Dear friends,
The newsletter this month is entitled ‘Homeschoolers - beware!’ because the recent events concerning public school parents in the US should really give us homeschoolers something to think about.
Unless you have been on a complete media blackout, you know that there has been an enormous amount of conflict between school administrators, teachers and union officials on the one hand, and parents on the other (and of course, because this is Real Life, there are many, many exceptions to this apparent polarization---nevertheless, if one is trying to characterize what has been happening, this is basically the situation).
Parents across the US are protesting any lingering or threatened at-home school as well as mask mandates for children. Now that injections have been approved for children, this has been added to the list.
Perhaps more complex is the situation where parents are fighting against Critical Race Theory in the classroom. Here, the real problem is that the media presents a ridiculous and unjust picture of those who object to curriculum and theory based in Critical Race Theory as being racist. What is especially egregious is even if those parents are black they are declared ‘the black face of white supremacy’, as racist a claim, in my opinion, as one could make.We saw this also in a number of situations where people like Larry Elder, Winsome Sears and Condoleeza Rice have spoken against CRT and have all been called ‘the black face of white supremacy’. While I for one have some serious political disagreements with these three individuals, to not treat them with regard to the merit of their own thoughts and opinions, but rather as people who either support or do not support a particular perceived role as a black person is in my estimation, racist, disrespectful and a sure sign that what we are dealing with here is ideology.
Ideological thinking is the enemy of free thought. Full stop. Period. It arises from a cause and is subservient to that cause---and as in every situation I can think of where ideology ruled the political and social context (French Revolution, USSR, Nazi Germany, Communist China), the ends were seen to justify the means. The glorious vision of what was to come blotted out considerations of how to get there---and my opinion is that it is not too great an exaggeration to say that a very strong globally coordinated ideological stream is becoming a major player in how governments and corporations operate.
How does this effect homeschoolers?
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Let’s not get into the details of the inroads made by queer theory and CRT (both offshoots of the same postmodernist stem) in the public school system. As homeschoolers, we can have a range of thoughts about that. Instead, let’s look for a moment at the reaction of the government to those protesting parents: the head of the DOJ (Department of Justice), one of the most powerful people in US government, took moves to investigate these parents as domestic terrorists.
I hope every one of you---including those of you outside the US where things are not so different in this respect---are paying attention. The DOJ head actually uses the term ‘domestic terrorist’ to describe these parents.
So whether you think, for instance, that teaching out of CRT and queer theory in school is good or not is irrelevant: the point here is that parents exercising their (increasingly threatened) Constitutional right to voice their opinions AND wanting to have a say in the education of their children, are basically being told that that right does not exist and further, that those foolish or naive enough to assert their rights are domestic terrorists---not akin to domestic terrorists, but de facto domestic terrorists.
Here is where homeschoolers need, in my opinion, to be very well informed and wary: what underlies this is a belief that parents do not, as a principle, know what is best for their children. This is a basic tenet of the postmodernist ideology which is at the root of these issues.
Thus teachers, administrators and government people can, on this basis, determine, without input from parents, what their children are taught.
This also means that some in the medical profession can declare that children can get vaccinations without consent of their parents.
This also means that some in medical, and educational and social work circles can declare that children can change their genders without involvement of their parents.
Just to be absolutely clear: the point is not whether one is for or against CRT or queer theory; the point is not whether one is for or against mask mandates and vaccination; the point is not whether one is for or against transgender activism: the point is that parents are not considered to be the best arbiters of their children’s welfare. Are we really ready for the full implications of what that could mean?
And so, dear homeschoolers, we need to be very careful that this ideological steamroller that is anti-parent, anti-family and, obviously, utterly anti-child (though it declares the opposite) could easily and logically set its sights on homeschoolers. Homeschoolers are very often portrayed as anti-vaxx, tinhat-wearing, right-wing, white supremacist (or black or brown face of white supremacy) conspiracy theorists. We need to be alert and prepared to fight for our continued right, as parents, to determine what is best for our children and our families.
My advice? Join your local (statewide perhaps?) homeschool organization and keep yourself informed about what legislation in your state might affect the right to homeschool.
Here are a few articles which develop the themes I have touched upon:
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Feedback from fellow homeschoolers
All feedback on The Homeschool Journey newsletter is very welcome. Indeed, including feedback from folks is becoming an exciting feature of each month’s newsletter! And...because of this, I feel comfortable in asking people to please contribute short pieces of writing for the special January 2022 newsletter which will be focused on the therapeutic aspects of Christopherus (Waldorf education). Deadline: 1 January.
Here is some lovely feedback from last month’s newsletter—both from friends in the UK.
I cannot believe the Steiner Schools have gone with the narrative. The corruption is dire.
My family rebuke it all .
Time to stand up and kick up a stink .
We are on the cusp Donna.
My solution Organic Market Stall and Organic Seed Bank in a barn on a farm.
Stand in the park groups are many around here.
I stand my ground for freedom Donna.
We are strong of mind and temperament and determined.
We can stop this .
Good Luck Donna and to your resilient family.
-Jackie Sophie and Edward UK.
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THANK YOU! I believe you are doing the right thing by speaking about the current global situation and I believe your words were true and well constructed. I am finding great support simply in knowing that you are aware of what is happening and doing what you can to support as many people as you can. Whenever I feel anxiety creeping into my heart about what is happening in this world and when I try to imagine my children growing out into it, I find vital strength in imagining the community of other people who feel the same, with courage, wisdom and compassion and devotion.
As you continue to remind us all, homeschooling isn't just about teaching our children information, it is all-encompassing, 24/7 parenting and guiding our children so that they will have happy childhoods and become resilient, creative, loving adults who will thrive in whatever world they live in and help to make it a better place. Raising children in these times is a scary thing! so, I feel profound gratitude to you for offering special support to us parents.
-NG, UK
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Office closed
Please note that the Christopherus office will be completely closed during the Christian Holy Nights, a very important time of peace, silence and reflection for those of us whose spiritual path has a special focus on these Nights.
The office will be closed from 24 December through 6 January.
Orders may be placed but will not be sent until 7 January.
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Christopherus conference
Although the deadline for our very special Christopherus conference in Spring Valley NY the weekend of 10 December has passed, if you suddenly realize you can come, please get in touch. This conference is based largely on the talks referred to below—it is not for everyone! If you are using Christopherus and are interested in this conference, please do listen to those talks and perhaps read through various newsletters to make sure you will be comfortable not only with the content of the weekend, but its focus. donna@christopherushomeschool.org
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Talks
As referred to above, I recorded a series of six talks called Parenting in Dark Times on our social media group, locals. Anyone, by the way, can join for free and read and also view recorded talks. Those who pay a small fee support Christopherus’ work and also can comment on various posts and make posts of their own.
This Sunday, 21 November at noon Eastern Time I will be giving another talk. This one is called Homeschool Prepping….and follows on from the other six talks as it will be about developing the tranquility and non attachment necessary to weather the challenges of our increasingly difficult world. As with the other talks, it will be recorded and people are welcome to listen later. Supporters are encouraged to post questions, feedback and their own thoughts about the topic.
By the way, in the last of the six talks, Help from the Spiritual World, I read out a poem and told listeners I would print it here. Here it is:
An Angel Speaks by Christian Morgenstern
O, if you knew how your countenance
is changed, when in the midst
of that pure gaze which can unite you with me,
your hold upon yourself is lost
and you turn away.
Just as a landscape in clear light
may suddenly cloud over, do you close
yourself against me, and I have to wait
and wait in silence, often long.
And if I were like you, a human being,
the pain of disdained love would kill me.
But since the Father has given me unending patience,
I wait for you unshaken
and expectant, whenever it may be you come.
And even this gentle reproach
take not as reproach—only as pure message.
Til December,
blessings on your homeschool journey,
Donna
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