Today HuffPo ran an interesting article:
Within the article is this:
Karin Pouw, a spokeswoman for the Church of Scientology, told HuffPost in an email that while the church “and its members have proudly supported Applied Scholastics in numerous ways through the years … Applied Scholastics is not part of the Church of Scientology or any other religious organization.”
…
Concerning the institutions that use Applied Scholastics, Pouw wrote that “the Church of Scientology has no relationship with these schools.”
Of course, this is a lie.
Scientology takes FULL CREDIT for everything about Applied Scholastics schools unless they come under scrutiny for some reason. At which point they sound like those accused of sexual abuse claiming”I don’t know that woman and never met her.” Scientology has done this for years.
This is the front page of the scientology.org website — you can see that scientology lists Applied Scholastics as the second group they “support.”
But the admission that they “support” Applied Scholastics is similar to the schools telling parents “we are not religion based.”
In fact, scientology runs Applied Scholastics through the “Association for Better Living and Education” (ABLE). The International Association of Scientologists bought the “international headquarters” of Applied Scholastics at Spanish Lakes just outside St Louis Missouri and renovated it (today it seems to get more use as a Nation of Islam “singles retreat.”)
ABLE, the “mother” organization for all Applied Scholastics schools is entirely manned by SEA ORG MEMBERS. You cannot be in ABLE unless you are a Sea Org Member. This is how scientology describes Sea Org members on its website (boldface is mine for emphasis):
The Sea Organization is a religious order for the Scientology religion and is composed of the singularly most dedicated Scientologists—individuals who have committed their lives to the volunteer service of their religion.
…
The Sea Organization was established in 1967 and once operated from a number of ships. It was formed to assist L. Ron Hubbard with advanced research operations and supervise Church organizations around the world. The Sea Organization is entrusted to minister the advanced services of Scientology.
…
Positions in the Sea Organization are analogous to that of members of religious orders in other religions. They are at the forefront of spearheading the Church’s massive social mission, including the world’s largest nongovernmental drug education campaign, the largest human rights education campaign and many another global program that touches the lives of millions.
EVERY person or entity using anything authored by L. Ron Hubbard (very much including his “Study Tech” which is the basis for Applied Scholastics) must be licensed by a scientology organization and pay royalties. Every Applied Scholastics school pays royalties and licensing fees to ABLE who pass on the royalties to the Church of Spiritual Technology (the scientology organization that sits at the top of the scientology hierarchy and owns the copyrights to the works of L. Ron Hubbard).
Money flows from these schools to ABLE International for their “management” services and ABLE forwards money to Church of Scientology International.
There is also a member of the “Watchdog Committee” for ABLE. The Watchdog Committee (WDC) is the senior body that oversees all activities of the scientology hierarchy. There is a member of the Watchdog Committee for each “sector” of scientology. “ABLE” is one of the “sectors” of scientology.
This is the page from the official internal publication scientology provided its staff to explain the structure and functions of the scientology hierarchy:
Here is another page of the same booklet that describes the “central tactical management” of scientology.
Once again, Karin Pouw’s “the Church of Scientology has no relationship with these schools” is proven to be an out and out lie:
On top of this, scientology has routinely taken credit for “bringing education” to the world — they have presented numerous awards to individual scientologists (including the IAS Freedom Medal, the highest award they bestow on anyone) for their work “disseminating study tech”.
And just to put a cherry on top — here is some anecdotal proof of the incestuous relationship between scientology and Applied Scholastics schools: a promotional item from scientology Las Vegas mentioning one of the schools covered in the HuffPo article:
Total lie! CSI declared that Applied Schoolastic is part of its “social betterment program” in its Form 1023 statement to the IRS, which was part of the 1993 agreement granting Scientology tax exempt status. The agreement refers to Applied Schoolactics as one of a number of “Scientology related entities”.
You’re right P.k..
The valid objection is that it gets Scientology’s foot in the door, not that it doesn’t have it’s useful points.
It wasn’t even invented by Hubbard.
It gets overused and abused in the courseroom but I wouldn’t write it off completely because Scientology stole it.
I may have been too general in my comment. I wasn’t really going for the teaching aspect, but for the implications that Applied Schoolastics was not part of Scientology or any religious organization.
Just wondering, what is the main objection people have to using Applied Scholastics? Does it involve looking up words and using a checksheet (study tech)? Assuming the kids / people are learning what they’re there to learn (math, computer science, etc.), aren’t these technologies beneficial?
The main objection, aside from substituting a dictionary for a real learning experience, is that it’s run by and for Scientology.
Any more JAQS? Bueller?
There are two objections to “study tech.” One, there’s no evidence it actually works. Other approaches to teaching reading have scientifically valid studies that prove that they can help improve reading comprehension. Nobody in the education world other than Scientologists actually believe that “study tech” works. It’s so ludicrous and so counter to proven, valid methods to help kids learn to read that there’s no actual reason to waste money on a study. It is telling that Scientology itself hasn’t even had enough confidence in the validity of “study tech” to sponsor its own study.
The second objection is that there is evidence that study tech actually makes reading comprehension worse among kids who use it. A few years ago, the “Life Force Academy” located right near Flag in Clearwater adopted “study tech.” Reading scores immediately plummeted, and the school went from middle-of-the-pack reading scores to the second worst in Pinellas County, beating only a school that served only severely developmentally disabled adults. Study tech completely destroyed kids’ ability to read in less than two years.
Study tech is just another steaming crap-load of sloppy, thrown-together nonsense that Hubbard loosed on the world as part of his unending attempts to show that he was so smart that he had easy answers to tough problems.
The problem is that the Applied Scholastics folks are tied to the strange educational theories of L Ron Hubbard, which he stole from a pair of California teachers but presented as his own.
They can’t modernize or change these practices in any way because for religious reasons they are core beliefs.
In a school run by another religious tradition, the techniques of teaching can be modernized or improved without violating the core faith. So perhaps such a school might have courses in their faith, but also present the usual course materials in the usual way. Perhaps such a school might have a very traditional teaching method, but it is still a teacher leading a class. Even on-line colleges usually follow the tradition, assuming that students will go astray if left utterly to their own devices.
Hubbard’s method completely discards the teacher/student model and takes the self-directed model to the extreme. In a Scientology classroom there are no teachers, only “Supervisors” and their only job is to make sure the students are not showing signs of not getting it. They are not allowed to explain anything, all the student’s questions are “answered” by reference to the original study materials.
This “study method” is designed to instill unquestioning and utter adherence to every pearl of wisdom that ever dripped from the mouth or typewriter of Hubbard, referred to as “Source”. That is the purpose of all the weird rules and insane practices. To teach real subjects this way is to deny the student any chance to think for himself ever again.
Maybe the teaching methods in Daesh Madrassas (memorize the Koran) are as extremely tied to religious fundamentalism, but it is hard to find any other modern day examples.
Very nice job connecting religious fundamentalism of the madrassas with study tech. Quite observant and clever and also quite true.
Just wondering, what is the main objection people have to using Applied Scholastics? Does it involve looking up words and using a checksheet (study tech)? Assuming the kids / people are learning what they’re there to learn (math, computer science, etc.), aren’t these technologies beneficial?
There’s obviously nothing wrong with using dictionaries and a check sheet could well be useful for self-study/revision purposes. Study Tech, however, is absolutist dogma that has no place in a classroom. The emphasis on the misunderstood word as the ONLY reason a student yawns, gets confused, becomes critical or gives up is but one example of Hubbard’s insidious conditioning. The material is never at fault. There is no room for any reasoned debate or critical thinking. No valid reason to disagree. The purpose is not to think or evaluate but to duplicate. That is all. Such a mechanical approach to learning is not only restrictive but could arguably inhibit intellectual growth.
Ooops! They’ve fallen once again into their own self made trap! How utterly cool!
Wow, so much evidence that they are lying. So easy for anyone to quickly see the connection.
And still, for people so practiced at lying they are so bad at it.
“Karin Pouw, . . told HuffPost . . . Applied Scholastics is not part of the Church of Scientology or any other religious organization.”
If Applied Scholastics is not part of Co$ how do they know if they’re a part of any other religious org? Isn’t this akin to the dumb criminal saying “I don’t know anything about that bank that’s getting robbed tomorrow”?
This is trivial but for ages I’ve been meaning to ask the correct pronunciation of “Pouw”?, Is it POW or POE? I know it can’t be POO though it should be.
POW — strictly speaking the “O” should not be exactly like the “o” in “now” as it is a Dutch name and it’s a bit more difficult but POW and is NOW is how it is usually said. Of course, Karin complicates it even further as she is French… So that vowel sound is a real mongrel.
I’m familiar with “mongrel” vowels as you call them, Mike. In this case, first the “AH” and then the “OH” but with the 2 vowels sounds run together QUICKLY it becomes..”AH-OH”…”PAH-OH” …and I can see how easily this morphs into “POW”. Got it.
Success:
I can now pronounce Karin Pouw’s name properly! Formerly, I had trouble insulting her because of this inability to pronounce her last name, but now I can trash her like there’s no tomorrow with no back off whatsoever! I feel bright and powerful and my space is so clean!
Many thanks to Mike Rinder, And, of course, HUGE thanks to COB/RTC for posting this dreadful creature as your Spokeshole!
Much love,
Aqua
I worked for an Applied Scholastics company for fifteen years and I had to feed our customers the bullshit story all the time about how we weren’t part of Scientology. A total lie as our seniors at ABLE were SEA ORG MEMBERS!!!!!! (I think the Sea Org is part of Scientology … ain’t it?)
As a former SO and a parent, I took every opportunity to educate the administrators at my kid’s schools against the dangers of Applied Scholastics. To affirm my claims and information, a quick look at the Scientology website was enough to validate what I shared. In California parents can submit a letter of exemption from objectionable education to your kids schools. My letter required advance notification and exemption from any Applied Scholastics programs on the basis of strongly held beliefs.
Thanks for this (in CA). Luckily I haven’t seen many attempts at getting anything from Applied Scholastics into the public schools here or OC where we used to live, but there were some tutoring centers trying to get state funding, so I wrote some emails over that one!
Mike, sadly it is not only Scientology schools and charter schools that can be infected with Hubbard’s tainted influence. They also supply materials to home schoolers. Their emails proudly display the Western Association of Schools and Colleges seal, WAIS, which has granted them accreditation for their home school materials.
They contain this statement:
Another quote, giving a “win”
You know what they are doing is just another form of the GED test prep scam, where they only study exactly what is on the test. Then take the test many times until they pass.
So it is still possible for Scientology kids to skip any form of real education and go straight into the Sea Org with no critical thinking skills at all. Even after the demise of the Apollo Academy and the Children’s RPF etc.
My under-age son went on a holiday to the US some years ago, visiting with friends in northern California. While there he seemed to fall in love with half with girls in America (who wouldn’t?) and was duly persuaded to stay and join staff. All the pressure was applied to me to permit this, by addressing my major quibble about education (‘oo cares ’bout dat stuff?). It was resolved by what I presume is what you’re referring to (GED). My son studied for literally a few hours and passed. Presto! He had a school leaving certificate at age 14. To this day he believes he has a valid certificate and is duly educated. He’s been on staff ever since and can do nothing else (AND he’s back in the US on staff at an Ideal Org and married to a beautiful American girl that I will never meet). He’s had several moonlighting jobs but can never hold them down, as all he can really do is argue with employers that they’re not applying scn properly. He is incapable of producing.
dr mac, my heart breaks to hear you say this. There is still a chance that your son will wake up, many have, but it is hard when you have been indoctrinated in this stuff from an early age.
Applied Scholastics has a lot to answer for, as do all those Hubbard true believers. May the awakening come soon for them all.
Dr. Mac –
So sorry to hear that and, sadly no, what Bruce was discussing was TRUE homeschooling where parents or an independent charter school will provide daily curriculum that parents assist (& receive teaching guides to help them PROPERLY teach the subject) their children complete their high school diploma more quickly, but still studying and passing all subjects so they’re prepared for a college or university.
The sad thing is that few kids that complete the Applied Scholastics curriculum will qualify for college or university-level classes via entrance exams with what they teach. The other thing the org didn’t tell you is that (in CA at least) there is a 2nd option called the CHSPE (pronounced “chess-pee” that stands for California High School Proficiency Exam) that is more highly regarded than a GED. It’s considered the same as graduating and allowed my son to enter college at age 16. Sadly, a GED can hinder him in seeking some jobs compared to other young adults.
That said, every ex-SO I’ve met also has an incredible work-eithic, so once they’ve gotten out of the cult, they tend to do just fine… especially when they have supportive family!
I spend a lot of time researching items and trends on the net to do with antiques, vintage etc. I have come to an accepted understanding that lot of businesses bend the truth a little and sometimes a lot. It’s a fact of life.
With Scientology… geezers, they couldn’t lie straight in bed. They have no idea what truth and honesty is. In fact it could be suggested they have never told the truth.
When you think of all those registrars of the past extracting all that money… for what? Were they ever telling the truth with their promises? What’s a slippery word or two about Applied Scholastics got to do with anything in the general scheme of the workings of a religious cult. Business as usual for the Cof$.
As a gift to everyone, I give you a Christmas Carol.
To the tune of “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer ”
David the Dwarfenfuhrer
had a massive bank account.
Internal Revenue Service
wanted the exact amount.
But all the Scientologists
simply would look right and left.
They knew if they crossed David,
they’d be in the RPF!
One day Mike and Leah came
and went on TV.
They flashed David’s bank account
for the IRS to see.
Boy, how we whooped and hollered!
As we shouted out with glee:
“David the Dwarfenfuhrer,
jailed for all eternity!”
Merry Christmas, everybody!
I am suddenly in the Christmas spirit.
Glad to spread the joy!
“As we shouted out with glee; “David the Dwarfenfuhrer, jailed for all eternity!” Cute, Alco! Merry Christmas to you!
Thanks, Aquamarine! And to you and yours!
That…. was AWESOME! (And thanks, that tune is now glued onto my brain!) Lol
Does this mean an SP or his/her kids can go to a Delphi or any other Applied Scholastics school?
Ha ha! I’m sure they’d say “Absolutely!” But the reality would be completely different. Although TBH – thank goodness since they’re just protecting SP-kids from their faux education!
I love the facebook page for Clearwater Delphi where the reviews are all 5 star and glowing about how great the school is.
“You take the lies out of him, and he’ll shrink to the size of your hat; you take the malice out of him, and he’ll disappear.” Mark Twain
This could apply to DM
Taking the malice out of DM is like taking the brown out of shit. It might be possible (highly unlikely) but no one wants to touch it.
Yo Dave,
Cranky today good buddy? Well just figure out who is at fault and You will feel better.
This is the kind of thing that will put Dave on the radar for a smackdown.
I’d pay good money to see that!
Yep, it looks like the truth is suppressive. The truth always exposes lies.
I’m curious Mike: is she, the lawyer, simply ignorant of these lies?
Or……… does she lie for money?
That’s been a burning question and would love your take.
Mike, have to say, you are one hell of a Dead Agent-er. I’d never want to qualify as raw material for your Verbal Vegomatic
Excellent article, Mike. The cult’s lies here are so numerous and profound the mind boggles as to where to begin refuting them.
Ok, what about all the Scientology schools that have to pay a fee to Applied Scholastics for LRH’s STudy Tech?
And if the cult has nothing to do with Applied Scholastics then why are the cult’s Sea Org members over these schools’ kids like white on rice, regging them to sign the billion year contract the moment they 13?
These are some overly sick people, Aquamarine. Especially when it comes to children.
True that. Speaking of which, how is IFS (Infant Surfer Dude)? Does he have his board shorts yet or are y’all waiting until he can ditch the Pampers?
OSD, I can’t imagine children trying to acquire their education solely by the self study method. Where is the engagement, the brainstorming, the expertise. I didn’t realize Applied Scholastics ‘educated’ that way.
Well Mike, a scientologist lying is nothing new and no surprise. The whole heaping and creaking enterprise of scientology is built on the bullshit foundation of Hubbard.
And the basic promise of scientology, a bridge to total freedom, is the biggest snake oil lie of them all.
And unfortunately for COB and his gang of thugs, the whole world knows it, and the public’s laser focus will never go away.