Scientology, "Study Tech," and an Arizona Charter School District
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Posted Wednesday, March 27, 2013, at 4:26 PM
A headquarters for the Church of Scientology is seen January 16, 2013 in Clearwater, Florida
Photo by Getty Images
A Phoenix charter school district asked its teachers to use the curriculum of a Scientology-affiliated organization in classrooms. Not so surprisingly, educators (and some parents) in the district aren't very happy about it.
Local public radio station KJZZ broke the story last month on Applied Scholastics' entrance into the district's curriculum, but it has since bubbled up to national news desks, with NPR running a version of their story on Morning Edition this week. Here's their interview with Katie Donahoe, a former teacher in the Career Success charter school district, explaining her introduction to the L. Ron Hubbard-founded teaching method:
"They didn't start off talking about instruction. They started off talking about L. Ron Hubbard," says Donohoe, who was there at the urging of her new superintendent. Later that fall she would start teaching English at Robert L. Duffy High School in Phoenix. But first, she was asked to get familiar with Hubbard's methods.
"The next stop was to watch a video talking about how great Applied Scholastics was," Donahoe says. Among those in the video were Isaac Hayes, Tom Cruise and John Travolta. "These are not education experts. These are Scientology spokespeople. It was very weird," she says. Donahoe has since left the school.
The Church of Scientology characterizes Applied Scholastics as a secular education program that's supported by the church, but not religious in nature. It's a tricky distinction to make, and one that former teachers in Phoenix, for one, aren't buying. That's especially after teachers were asked to distribute "The Way To Happiness," an ethical "non-religious" booklet that's pretty ubiquitous in Scientology outreach efforts. The booklet contains commandment-like ethical codes from Hubbard.
The Daily wrote a brief investigation into the organization about a year ago. In it, they explained that, while the teaching concepts are superficially simple and harmless, its method, "study tech," is also a "founding principle" of the Scientology religion. In other words, the conceptual lines are much more blurred than its supporters claim. Plus, it's not necessarily effective: Applied Scholastics is an approved tutoring program in Colorado, but it was put "on notice" last year by the state after a review found that it wasn't effective in boosting student performance, according to the Denver Post (As NPR notes, the organization didn't apply for the program for the 2013 school year).
The Career Success district is run by Robert L. Duffy, for whom (presumably) Robert L. Duffy High School in the district is named. As KJZZ explains, his district gets $6 million from Arizona to educate low-income students. He insists that Applied Scholastics' methodology is effective and not religious in nature: "It’s very basic stuff ... it has nothing to do with church or religion. Believe me I am not a Scientologist. I hear things about them, and I don’t support that at all.”
Applied Scholastics, however, makes no attempt to downplay their connection to Scientology (there's an entire section on L. Ron Hubbard on their website), or to their designation as a Supplemental Education Service in some public school districts under the No Child Left Behind Act. For those states still abiding by the education reform law, SES services are publicly-funded tutoring programs available to low-income students in under-performing schools. According to their 2011 tax forms, Applied Scholastics-associated tutors and programs were paid to work with 328 public schools in 2011, and conducted training for teachers in 13 states. They made more than $1.1 million from education and literacy programs that year worldwide. The year before, they brought in $1.3 million.
Here's one of Applied Scholastics' promotional videos for your viewing pleasure, notice there's no shortage of Hubbard and Scientology references:
Phoenix Schools Under Fire For Program Linked To Scientology
Originally published on Wed March 27, 2013 8:37 am
A group of Phoenix charter schools is facing criticism for using a teaching tool based on the work of L. Ron Hubbard, best known for founding the Church of Scientology.
Teacher Katie Donahoe says that shortly after she was hired in 2010, she went to a memorable training session on the teaching method, called Applied Scholastics. The session was held at the Applied Scholastics headquarters near St. Louis.
"They didn't start off talking about instruction. They started off talking about L. Ron Hubbard," says Donohoe, who was there at the urging of her new superintendent. Later that fall she would start teaching English at Robert L. Duffy High School in Phoenix. But first, she was asked to get familiar with Hubbard's methods.
"The next stop was to watch a video talking about how great Applied Scholastics was," Donahoe says. Among those in the video were Isaac Hayes, Tom Cruise and John Travolta.
"These are not education experts. These are Scientology spokespeople. It was very weird," she says.
Donahoe has since left the school.
Applied Scholastics is a program based on something Hubbard called "study technology." The idea is that some kids struggle because they can't overcome learning barriers. They misunderstand words or progress through the content too quickly. The Church of Scientology makes no secret of its support for the program. It even distributes highly produced videos on it.
Applied Scholastics would not comment on tape for this story. But in an email, a spokesperson says the materials are secular and their sole purpose is to help people learn. In the past year, however, Applied Scholastics' presence in publicly funded schools has concerned parents and educators in places like Denver and Tampa. In Denver, the school system warned Applied Scholastics in 2012 that the program was not helping students and that it would be dropped unless students improved. The company did not apply to be considered as a teaching tool for the 2013 school year. In Tampa, the charter school using Applied Scholastics closed.
So here's the issue: Does Applied Scholastics violate the Constitution when it shows up here?
Robert L. Duffy High School is home to mostly minority, low-income students who've struggled academically. Robert Duffy, the man who runs the six-school charter district of about 1,000 students, says Hubbard's work is effective here.
"It's a tool. It's nothing that goes beyond this. Believe me," Duffy says.
For example, if a student struggles with ratios, a teacher might ask the student to make a clay model to better visualize the concept. Duffy also makes available a booklet written by Hubbard that's described as a secular guide to moral living.
"It's very basic stuff. It has nothing to do with church or religion. Believe me, I am not a Scientologist. I hear things about them, and I don't support that at all," Duffy says.
Charles Haynes, a First Amendment expert and director of the Religious Freedom Education Project, says the materials as he reads them are "certainly not explicitly proselytizing."
"The harder question," he says, "is whether they implicitly promote the Church of Scientology."
Haynes reviewed Applied Scholastics on behalf of California public schools. He says there is no doubt that these so-called secular materials share language with official Scientology teachings — a red flag for sure, "and at some point you get enough of these red flags and it becomes a constitutional question that will be challenged."
But Haynes says just because Hubbard wrote it doesn't make it inappropriate for public schools. Tell that to parent LeAnn Thomas.
"They were literally trying to slide it in there without anybody supposedly knowing," Thomas says. "No. That's not right."
Her son, Brandon, graduated from Robert L. Duffy High School in 2011. He was class president and at times really liked the school. But had his mom known the teachers were using Hubbard's materials, she says, "I definitely would pull him." Not telling parents about something so potentially controversial, she says, just feels underhanded.
Cruise control: Tom is the ultimate leading man as leads his two beautiful co-stars down the red carpet at Oblivion premiere
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It's been a difficult year for the tiny tour de force that is Tom Cruise, but he's bouncing back nicely.
With a few gigantic blockbusters set to trample across our screens, it's time for the 50-year-old's pearly whites to dazzle at premieres as his professional life once again overtakes the personal.
And it was business as usual on Tuesday when Tom Cruised leaped into action at the premiere of his new sci-fi thriller, Oblivion, with not one but two stunning women on his arm.
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Pole position: Tom Cruise posed with Ukrainian-born actress Olga Kurylenko and British actress Andrea Riseborough on the red carpet for their film Oblivion in Buenos Aires
Tom, who received mixed reviews for his portrayal of the eponymous hero in last year's Jack Reacher, looked proud to have his arms around Olga Kurylenko and Andrea Riseborough, who were both dressed in epic ballgowns.
Cruise, meanwhile, was togged up in a stylish navy suit with a black-grey shirt underneath to create a dashing feel for his dash down the scarlet carpet.
In the film, which is set in 2073, Tom Cruise plays 37 year-old former-Marine Commander Jack Harper - one of the last few drone repairmen stationed on Earth, which was nearly destroyed by an alien invasion 60 years earlier.
Sleek: Tom and Olga looked smart and sexy in black for the big event
Handsome Jack: He's 50 years old but Tom plays a 37-year-old in the film
Man of the people: Tom enjoyed his usual walkabout, signing autographs with fans and posing merrily
As part of a massive operation to extract the planet's remaining vital resources, he lives in an airborne 'town' floating thousands of meters above the Earth.
His mission nearly complete, Jack's soaring existence comes crashing down when he rescues a 22-year-old female stranger from a downed spacecraft.
Her arrival triggers a series of events that forces Jack to question everything he knows about the war and its aftermath.
Wave to the fans: The trio have received a fabulous welcome since arriving in Argentina
Stunning: The two leading ladies wore sumptuous frocks for the occasion
Scifi lullabies: Olga and Tom star in the film from Tron creator Helmer Joseph Kosinski
In addition, after being captured by an insurgency led by 102-year-old Malcolm Beech (Morgan Freeman), Jack is told that the society in which he lives may in fact be a police state.
Earlier in the day Tom was showered in rose petals as he arrived in Buenos Aires.
The actor grinned with glee as giddy supporters screamed and applauded as he turned up for a ceremony to mark him being officially made Buenos Aires' guest of honour.
VIDEO Screaming fans lined the red carpet to welcome Cruise...
Showered with love: Tom Cruise looked delighted as he was covered in rose petals by adoring fans in Argentina on Tuesday
In the pink: Tom's Oblivion co-star Olga Kurylenko did a good job of stealing the limelight in this daring ensemble
The capital's mayor bestowed the honour on him at a ceremony held the prestigious Colon Theatre, which featured a tango performance by some of the country's finest dancers.
And Tom will have been able to give them the rose to put between their teeth, as he was gifted a bundle of the flowers as he spoke to fans beforehand.
The pint-sized hunk was looking great in a dressed down ensemble of a striped blue shirt, black jeans and chunky shoes.
Fan friendly: And the pint-sized actor got his just rewards when he was handed some flowers
Not bad for 50: His joints may be beginning to creak but Tom looked as youthful as ever in Buenos Aires
Making waves: The high profile Scientologist was as happy as ever to give his fans a friendly salute
He also wore his trademark glasses as he gave the fans a taste of his trademark style.
But the Risky Business star was not the only person who was winning glances at the event.
For his Oblivion co-star Olga Kurylenko turned heads and almost stole the show thanks to a daring pink dress.
The model-turned-actress showed off her famous charms in the low-cut number, a move that will have won her a new horde of Argentinian supporters.
Queuing up: A veritable horde of fans had gathered to see the Hollywood A-lister in the flesh for the first time
Goodbye but not farewell: Tom was excited to get inside and enjoy his guest of honour ceremony
You've been tangoed: And after a ballroom dancing display he was back outside to give his fans more love
Tom is in town ahead of the Argentine premiere of his latest film Oblivion, a science fiction film based on the Radical Comics novel of the same name.
He stars as Jack Harper a former Marine commander who works on post-apocalyptic Earth as a drone repairman.
The film is set 60 years after an alien attack destroyed half the planet, forcing humans to live in a station off the planet.
However Morgan Freeman, who plays resistance leader Malcolm Beech, tells Harper he’s been lied to and he ends up joining their cause.
The IMAX film, due for release April 12, also stars Andrea Riseborough, Melissa Leo, Zoë Bell, and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau.
Rearly impressive: Olga still has all the attributes that made her a much sought after model
On her bust behaviour: She will have won more than a few extra fans thanks to her cleavage boosting dress
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2299727/Tom-Cruise-leads-Olga-Kurylenko-Andrea-Riseborough-red-carpet-Oblivion-premiere.html#ixzz2OsNHcUHD
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