Man accused of child sexual offences features on Rudolf Steiner School video

A controversial school re-opened its doors this week '“ but with a relaunched website which featured a video of a man previously accused of child sex offences.
By The Newsroom
Published 20th Sep 2018, 10:42 BST
Updated 20th Sep 2018, 11:43 BST
Rudolf Steiner SchoolRudolf Steiner School
Rudolf Steiner School

Rudolf Steiner School Kings Langley (RSSKL) was forced to close in June following a catalogue of problems with safeguarding, leadership, and an inability to get insurance.

Nonetheless the school this week resumed running its kindergarten on the same premises.

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But the school’s website featured Eugene Schwartz, a man who taught at one of RSSKL’s sister schools in America before he left amid claims of possessing indecent images of children.

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Mr Schwartz has denied the offences.

RSSKL removed the video after being contacted by the Gazette.

A spokesman for RSSKL said: “Thank you for bringing this to our attention.

“The video in question has been removed from our website immediately, until we have more information.”

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RSSKL is a Waldorf school, part of an international group which follows its own curriculum.

All Waldorf schools are autonomous, but are part of an organisation which has around 1,200 schools across every continent including approximately 800 in Europe and 200 in North America.

Mr Schwartz was employed at another school in the group, called Green Meadow Waldorf School, from 1981-2005.

Nine years after leaving Green Meadow, Mr Schwartz is understood to have issued a writ against the school at the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania.

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He claimed that the school sent a letter to hundreds of people which featured allegations that he “was in possession of child pornography” at his home.

The allegations were not passed to police by Green Meadow Waldorf School and it is believed that no criminal charges were ever brought.

>Teaching of older children has also resumed at RSSKL – but the school say that this is not a sign that the school has re-opened.

Instead they say that this is being done on a private scale in smaller group.

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A school spokesman said: “Some parents have asked to hire out some rooms so that they can employ their own tutors.

“They will all have to show public liability insurance and enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks.”