Financing Waldorf Schools
From: Frank Thomas Smith
Date: Thu Feb 12, 2004 6:26 pm
Subject: Financing Waldorf Schools - 1 of 2
Dear Christine,
I finally read your paper on funding a Waldorf
School, thanks to Jo Ann, who dug it out of the archives for
me. You ideas are most interesting and I would therefore like
to comment on them in relation to our previous exchange re Waldorf
methods in public schools. Your paper relates only to the funding
of Waldorf schools and I consider them totally relevant in that
context. I especially like the idea of "tithing" relatives
and friends. In fact, we tried something similar here a few years
back, but with a less descriptive explanation. It worked to a
limited extent, but for some reason, lack of organization probably,
it wasn't followed up. Maybe I'll push for it again, with more
elaboration this time. I am less sanguine about obtaining money
from business - because I've tried it and have found that unless
people with power within a business organization have some tie
to Waldorf education or anthroposophy, the chances of getting
money from them are next to nil. The Ford Foundation Director
in Argentina once told me that their school donation budget is
directed to poor public schools - and there are many very poor
dismally under funded ones here. Waldorf schools, on the other
hand, are for the middle to upper middle classes, as well as
the "alternative" lunatic fringe. Though they may be
temporarily impoverished, they should be able to finance the
schools themselves or get off the pot (more polite words to that
effect).
Where WE however, is directed to the poor,
substantial help is forthcoming. An example is the work in the
favelas of Brazil initiated by Ute Craemer. I was able to organize
funding for her from Switzerland when she was starting out. Now
the work is huge and funding still comes from individuals, but
also from companies, foundations and city and state entities.
But the beneficiaries are really poor and couldn't possibly finance
any part of the activities themselves. This type of altruistic
social educative work attracts interest and assistance. Average
Waldorf schools do not, for the reason stated above.
Frank Thomas Smith
http://SouthernCrossReview.org
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From: Frank Thomas Smith
Date: Thu Feb 12, 2004 6:28 pm
Subject: Financing Waldorf Schools - 2 of 2
It should also be borne in mind that economic
activity has changed drastically since Steiner's time. We are
in an age when an organization I never heard of is about to buy
out Disney - against the latter's will - for 60 billion dollars.
If the Waldorf factory still existed today, it would be part
of Phillip Morris. Economic activity has become more and more
anonymous and can therefore only consider the bottom line - profit.
The concept of the threefold society, however, is not limited
to Waldorf schools. It says that all educational institutions
should be free from political state influence. As I think you
mention, all school funding originates in the economic sphere.
However, the tax money paid by individuals and enterprises makes
a detour through the state and arrives at the schools with strings
attached, i.e, state control. The alternative to this would be
if these taxes ("forced" donations) passed directly
to the schools, possibly through regional educational NGOs. Or,
if the money must go through the state, law should insure that
a certain percentage according to need - determined by the schools
themselves or the NGO - goes to the schools with no strings.
This of course means all schools, including public. The school
voucher system also seems to be a good idea, though I don't know
about the difficulties it may be experiencing in practice. In
either case, all kinds of schools and methods could survive and
parents could choose without fear of bankruptcy. If Waldorf Education
is superior, then more will choose it and it will flourish.
Frank
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From: golden3000997
Date: Thu Feb 12, 2004 6:47 pm
Subject: Re: [anthroposophy_tomorrow] Financing Waldorf Schools
- 1 of 2
In a message dated 2/12/2004 9:34:05 PM Eastern
Standard Time, franksmith writes:
I am less sanguine about obtaining money
from business - because I've tried it and have found that unless
people with power within a business organization have some tie
to Waldorf education or anthroposophy, the chances of getting
money from them are next to nil.
Hi Frank,
Thank you for taking the time to read my little
thesis. I would like to point out in relation to what you said
above, that my ideas do not involve (at least not primarily)
the seeking of funding FROM businesses. My ideas involve CREATING
businesses! That is an entirely different emphasis.
I would like to say for those reading this
particular exchange that reading all of the article is essential
because it has several different aspects which are necessary
to weave together to make the whole work.
If you like the ideas, Frank, I would lovingly
suggest that you live with them a while before "taking them
out on the road." They are very, very radical and would
probably not work unless a really firm foundation were laid first
within the community itself. It would have to be a very concious
step in a very definite social direction. The intention would
be to get out of the "rich school/ poor school" rut
and into the creation of a viable financial reality for the entire
community.
Thanks again!
: ) Christine
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From: golden3000997
Date: Thu Feb 12, 2004 7:02 pm
Subject: Re: [anthroposophy_tomorrow] Financing Waldorf Schools
- 2 of 2
In a message dated 2/12/2004 9:39:06 PM Eastern
Standard Time, franksmith writes:
As I think you mention, all school funding
originates in the economic sphere. However, the tax money paid
by individuals and enterprises makes a detour through the state
and arrives at the schools with strings attached, i.e, state
control. The alternative to this would be if these taxes ("forced"
donations) passed directly to the schools, possibly through regional
educational NGOs.
Hello again!
As I am sure you are well aware, Frank, I
have lately come under intense scrutiny by the Waldorf Critics
and I am sure that they are going to read every word by me and
in reference to me very carefully. So, I really need to clarify
here that no where in MY article do I talk about using any tax
money to fund Waldorf schools anywhere in the world. Tax money
is no part of my thesis.
I understand that you are speaking of tax
money and vouchers as thoughts of your own in response to ideas
I have brought up, but the way the two first sentences above
are abutted together really indicates that somewhere I speak
of tax money from "individuals and enterprises" as
part of my thesis on Waldorf funding. I don't.
I am also not talking about "mega business"
but a range of small and medium size local businesses like a
corner laundromat or local coffee shop or hardware store. If
the community has the knowledge, expertise and capital resources
within it to create larger businesses, or if there are larger
businesses owned or co-owned by people who are members of the
community (not donors - members) of the social community that
comprises the school itself, that would be great. But I am not
speaking about "begging" from an outside source. In
fact, I would prefer to reject accepting donations at all unless
they were "matching fund" donations - in other words,
that the community had to raise an equal amount of money before
the donation could be accepted at all. Yes, I am talking about
turning down money! And I elaborate on my reasons (as best I
can in a short article.)
I'm not saying that my ideas are altogether
perfect, but I do think they are 1. workable and 2. more in keeping
with both the funding of the first Waldorf School and some basic
concepts of the Threefold Social order than the methods being
used today.
Disney thing is weird, though, huh? Who ARE
these mega buck people?
: ) Christine
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From: golden3000997
Date: Thu Feb 12, 2004 8:21 pm
Subject: Re: [anthroposophy_tomorrow] Financing Waldorf Schools
- 2 of 2
Hi again Frank!
I just "refreshed" myself on my
own article and I don't think I really explained the corporate
thing very well, so I will have to work on that some more. You
can definitely get from what I wrote the sense of approaching
"outside" corporations. And there is nothing really
wrong with that. But it will most likely run into the kinds of
roadblocks you have already mentioned, unless someone fairly
high up on the "totem pole" has some connection to
the Waldorf (or potential Waldorf) community per se. I will work
on this part more. I put much more work into the Radical Tuition
part, obviously. Also, this is pretty much an outline and the
whole thing needs to be dug into more.
But - I will confirm that NOWHERE am I talking
about tax or government money!!! This is really important!!!
Business-wise, I think much more could be
worked on about creating local businesses. I am sure that there
are lots and lots of resources out there and lots of potential
advisors. Why not start businesses with the express intention
of using some of the profits to fund community projects like
schools? And I am NOT talking about siphoning off the lion's
share - just a committment to a 2.5%, 5% or 10% of the actual
profits. So, if the profits of the laundromat are $100.00 in
a given month and the pledge is 5%, then the business owners
send in $5.00. If there are no profits, the business doesn't
send in anything, but they are not "breaking" any promises.
But on the brighter side, let's say that there are 10 businesses
- a laundromat, a grocery store, a cafe, a book store, a hardware
store, a plumbing business, an auto repair garage, a lawncare
company, a printing shop (like a Kinkos) and a home construction
company.
Each business owner or set of co-owners is
either a member of the local community that wants to have a Waldorf
school or is associated with some of the members of the community,
or are people who already want to support the work of Waldorf
schools in general and have chosen to work with a particular
community to do so. Each business works with that part of the
school community that is specifically working in the Economic
Sphere of the school per se (separate, unposted article about
Waldorf School Structure). Each business freely decides what
level of pledge they wish to make for the coming year, calendar
or fiscal, whatever works best. Each makes this decision based
on 1. how closely they feel connected to the project and 2. what
ever other financial committments they may have.
So let's "fantasize" a breakdown
of pledges that our ten businesses have made:
Laundromat - 5%
Grocery Store - 2.5%
Cafe - 2.5%
Book Store - 10%
hardware store - 5%
plumbing business - 10%
auto repair garage - 5%
lawncare company - 2.5%
printing shop - 2.5%
home construction company - 5%
Now, let's "fantasize" what our
10 business make in Net Profits for the Fiscal Year:
( I have no idea if these numbers are "realistic" -
doesn't matter - for the purposes of illustration only)
Laundromat - $6,000.00
Grocery Store - $36,000.00
Cafe - $50,000.00
Book Store - $22,000.00
hardware store - $12,000.00
plumbing business - $30,000.00
auto repair garage - $24,000.00
lawncare company - $6,000.00
printing shop - $12,000.00
home construction company - $50,000.00
Not a lot, huh? Certainly "small local
businesses" Profits, remember, though, not total income.
Now, let's break it down by pledge:
Laundromat 0.05 $6,000.00 $300.00
Grocery Store 0.025 $36,000.00 $900.00
Café 0.025 $50,000.00 $1,250.00
Book Store 0.1 $22,000.00 $2,200.00
hardware store 0.05 $12,000.00 $600.00
plumbing business 0.1 $30,000.00 $3,000.00
auto repair garage 0.05 $24,000.00 $1,200.00
lawncare company 0.025 $6,000.00 $150.00
printing shop 0.025 $12,000.00 $300.00
home construction company 0.05 $50,000.00 $2,500.00
Total Pledge Income $12,400.00
OK, so it's not millions, but it could make
a world of difference to a small school in a "poor"
area. And the amounts of money from each company certainly would
not "break their budget". It certainly wouldn't be
like asking for $12,000.00 from one business.
Now, please, please tell me I am under-fantasizing
and that the potential for much larger totals is there!
Also, for anyone "listening in"
who hasn't read the other parts of the treatise, this is not
the "sole source" of income for the school, obviously.
It's just the model of the business connection.
Do-able? Even in a rural area? What do you
think? I happen to think it could be really energizing. And like
I said in the article, the businesses among these that are actually
created by community members would then potentially be able to
hire community members who need jobs!!! Cool, huh? LOTS more
ideas could grow from this kind of start.
I heard once - totally apocryphal unless someone
knows where it is written down - that Steiner said he wished
the guy who invented the zipper had been an Anthroposophist!
: ) Christine
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From: Frank Thomas Smith
Date: Tue Feb 17, 2004 2:19 pm
Subject: RE: [anthroposophy_tomorrow] Financing Waldorf Schools
- 1 of 2
Dear Christine,
Hi Frank,
Thank you for taking the time to read my
little thesis. I would like to point out in relation to what
you said above, that my ideas do not involve (at least not primarily)
the seeking of funding FROM businesses. My ideas involve CREATING
businesses! That is an entirely different emphasis.
(snip)
We have 2 "creating business" initiatives
going. One is honey. The school now has 20 hives. There was a
fairly large (for us) initial investment and the guy (parent)
takes a 300 pesos a month "salary" - about 2/3 of a
teacher's. But he deserves it, because it's a lot of work, and
complicated. It's been going on about a year, still at a loss,
mostly because there was a drought, but it seems to have good
prospects. The other, also a parent initiative, is to make wooden
W-toys to sell in Buenos Aires, even export. Labor is very cheap
here, so it's a good idea and with the exchange rate, the stuff
is dirt cheap, especially in Europe. The guy wanted some starting
capital, which he got. But then he got stuck in his own personal
affairs and the thing is going nowhere. The point I'm making
is that ideas are cheap, though necessary, but someone's got
to carry them out - and that's the hard part.
Frank
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