According to an independent study in 2005, Waldorf pupils are least hostile to foreigners of all German pupils.
The study that was done by the Criminological Research Institute in Niedersachsen, was made at the request of the Greens in the German parliament, to investigate the extent of right wing extremism and hostility to foreigners among pupils at German schools.
Hostility to non-Germans
Acording to the study, of German pupils with two German parents, 24.7 % of the pupils at ”Hauptschulen” (main schools) expressed hostility to non-Germans.
The same holds for 20.2 % of the pupils at ”Realschulen”, 16.3 % of the pupils at ”Gesamtschulen” and 8.4 % of the pupils at ”Gymnasien” (High Schools).
Among pupils at Waldorf schools, the percentage of pupils who expressed hostility to non-Germans was lowest among all German pupils, 2.4%.
Right wing extremist views
The results were similar with regard to extremist right wing views.
The percentage of pupils who expressed extremist right wing attitudes was 9.5 % at ”Hauptschulen” (main schools), 6.0 % for pupils at ”Realschulen”, 4.8 % at ”Gesamtschulen”, and 2.8 % for pupils at ”Gymnasien” (High Schools).
The corresponding figure for pupils at Waldorf schools was 1.2 %.
Reference:
Dirk Baier, Susann Rabold, Christian Pfeiffer (Kriminologisches Forschungsinstitut Niedersachsen): Ausmaß, Ursachen und Entwicklung von fremdenfeindlichen und rechtsextremen Einstellungen bei deutschen Jugendlichen. Stellungnahme zum Antrag der Fraktion Bündnis 90/Die Grünen betreffend der Bekämpfung des Rechtsextremismus in Hessen (Drucksache 16/6708)
