Educational Equity in the sphere of Bildung? The alternative case for Waldorf education

Abstract

Inclusive and equitable quality education is one of the Sustainable Development Goals ratified by the General Assembly in 2015. The principle that equity is provided through education has become one of the key values that govern policy in education systems worldwide. This article problematise the development of politicised and instrumental use of equity in educational policies. We argue that the politicised use of equity has entailed instrumentalisation of education, whereby fundamental pedagogical ideals and humane values have been delimited and lost. The politicised rhetorical use of “educational equity” is in the article scrutinised through the lens of Bildung and the didactics of Waldorf education. We suggest that the didactical practices established in Waldorf schools exemplify an education that operates according to a broader principle of equity, including “spaces for becoming” and subjectification. The article summons up, suggesting that it is a crucial issue for the future of a democratic and equal society that teaching in schools rests up such a border understanding of education, teaching and learning.