Finding Our Magic: Goddess Class for Middle School Girls?

Witchcraft is one of our society's accepted options. Admittedly, the following news is from the San Francisco Chronicle, and it is about an event held in Oakland, which is right next to Bezerkley, so the people involved welter on the bleeding edge of liberal activism, but still, the matter of factness of the presentation is telling.

From the San Francisco Chronicle Friday, September 28, 2007, in the column titled: Leah Garchik.

"Supportive dad A.M. forwards a notice to Berkely Parents Network Members about the 'Goddess Class for Middle School Girls.' In seven sessions, students will learn about seven goddesses 'and creaate a simple ritual to listen to each young woman's own inner voice and each other. Each ritual will center around a theme and altar, and include a structured beginning, middle and end, followed by tea and healthy snack.'"

Turns out the quote is from a description of the class posted at craigslist. The class is offered privately by the author of a book about goddesses. I was afraid it was offered by the public schools! It is held in a private home "near Holy Names college."

The heading of the ad reads: Goddess Rites for Middle School Girls (oakland hills / mills)

The intro is:

Finding Our Magic: Goddess Rites for Middle School Girls" is a seven-part class taught by Carolyn McVickar Edwards,M.Ed., author of "The Storyteller's Goddess," . . ..

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/cls/432668312.html

Who is going to pay $210 to send a daughter to that?

BTW, did you know that besides useful things like jobs and used sofas, you can also find partners for sex (paid or free) at craigslist? That's why I don't go there any more.

In googling about the witchcraft topic, I found there is a Julia Morgan School for Girls. Generally, I think girls-only schools are a great idea. They allow girls to excel without fear of competing with the boys. But read on. Julia was a prominent lesbian woman architect, who built Hertz Castle, among other California buidings. (Morgan is featured in the online Encyclopedia of Gay, Lesbian, Transgender and Queer Culture.)

The JMSG started in classrooms at Holy Names College (Holy Names College again in a radical feminist context), but moved to Mills College. JMSG features a yearly "Goddess day."

From a wikipedia article about JMSG: "Goddess day is an annual event in which every 6th grader must choose to become a particular goddess of her own invention (e.g. goddess of laughter, goddess of miracles). Each girl then writes a story about her goddess-self and dresses up in scarves, as well as other sparkly accessories. Makeup is also readily available. Afterwards, the girls file through the hallways as 7th and 8th graders come out of their classrooms to admire the procession of goddesses."

In my day, at Catholic school, we had May processions in which we sang hymns to Our Lady dressed in white dresses. And we crowned her statue with flowers. That kind of dress up and pageantry can lead a person to higher things. On the other hand, goddess role play can open the poor children's lives to the influence of the occult, and we all know the pitfalls in that.