Scientology Tutoring Service Approved By DC Public Schools

By MELANIE ALNWICK @ FoxNews
WASHINGTON - Federal law says that failing public schools have to provide free tutoring service to students. It is called Supplemental Educational Services (SES).

Concerned parents contacted FOX 5 about one of the groups approved for tutoring by D.C.'s Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) - a group that has connections to the founder of the Church of Scientology.

Applied Scholastics International is one of 29 tutoring services listed in the Title I Supplemental Educational Services Guide. Parents of students in failing D.C. public schools can choose which provider they would prefer for their children.

The list makes no mention of the group's controversial ties. But Applied Scholastics' website does not try to hide its connections.

ASI uses a method called Study Technology, "an exact system which teaches one how to learn" that was "researched and developed by L. Ron Hubbard." Hubbard is the founder of the Church of Scientology.

Answering the question "What does Applied Scholastics do?" the site says, "The job of Applied Scholastics is to place the Study Technology developed by ... L. Ron Hubbard into the hands of the world's students and educators."

FOX 5 has learned that D.C. Public Schools paid the group a total of $12,000 in federal funds for tutoring services provided for the 2009-2010 school year.

That raised eyebrows of the D.C. Public Schools advocates we reached. Some were concerned that recent budget cuts and layoffs at the Office of the School Superintendent for Education might have affected its screening criteria. Not the case, said Chad Colby, a spokesperson for OSSE.

Colby said there is "a strict and intensive application process for tutoring services." He noted that OSSE follows federal guidelines in approving tutors for the SES program and that those rules do allow faith-based organizations to participate.

Colby said the bottom line is about student achievement. He says OSSE does monitor programs to make sure they are improving student grades, and following the school system's curriculum.

FOX 5 reached out to the local and national contacts for Applied Scholastics but did not hear back from them. The local Church of Scientology said it had heard of the tutoring group, but that it does not teach "scientology" but just teaches students how to learn.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• scientology
• anonymous
• washington dc
• vanonymous
• vancouver
• study tech
• applied scholastics
• l ron hubbard

[GetTheCans]

They'll take any way in that they can get, don't they? It was bad enough when they were recruiting from adults. Now kids get to spend time with them.

[NotSoOldHippy]

I hope that the State gets its $12,000 tax dollars back and that whoever allowed these crooks to get on the list gets fired, put in prison, and assraped for such stupidity.

[dangermous1968]

LMAO ..school district stance: well we know speed is not good but as long as it helps kids get their work done ..

[paratrooper2696]

so you live in the __ area....PM me, sKepptiksowat

[paratrooper2696]

dude!!!! thats my anchorman!!! :O

[Scientologee]

This is par for the course for $cientology - duping the public into recruiting schemes. The word is out, though, and the public has smartened up. WE WILL NOT BE DUPED ANYMORE! $cientology is a cult, and it kill$ and brainwa$hes. Period.

[anonymom17]

Thanks for this. I'm going to send it to some Educators I know. Anonymous delivers and helps people.

[AnonRanGER01]

Check out the picture from "International Scientology News" issue 27 from 2004 in the middle of this forum thread:

whyweprotest. net/15-media/complaints-agains­t-narconon-t-r-gov-investigati­ng-69150/ (delete the space in front of "net")

"The answer to planetary clearing is to make each one of our org a Central Organisation, responsible for EVERY sector of Scientology activity across an entire geographical zone". "Applied Scholastics" is one of them. It's about RECRUITING KIDS TO SCIENTOLOGY.