
In our commitment to our values, The Waldorf School of Atlanta has a Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice (DEIJ) Committee, the mission of which is to promote diversity, equity, and social inclusion at every level of our community. It is an ongoing commitment. We strongly believe that by supporting diversity in our school, we prepare our students for a diverse world, a global community that sees itself reflected in each of our students and is all the more vital and resilient because of them.
To read more about how Diversity and Equity are integrated into Early Childhood, Lower, and Middle School curriculum, please see links below.
The Early Childhood department at The Waldorf School of Atlanta takes a holistic approach to integrating diversity into the daily, weekly, yearly, and seasonal rhythm. WSA particularly boasts a rich and diverse curriculum experience in the Lower School and Middle School classes.
AWSNA Statement on Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion
The Association of Waldorf Schools of North America (AWSNA) recognizes the historic and ongoing impact of racism on our continent and the injustice and discrimination faced by Black, Brown, Indigenous and People of Color. We understand that racial justice in education is a journey of both moral and educational imperative. As such, we take seriously our responsibility to bear witness to what is happening in the world, to center the voices of color in justice work, and to change the course of inequities by identifying and breaking down structural racism in all forms within Waldorf education.
We acknowledge that Rudolf Steiner, founder of Waldorf education (1919), offered many profound insights that support the value and dignity of each human being and form the foundation of our organization’s histories and worldview. Yet, he also made statements that reflect harmful assertions regarding race and ethnicity. Racism, explicit or implicit, stands in direct conflict to the fundamental principles of Waldorf education. We commit to working to address any dehumanizing or disparaging aspects of our history and practices.
Advancing diversity, equity, inclusion, & justice (DEIJ) is one of the compelling forces behind AWSNA’s strategic priorities. These priorities are central to our work and aim to bring us closer to the world that we want for our youth.
We know that we have far to go as an association and as individuals in our understanding of racial oppression and social justice. Please join us by elevating your own commitment to social renewal and transformation.
As a member of the Council for Anthroposophical Organizations (CAO) AWSNA shares in a joint Commitment to Racial Justice, Equity, and Social Transformation.
“The healthy social life is found when in the mirror of each human soul the whole community finds its reflection, and when in the community the strength of each human soul is living. ”