The geekling’s three other parents and I have been looking at different schools for her in Seattle. It’s been an interesting process. So interesting, in fact, that it’s (you guessed it) bloggable.



The first parent tour we went on was the Seattle Waldorf School, and boy are they a trip! We had some idea of the Waldorf curriculum going in. We dutifully read the full-color glossy book they had sent to our house a few weeks earlier. We’d poked around the website. We liked the idea that the kids have the same class and teacher through all of 1st-8th grade. We liked the idea of a well-researched, pre-set curriculum. The geekling is in Suzuki violin, after all, so we’re no stranger to strict lesson plans with lots of parent involvement.

We got there and were taken to the music room (all Waldorf kids learn to play violin, so it was stuffed with string instruments), and encouraged to look at laminated books of classroom work produced by different grade levels. The very polite and perky admissions officer told us that these books contained the best work produced by Waldorf students. She seemed to think this was something to be proud of. It sounded more to us like an apologetic admission that not all of their students produce this level of work.


There was also propaganda from the national Waldorf organization, one with a sexy headshot of Julianna Margulies and a blockquote about how much Waldorf education had taught her about critical thinking. That’s good, we thought, our daughter could be an actress who’s good at critical thinking!

That’s when we got off on the wrong foot. My partner Brian has mild dyslexia and a hand tremor, and depends heavily on typing and spell-check in order to be the fantastic writer that he is. He has built much of his career around securing accessible technology for people with disabilities so that they can participate in the internet and democracy and all that tasty stuff. Brian’s first question for the admissions director was naturally about technology in the classroom.

Little did we know, the subject of technology is in fact a minefield in Waldorf education. They have zero technology in the curriculum until high school. The admissions director got rather defensive, picked up one of the display books of student work, and delivered a short lecture/sermon on how important handwriting is to human development. I hadn’t realized until she said it that the workbooks, even the high school ones, were entirely done by hand. Not one typed word, not one photograph.

We bit our tongues and looked slightly shocked as this poor woman who had just essentially told Brian that he could never become a fully developed human being tucked a wisp of hair back behind her ear and asked for more questions. She didn’t know. Technology is not a dealbreaker, we thought. If there’s one experience the geekling will go into adolescence lacking, it ain’t technology.

Then we went on the classroom tours. It became obvious that they had orchestrated our arrival in certain classrooms at certain times. The whole thing felt more like a performance than an observation. The math and history lessons we watched seemed academically solid and very engaging. The classroom sizes were strange though. They only have one classroom for each grade, but some classrooms had 12 kids, and some had 29, some skewed heavily toward girls, some heavily toward boys. There was about one token minority kid in each classroom. It gave the impression that they accept everyone who applies, and if they get all white kids, then they find somebody who knows a minority kid and beg them to take a full-ride scholarship. I’m sure that’s not true, but that’s the impression the demographics led to.

We went to the kindergarten classroom last, and learned that, although Waldorf kids spend two years in kindergarten, they learn zero academics. It then occurred to me that we had seen virtually no reading and writing in the lower grade classrooms we had visited.

After the tour, since the geekling will be going into second grade, we asked to see the first grade classroom (which will be the second grade classroom next year), and we were told that was not allowed. The perky lady would be happy to introduce us to the first grade teacher at the open house later in the year, but the first grade classroom was not “ready to be observed”.

Throughout the tour, Denise, the geekling’s bio-mom (one-fourth of our super-hero parenting team), continually commented on the style in which the walls were painted. Not being a painting or home-improvement person myself, I had no idea what she was talking about.

Well, it turns out that the style of wall painting is in fact a hallmark of Waldorf schools called lazuring, and Denise’s investigation of it turned over all sorts of interesting things about the Waldorf philosophy that weren’t highlighted in the glossy catalogs. It turns out that it’s actually really controversial.

It’s not just technology that younger kids are shooed away from. It’s also strange stuff like black crayons. Here is Waldorf-founder Rudolph Steiner on the color black:

Now submerge yourself in black; you are completely surrounded by black–in this black darkness a physical being can do nothing. Life is driven out of the plant when it becomes carbon. Black shows itself alien to life, hostile to life; when plants are carbonized they turn black. Life, then can do nothing in blackness. And the soul? Our soul life deserts us when this awful blackness is within us.

According to Open Waldorf, younger Waldorf students generally aren’t allowed to use the color black, and are encouraged to wait until they are older to even draw specific forms.

The first Waldorf school was opened in 1920 with the intent to create adults who could live independently. This is why they taught house-building, farming, spinning, and knitting in addition to traditional academics. Unfortunately, the founder died in 1925. Waldorf schools today, rather than holding true to the vision of independent adults and evolving their curriculum to new definitions of independence, have instead held true to their curriculum are giving the adults of 2020 the skills that the adults of 1920 required. An adult today with nothing in life but the skills of 1920 would be begging on the street. An adult today with a decent command of Outlook, Excel, and social networking has the beginnings of a career.

All in all, I don’t think we’ll be applying. There are some good things about Waldorf. It’s definitely different, and our educational system could certainly use a shakeup. But I felt like I was given a dog and pony show during the tour, and I don’t have confidence that the curriculum will be competitive at the college level.

Have you been to a Waldorf school? Know someone who has? Leave a comment with your impressions.

Posted by Sarah Davies, filed under education, geekling, kids, life, Seattle, technology, Waldorf. Date: October 23, 2008, 2:06 pm | View Comments

  • Jeff

    I’ve got a friend who teaches in the Waldorf school down here in Portland. She adores it without subscribing to the crazy.

  • Jeff

    I’ve got a friend who teaches in the Waldorf school down here in Portland. She adores it without subscribing to the crazy.

  • http://sarahdavies.cc/2008/10/29/giddens-school/ Giddens School | Sarah Davies

    [...] We’re looking for a new school for the geekling, and I’m blogging the whole fascinating process. If you missed it, installment one was the black-crayon-banning Seattle Waldorf School. [...]

  • http://sarahdavies.cc/2008/11/07/spruce-street-school/ Spruce Street School | Sarah Davies

    [...] fascinating process. If you missed it, the first two installments were the black-crayon-banning Seattle Waldorf School, and the school/homeless food delivery service [...]

  • Carlo

    I am in the early stages of researching the minority enrollment in various private schools in Seattle for an article. Your blog, and conversations with a Waldorf senior, leads me to believe that diversity is not a priority at that school. He has never had an African-American in his class and once in a while has had an Asian, or more infrequently, a Hispanic student. He said that this has fostered a somewhat racist banter among the students, despite the fact that almost all of them have been raised by NPR membership carrying, Whole Foods shopping, dyed in the wool liberals. I find this interesting. He also told me that if I was to really publish an article to this effect, it would touch a lot of nerves at the school, which is also copacetic with what you observed. An interesting topic, to me at least.

  • Carlo

    I am in the early stages of researching the minority enrollment in various private schools in Seattle for an article. Your blog, and conversations with a Waldorf senior, leads me to believe that diversity is not a priority at that school. He has never had an African-American in his class and once in a while has had an Asian, or more infrequently, a Hispanic student. He said that this has fostered a somewhat racist banter among the students, despite the fact that almost all of them have been raised by NPR membership carrying, Whole Foods shopping, dyed in the wool liberals. I find this interesting. He also told me that if I was to really publish an article to this effect, it would touch a lot of nerves at the school, which is also copacetic with what you observed. An interesting topic, to me at least.

  • Sabine

    Dear Sarah,

    I just read your article, and I can imagine in this day and age that you are shocked about what you have seen in the school.
    I studied Art Therapy, based on Waldorf, since then worked on a lot of Waldorf schools in the Netherlands, South-Africa (special needs) and Thailand. I had an upbringing that helped me develop the artistic qualities in myself – I am somehow dyslectic in Dutch but not so much in English, which was good since we learned English all through our schoolyears. Even though I was not strong on writing and mathematics – the way I was thought (rhythmic and visual) made me a stronger person. I loved the fact that it is not only the intellect that is triggered all the time but also movement, feeling, emotion, working together, creating with your hands. It had it’s succes and I ended up gratuating Masters at University.
    At home I had acces to a computer from an early age, I am now 34 and I work with a computer since I think I was about 9 – programming basic at home. It also helped me use creativity, and indeed working on a computer at home with spellcheck also helped me write. I think you can combine the two – I do agree that the school might not like the idea, but I also think that having the two next to each other can help a lot with the development. If I sometimes see here, in schools where I also work that are not Waldorf, that teachers let the children work a lot on the computer and kids who are not selfconciouss about their artwork or their spelling get comments like: ‘that is not a house’ ‘that does not look like a cow, try it again’ or: you misspelled that for the umpteenth time…. I think sometimes Waldorf teachers have a more loving and comforting way of paying attention to their children.

    About the size of a class: I believe that classes should be about 25 kids max. That some classes are more girls and some more boys – I think that will happen in all (small) schools, I see it here as well.

    I think that strong, independent children are formed in Waldorf schools and at home!

    I hope you find a great school for your geekling :D Take good care, and if you have any questions, do not hesitate to email me!
    Sabine

  • Sabine

    Dear Sarah,

    I just read your article, and I can imagine in this day and age that you are shocked about what you have seen in the school.
    I studied Art Therapy, based on Waldorf, since then worked on a lot of Waldorf schools in the Netherlands, South-Africa (special needs) and Thailand. I had an upbringing that helped me develop the artistic qualities in myself – I am somehow dyslectic in Dutch but not so much in English, which was good since we learned English all through our schoolyears. Even though I was not strong on writing and mathematics – the way I was thought (rhythmic and visual) made me a stronger person. I loved the fact that it is not only the intellect that is triggered all the time but also movement, feeling, emotion, working together, creating with your hands. It had it’s succes and I ended up gratuating Masters at University.
    At home I had acces to a computer from an early age, I am now 34 and I work with a computer since I think I was about 9 – programming basic at home. It also helped me use creativity, and indeed working on a computer at home with spellcheck also helped me write. I think you can combine the two – I do agree that the school might not like the idea, but I also think that having the two next to each other can help a lot with the development. If I sometimes see here, in schools where I also work that are not Waldorf, that teachers let the children work a lot on the computer and kids who are not selfconciouss about their artwork or their spelling get comments like: ‘that is not a house’ ‘that does not look like a cow, try it again’ or: you misspelled that for the umpteenth time…. I think sometimes Waldorf teachers have a more loving and comforting way of paying attention to their children.

    About the size of a class: I believe that classes should be about 25 kids max. That some classes are more girls and some more boys – I think that will happen in all (small) schools, I see it here as well.

    I think that strong, independent children are formed in Waldorf schools and at home!

    I hope you find a great school for your geekling :D Take good care, and if you have any questions, do not hesitate to email me!
    Sabine

  • Sara

    I am a young mom of of a 9th grader and 1st grader at Seattle Waldorf School. I understand that you can easily jump to conclusions about Waldorf. You are completely wrong in just about everything you said. It’s an absolutely beautiful and well rounded education. My son went to public school for a few years and I have siblings that go to public school. My son is insanely different than most other kids. He’s a punk snowboarder who can quote poetry, play all different instruments, speak clearly about any topic, and do advanced physics. It’s rare that a Waldorf student ends up at the local Community College. Universities prefer Waldorf students because of the education they have received. They know that the average Waldorf student works at a Graduate level. My son can also use excel and all the other bullshit. Don’t judge a book by it’s cover.

  • Sara

    I am a young mom of of a 9th grader and 1st grader at Seattle Waldorf School. I understand that you can easily jump to conclusions about Waldorf. You are completely wrong in just about everything you said. It’s an absolutely beautiful and well rounded education. My son went to public school for a few years and I have siblings that go to public school. My son is insanely different than most other kids. He’s a punk snowboarder who can quote poetry, play all different instruments, speak clearly about any topic, and do advanced physics. It’s rare that a Waldorf student ends up at the local Community College. Universities prefer Waldorf students because of the education they have received. They know that the average Waldorf student works at a Graduate level. My son can also use excel and all the other bullshit. Don’t judge a book by it’s cover.

  • Ann

    You should check out the Waldorf cosmology. Very nutty. I inquired about the cosmology at a tour, and in fact, many of the staff embrace it. Also, the Waldorf program does not adequately cover math & science. I doubt the mother who stated her son can do “advanced physics” knows what she’s talking about (sorry to sound so harsh).

  • Ann

    You should check out the Waldorf cosmology. Very nutty. I inquired about the cosmology at a tour, and in fact, many of the staff embrace it. Also, the Waldorf program does not adequately cover math & science. I doubt the mother who stated her son can do “advanced physics” knows what she’s talking about (sorry to sound so harsh).

  • Ann

    http://www.awsna.org/jelinekarticle.pdf

    Just one of many papers on the topic. Waldorf cannot differentiate real science from their underlying philosophical/religious beliefs. The Waldorf vision does have some attractive features, but if your kid turns out to have scientific leanings, this program could be a disservice.

  • Ann

    http://www.awsna.org/jelinekarticle.pdf

    Just one of many papers on the topic. Waldorf cannot differentiate real science from their underlying philosophical/religious beliefs. The Waldorf vision does have some attractive features, but if your kid turns out to have scientific leanings, this program could be a disservice.

  • Ann

    http://www.awsna.org/jelinekarticle.pdf

    Just one of many papers on the topic. Waldorf cannot differentiate real science from their underlying philosophical/religious beliefs. The Waldorf vision does have some attractive features, but if your kid turns out to have scientific leanings, this program could be a disservice.

  • Nate

    I attend the Seattle Waldorf High School, I jumped in Jan, 09 and I must say it is a shock. I came from a high technology, cutting edge school in bellevue, then went to a no technology outdoor school then went here.

    Now, as a well stickered-Macbook whoring, fight-the-oppression, blogger type, the lack of computers in the curriculum was appalling to say the least. As of September we have a new high school student website, Student e-mails and the like, which isn’t being used as much as it should.

    When it comes to high school I am confident that the science and mathematics is up to spiff. I think the hardcore waldorf morals and philosophy dies down a lot when we hit high school. Because, the real-world is loaded-down an truckin’ and we need to keep up.

    As for any admission director, administrator type. We, as students, think they are full of shit. Which causes problems, there is unrest amongst the students here. Mostly regarding the direction of where the school is headed. Weather we can trust the Admins and Board of Directors to listen to what us, the Student Council and thus the students want to see in our future.

    As for accommodating, I personally have very mild dyslexia and I can’t write any papers, I have to type. For as long as I have been here we have been told to type most of our assignments for our workbooks. The flexibility is the main reason I am the school.

    As for the defensive young mother from above, Hi. I don’t know you. I probably know your son, just there are a lot of punk snowboarders. But if you look at some of this rationally you might find some holes in the curriculum, any-who, have a great day. I hope you don’t hit me with a shovel the next time I see you.

    If anyone has any questions feel free to ask me.

    Nate Gallagher
    ngallagher@Seattlewaldorf dot org
    Class of 2011, Student Treasurer and Representative.

  • Nate

    I attend the Seattle Waldorf High School, I jumped in Jan, 09 and I must say it is a shock. I came from a high technology, cutting edge school in bellevue, then went to a no technology outdoor school then went here.

    Now, as a well stickered-Macbook whoring, fight-the-oppression, blogger type, the lack of computers in the curriculum was appalling to say the least. As of September we have a new high school student website, Student e-mails and the like, which isn’t being used as much as it should.

    When it comes to high school I am confident that the science and mathematics is up to spiff. I think the hardcore waldorf morals and philosophy dies down a lot when we hit high school. Because, the real-world is loaded-down an truckin’ and we need to keep up.

    As for any admission director, administrator type. We, as students, think they are full of shit. Which causes problems, there is unrest amongst the students here. Mostly regarding the direction of where the school is headed. Weather we can trust the Admins and Board of Directors to listen to what us, the Student Council and thus the students want to see in our future.

    As for accommodating, I personally have very mild dyslexia and I can’t write any papers, I have to type. For as long as I have been here we have been told to type most of our assignments for our workbooks. The flexibility is the main reason I am the school.

    As for the defensive young mother from above, Hi. I don’t know you. I probably know your son, just there are a lot of punk snowboarders. But if you look at some of this rationally you might find some holes in the curriculum, any-who, have a great day. I hope you don’t hit me with a shovel the next time I see you.

    If anyone has any questions feel free to ask me.

    Nate Gallagher
    ngallagher@Seattlewaldorf dot org
    Class of 2011, Student Treasurer and Representative.

  • Jesse Michener

    Hi, Sarah. I came across your blog and read your post with great interest. I work for SWS now but before that I was a parent pursuing a different kind of education for my kids. I appreciate your questioning about Waldorf–I think it’s important to go into any decision as big as the education of a child with eyes wide open. I do think some of your assumptions are not quite on track with how I understand the workings of the school and Waldorf education in general. If you’d like deeper discussion about it, I’d be happy to meet with you!

    Jesse Michener
    Director of Development
    Seattle Waldorf School
    development at SeattleWaldorf dot org

  • Jesse Michener

    Hi, Sarah. I came across your blog and read your post with great interest. I work for SWS now but before that I was a parent pursuing a different kind of education for my kids. I appreciate your questioning about Waldorf–I think it’s important to go into any decision as big as the education of a child with eyes wide open. I do think some of your assumptions are not quite on track with how I understand the workings of the school and Waldorf education in general. If you’d like deeper discussion about it, I’d be happy to meet with you!

    Jesse Michener
    Director of Development
    Seattle Waldorf School
    development at SeattleWaldorf dot org

  • Jesse Michener

    Hi, Sarah. I came across your blog and read your post with great interest. I work for SWS now but before that I was a parent pursuing a different kind of education for my kids. I appreciate your questioning about Waldorf–I think it’s important to go into any decision as big as the education of a child with eyes wide open. I do think some of your assumptions are not quite on track with how I understand the workings of the school and Waldorf education in general. If you’d like deeper discussion about it, I’d be happy to meet with you!

    Jesse Michener
    Director of Development
    Seattle Waldorf School
    development at SeattleWaldorf dot org

  • Melvin

    @ Sara -

    Can your enlightened punk snowboarder son meet someone who has attended the local community college and not judge them as you seem to?

    Sorry, your comments reek of elitism and affluenza.

  • Melvin

    @ Sara -

    Can your enlightened punk snowboarder son meet someone who has attended the local community college and not judge them as you seem to?

    Sorry, your comments reek of elitism and affluenza.

  • http://smrtlernins.com/2010/11/16/ask-a-smrt-homeschooler-about-the-waldorf-method/ “Ask a [Smrt] Homeschooler” about the Waldorf method » Smrt Lernins

    [...] with Waldorf or with specific aspects of the method. Other parents have had experiences like this blogger’s and written about it. You can also find many sites and accounts that praise the method, including [...]

  • PK

    Here are some of my experiences with Waldorf.
    My 20-year brush with Waldorf education has been a nightmare. Sharks feed in muddy waters!!!

    http://petekaraiskos.blogspot.com/search?updated-min=2010-01-01T00%3A00%3A00-08%3A00&updated-max=2011-01-01T00%3A00%3A00-08%3A00&max-results=22

  • Margaret Sachs

    Sarah,

    You dodged a bullet. Our 12-year involvement in Waldorf also ended up being a nightmare, as it did for PK below. One of our children was happy at the school; the other was emotionally and psychologically battered.

    Because of questionable teaching theories in the basics, pseudo-science, the emphasis on ancient mythology in “history” classes, and the endless copying of the teachers’ words and art rather than students’ writing and drawing based on their own knowledge and imagination, both our children ended up with huge holes in their education.

    Many Waldorf parents and students are brainwashed into believing that everything non-Waldorf is bad. A fair number of those caught up in the fervor of “Waldorf is good; mainstream is bad” repeat the same words and phrases to describe the so-called advantages of attending an Anthroposophy school. These advantages often are no more real than the endless tales the students are told about Norse gods, Atlantis, Ahriman, the demon Anthroposophists believe inhabits computers and televisions, and gnomes (an Anthroposophist’s goal is to become clairvoyant so that, like their guru, Rudolf Steiner, they too can see gnomes). It is a shame that parents are deluded into believing a lot of anecdotal nonsense because they so strongly want to believe that they have chosen the best education for their children.

    Geekling was well served by his family’s sharp observations.

    Best,
    Margaret

  • Trevor

    You’re a complete idiot.

  • josh

    wow, that was amazing. I never though someone could look at waldorf like that. Waldorf is not for everyone, and I am very happy that someone like you will not be involved in poisoning such an amazing school. Not enough tech involved? Kids from kindergarten don’t need computers rotting their brains, and just because your weird screwed up husband needs a keyboard, doesn’t need your child does at such a young age. The minorities are fine, I wouldn’t want my child to go to school with a bunch of black and latin kids, but peers that are their own skin color. Seriously, what independent, affluent, academic school in seattle have lots of minority students? thats what I thought. Kids need to learn to be artistic, and a collection of the best artwork is not an insult, not all of my art is amazing, and its about learning art, not being a pro once you start. The skills acquired through waldorf are excellent, they teach how to be a functioning part of the world, no matter what time period they are in. Its idiots like you who think they can make powerpoints and the like and have a high paying job, without any social skills. Thank god freaks like you with three other parents and one child aren’t holding back waldorf from its incredible potential. Waldorf educates to make non-conformists, who are artistic and don’t fit in cubicles, but do important things in life that an average, “tech savy” human could not ever achieve.

  • guest

    …”and just because your weird screwed up husband needs a keyboard…”

    And you are from Waldorf? I hope its just your genetics and family environment that has shaped you into the considerate and sensitive person that you are. If anything you are a bad example of the school yourself. You should be ashamed to call yourself a Waldorf graduate.

  • Student

    I am a student at Seattle waldorf I am now in 10th grade and we can learn any instrument we want from guitar to African drum the school admin is not a smart person and there isn’t much racial diversity but isn’t that a boy racist to say? You obviously didnt research the school before criticizing it I hate this place but not for those reasons the truth is when I started here (9th grade) my math level was at grade2 I can now do trigonometry at an 11th grade level there are people here that don’t need to be and make it a not less enjoyable but it is a good school although it’s not for every one. The mistake you made ma’am is looking at the problems that rant there instead of looking at the real problems this school has which mostly lies within the students. There are amazing teachers here in fact some of them have changed my life. I have some problems with the way the school is run but over all it has helped me so if you are thinking of sending your kids here talk to the students and teachers but don’t talk to the people in the office who are so dumb they should be fired.

  • Another Student

    You can’t possibly say that you have never said something rude or mean about someone when you were on an enraged rant. Think how you would feel if some close minded person came along and ridiculed the person or in this case the institution that lovingly shaped you into the human being you are today, without actually getting to know that person or institution before doing so. I would imagine that you would be furious as well. I do not agree with much of what Josh said, however I understand where he is coming from and agree that someone with such a negative and close minded view on waldorf as Sarah should not be a part of the beautiful school that waldorf can be.

  • Another Student

    The best way to get the most out of waldorf is to learn what it has to teach and then use that and any other ideals you have to form your own view and way of life. Do not blindly follow it’s way of life.

  • patti

    I am sad to read what you have written about Seattle Waldorf School. As a mother of 4, ages 29-15, I have had many years of experience looking at, choosing and then interfacing with schools. All schools have problems, most schools have gifts. Two of my children have attended SWS, others have gone to expensive preppy schools, and public and a couple schools in between depending on their age. I picked the schools because they matched the child, and different children have different needs.
    When picking a school for your child you are going to have to decide what is REALLY important to you and what you really can’t stand. Then pick accordingly….I always say picking schools is a process of picking the poison you can stand being inflicted upon your child because NO school is without some kind of poison.

    Sounds like you are not a good fit for Waldorf from the values that you express in your post. BUT, I think also that your snarky judgments and cynical point of view has kept you from seeing the beauty of a really amazing system of education. Waldorf is attempting to educate the soul of the child, the entire being–their mental, emotional, social and spiritual selves. It is a beautiful process to watch the child unfold artistically, academically, emotionally, intellectually. Obviously Waldorf could never be a fit for all children but that doesn’t make it a bad place. If you want technology and early academics you will have no trouble finding it. Why dis the place that offers something else to the people who want a more soulful approach.

  • Tristeaux1

    As many other people have said, Waldorf education is not for everyone. Neither is any other form of education. However, in this social environment where people are constantly bombarded with technology and things like social networking, I, as a student, believe that people can still learn all of what you consider useful skills by existing in this culture. I have a lot more to say, but in a nutshell, I find your cynical comments about our school and community unfounded. If you had spent a little more time getting to know the students and less time letting your illusions about the structure, you would get a more rounded view of our school.

  • Tristeaux1

    correction: (Letting your illusions about the structure cloud your experience of the visit).

  • Diddybop

    Yeah, I think this parent will skip the Waldorf experience, as it appears to have turned you, Josh, into a racist, elitist little piece of excrement. Congratulations on your social skills, by the way. You’ve really showcased them here. (That’s sarcasm, in case your obviously limited education has left you wondering.)

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