Scientologist propaganda sent to 'most schools in Australia'
By Sean Rubinsztein-Dunlop for AM and News Online
An international group sponsored by the Church of Scientology says it has been targeting children in schools across Australia for at least three years.
The Youth For Human Rights group has been distributing DVDs and brochures that spread its message about rights and name Scientology founder L Ron Hubbard as a leader on the issue alongside Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King.
The New South Wales education minister confirmed yesterday that primary schools had been ordered not to hand out the material, but a volunteer from the group has revealed its efforts are far more widespread than the State Government appears to have suspected.
Tara Kuru, 25, was encouraged by the Church of Scientology to contact the ABC to hose down concerns about the material, but her attempt is likely to backfire.
"Most schools in Australia would have at least seen the booklet once or twice," she said. "For like nine out of 10, I've had nothing but positive responses."
The material, funded by the Church of Scientology, outlines the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights and directs readers and viewers to contact the Youth For Human Rights group.
Information about the Church of Scientology's involvement in the DVDs and brochures is left to the fine print. Ms Kuru says the declaration is clear enough.
"The fact that the funding is provided by the Church of Scientology is not hidden at all..." she said. "In all the work that I've done, I've never promoted Scientology."
NSW education minister Verity Firth has described the material as "a marketing exercise for Year 6 students".
A spokeswoman says the minister only found out on Friday, from a Sydney journalist, that the material had been sent to some of the state's primary schools.
She ordered the Education Department to email all primary school principals, reminding them the church was not allowed to conduct activities in the state's public schools.
But the NSW Government has been aware of Youth For Human Rights at least since March 2007, when the group held a seminar at Sydney's Parliament House and distributed the brochures to teenage participants.
Ms Kuru says the group has sent the material to "most" primary and secondary schools over the past three years.
'Recruitment exercise'
Federal independent Senator Nick Xenophon says the admission shows governments across Australia need to be more vigilant against Scientologists.
"They're not being upfront about their affiliations," he said. "This shouldn't be used a recruitment mechanism for new members of the Church of Scientology."
The Senator is pushing for a federal inquiry into the church's tax-free status, as well as allegations of abuse, forced abortions and imprisonment, fraud and blackmail.
He suggests the religion has been plagued by misconduct since its foundation.
"Putting L Ron Hubbard in the same league as Martin Luther King and Mahatma Gandhi is laughable, but it's also very serious in the context of the sorts of things that L Ron Hubbard got up to when he was running the Church of Scientology," Senator Xenophon said.
But Ms Kuru says the Scientology founder and science fiction author deserves to be on the group's list of "famous human rights leaders" because "he's made some very profound help towards human rights."
"Going back into the things that he did, he wants people to promote the Universal Declaration of Human Rights because that's a basic of life, that's how people get along in life and that's like the foundation of the rules for human existence," she said.
"People contribute to human rights in many different ways."
Ms Kuru says she has personally approached several schools with the DVDs and brochures. A Sydney primary school has confirmed it received the material and threw it out.
But NSW Primary Schools Principals Association president Geoff Scott says the reference to Scientology could have gone unnoticed at other schools.
"It's possible, but generally, if there are things that are likely to be controversial, it raises a little concern in the minds of principals to check out the source of the material and I guess on this occasion there have been some concerns expressed," Mr Scott said.
Scientologist background
The Church of Scientology describes Youth For Human Rights as a secular organisation.
Ms Kuru grew up in a family of Scientologists but says she is no longer a member of the church and now has a Christian husband and a one-year-old son.
She says she follows some aspects of Scientology but keeps her mind open about religion.
The 25-year-old from Sydney says she discovered Youth For Human Rights by coincidence five years ago, when she was researching human rights on the internet.
She says she went to the group's conference in New York in 2004 and decided to join.
When asked by the ABC how old she was at the time, Ms Kuru misstated her age, first saying she was 17. Upon questioning, she said she was 18, before deciding she was "nearly 19".
If she was nearly 19 in 2004, Tara Kuru would be 24 this year.
Asked how she would respond to those who may doubt her story, she said, "I don't care."
"What religion I was brought up in doesn't matter," she said. "If I was helping World Vision which has a very Christian background which they promote, why would it matter? I'm helping people."
Ms Kuru said she had neither experienced nor heard of allegations of the kind tabled by Senator Xenophon in Parliament last week.
Sponsors
Ms Kuru says Youth For Human Rights has chapters in most Australian states, with 20 to 100 members each, and 130 chapters internationally.
She says the group has 30 sponsors in Australia and overseas, on top of the Church of Scientology.
"Most of them are not even Scientologists. They're just interested in the Universal Declaration of Human rights being promoted..." she said.
"I personally know of about three people in Sydney... One of them is a lady who works in a prison and she has no association to Scientology whatsoever. She is just a person who gave her money towards helping to print booklets because she's interested in people knowing about human rights as well.
"I know of another local business, being a convenience store, and they have helped provide funding. And also a Chinese business within the city of Sydney, helping to promote the use for human rights in the Chinese community. None of those people are Scientologists."
Ms Kuru says she believes Senator Xenophon is to blame for the sudden interest in her group.
She wants to water down the community's fears about Youth For Human Rights but her claims might just cause the concerns to swell.
