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Will Smith Funds New "Study Tech" School

Alanzo

Bardo Tulpa
So what do you think Alanzo, about a school using Scn study tech on impressionable youngsters who have no choice over what theories or philosophies they are exposed to?

I know you used to feel your own spirituality had been highjacked by LRH for his own purposes. Do you see any trace of this happining in Will Smith's non-scn scientology school?

Based on what we know about Scn's covert PR ops, do you think there is anything that parents of prospective students should be concerend about?

How much has your opinion altered?

I have experience with LRH schools in LA. They are a mixed bag.

One one hand, you are on checksheets and you go at your own pace. So faster students are not held back by slower ones. etc.

However, they run off of advices that LRH wrote to limit the subjects that can be taught, like history and social studies, etc.

Basically, anything having to do with learning about your culture and your culture's history is banned in an LRH school. To the point where I knew a girl in her early 20's who had never heard of Adolph Hitler. (Not kidding) And she's now a teacher in a prominent LRH school in the Valley!

As for children having philosophies shoved down their neck without being able to choose - that's the way it is in every school.

It's when you get sent to the ethics officer for disagreeing that it gets distasteful.
 

nexus100

Gold Meritorious Patron
So what do you think Alanzo, about a school using Scn study tech on impressionable youngsters who have no choice over what theories or philosophies they are exposed to?

I know you used to feel your own spirituality had been highjacked by LRH for his own purposes. Do you see any trace of this happining in Will Smith's non-scn scientology school?

Based on what we know about Scn's covert PR ops, do you think there is anything that parents of prospective students should be concerend about?

How much has your opinion altered?

I know a few kids who attended Delphi who are now in their twenties. My daughter's best friend included. They all were in the same SCN school through 6th grade, then my daughter started public school, and the other kids went to McMinnville. Some seem to be fine, some have troubles, like all kids. However the overlay of SCN was on all of them outside school so it is pretty tough to figure what, if any, effect having SCN principles used daily had on them. Most schools aren't exactly rational places of learning. And checksheets are a good thing, I think.

However would I send my daughter to Delphi if I had the chance? No way.
 

asagai

Patron Meritorious
Thanks Alanzo and Nexus for the info.

Do either of you believe this PR line about Smith's school using LRH study tech but not having a Scn connection?

In my day "Applied Scholastics" and such were simply front groups to get LRH tech and philosophy out into the wider world as part of the CofS' ambition to "clear the planet".

Do either of you actually think the Will Smith operation is not part of the same old CofS game?
 

nexus100

Gold Meritorious Patron
Thanks Alanzo and Nexus for the info.

Do either of you believe this PR line about Smith's school using LRH study tech but not having a Scn connection?

In my day "Applied Scholastics" and such were simply front groups to get LRH tech and philosophy out into the wider world as part of the CofS' ambition to "clear the planet".

Do either of you actually think the Will Smith operation is not part of the same old CofS game?

The people who ran the school my daughter attended were salt of the earth. I'd let them look after anybody's kids regardless of subject matter. They were concerned about the kids, not SCN. So I have a different model.

My guess is Smith had some "wins" at study tech and is trying to help the world with it. I expect he's ignorant of the greater part of SCN, both tech and the COS. We all know what the COS thinks, however.
 

Dulloldfart

Squirrel Extraordinaire
It says buying a $100 goat for an African village will ensure the survival of that village. Quite apart from the idiocy of that statement--do they think a drop of goat's milk each will keep people alive or something?--it sounds disturbingly similar to "GAOT will ensure the survival of mankind!" or whatever the prabs* line was.

Paul

*PR and Bullshit. I get tired of typing it out each time I'm writing about the CofS.
 

byte301

Crusader
It says buying a $100 goat for an African village will ensure the survival of that village. Quite apart from the idiocy of that statement--do they think a drop of goat's milk each will keep people alive or something?--it sounds disturbingly similar to "GAOT will ensure the survival of mankind!" or whatever the prabs* line was.

Paul

*PR and Bullshit. I get tired of typing it out each time I'm writing about the CofS.

One of the anons has a lot of African friends so he asked them about the goat. They said the village would eat the goat! LOL They said they need schools more then anything else. Maybe Will should move his school to Africa instead of sending a goat? :eyeroll:
 

Dulloldfart

Squirrel Extraordinaire
It's OK guys. Look, from the school's Mission Statement:

http://newvillageacademy.org/_bin/missionVision/coreValues.cfm

Core Values

NVA instills the following Core Values:

Communication:

1. An individual’s survival is based on communicating what one knows.
2. Communication is the central mechanism of human interaction.
3. Communication is the essential building block of prosperity.
4. We value and demand the courage and commitment to the truth under any and all circumstances.
<snip>
[my emphasis]

They value the truth highly so will respond favourably to being informed of various things, won't they?

Paul
 

Pixie

Crusader
It says buying a $100 goat for an African village will ensure the survival of that village. Quite apart from the idiocy of that statement--do they think a drop of goat's milk each will keep people alive or something?--it sounds disturbingly similar to "GAOT will ensure the survival of mankind!" or whatever the prabs* line was.

Paul

*PR and Bullshit. I get tired of typing it out each time I'm writing about the CofS.

Perhaps you ought to just put it in your sig line then 'Paul'. :D
 

byte301

Crusader
It's OK guys. Look, from the school's Mission Statement:

http://newvillageacademy.org/_bin/missionVision/coreValues.cfm

[my emphasis]

They value the truth highly so will respond favourably to being informed of various things, won't they?

Paul

Paul, it seems they have been busy at Will's school! From enturb:


"With the sudden flush of articles about Will and Jada's New Village Academy, I paid a visit to the school's website to see if they'd made any changes since I was last there. Interesting.

Here's the new curriculum page: New Village Academy » Curriculum » NVA Program Overview

Here's the old one: New Village Academy Curriculum

We know they've removed the list of staff. To be able to count the number of Scientologists on faculty was just too much information for the public.

But I've noticed a couple of other significant changes:

1) Heron Basics given the boot for 2008?

The "Language Arts" section of the Curriculum overview used to read:

Quote:
Language Arts
Literature exposure begins with exposure to books, reading aloud, and visits to the library. For reading and writing, NVA uses the Heron Basics Program, which covers reading, writing, handwriting, phonics and spelling, all done in concert with a high volume of writing and reading. It is a traditional reading program that utilizes phonics and literature, phasing out phonics as children become fluent readers. Students develop increasing comprehension skills relating to inference, sequencing, prediction, and character motivation as they explore various genres. The key ingredient of this program is that it is completely individualized for each child, and pace is at the exact level of the student.

Now, however, it starts:

Quote:
LANGUAGE ARTS

Language Arts begins in Pre-kindergarten with exposure to books, reading aloud, and visits to the library. For our language arts program, NVA has chosen to adopt the Teachers' College Reading and Writing Programs for Fall 2008. Additionally, literature circles with higher level chapter books integrate social studies concepts into language arts. Students develop increasing comprehension skills relating to inference, sequencing, prediction, and character motivation as they explore various genres. The key ingredient of our reading and spelling programs is that it is completely individualized for each child, and pace is set to the exact level of the student.

Heron Books is a Delphi Schools (ie Scientology) organisation.
Business Registry Business Name Search


2) Ethics Program Gone Under Cover?

This aspect of NVA sounds disturbingly like Scientology (being hauled in to see the Ethics Officer) and the Delphi Schools.

Quote:
Ethics
Character development through ethical choices is integrated into the curriculum. From their first days on campus, students learn of the School’s expectations as outlined in the School’s 3 R’s. This code highlights desirable attributes and responsibilities, which are addressed daily in classrooms and all programs. Weekly all-school assemblies also emphasize values of good behavior and community service. A well-established ethics system is used to help students who have made poor choices learn to make better ones. The School, as a community, takes on projects to assist the greater community.

Students are expected to respect the rights of others, as well as respect civil laws and authority. In addition, students need to respect school property, others’ property, and to respect others’ feelings. We teach them to be cooperative workers who demonstrate the abilities to negotiate and compromise.

One of the biggest advantages to being a student at NVA is being a member of a group of people who are very much a family in addition to an educational community. We stress the concept that we are a “village” and so work as a team. Along with being a team member goes the responsibility of personal ethics and integrity. An understanding of basic ethics helps students prosper as individuals while being a part of a group. Ethics is simply the choices and actions a person takes on himself, and the ability to take responsibility for his or her actions.

Our Ethics program is a unique aspect of NVA. Our faculty help the students make decisions that are in their best interest and in the best interest of the class. Being aware of how their behavior impacts those around him or her then is expanded to include how decisions (by both children and adults) can affect the community and eventually the world.

Although academics is the focus of the school, there are sometimes behavior, attitudes, relationships and other situations that can compromise one’s ability to do his/her best. Our faculty, specifically teachers who are trained to work with our children on ethics, are available to students when they are having difficulties in any situation. Students are very comfortable asking adults for help, and going to them when they have a problem.

We asked some questions about this ethics program when first we came across the NVA site. It seems, someone has been reading enturbulation.org, because NOW it reads:

Quote:
LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT

Leadership and character development through ethical choices is integrated into the curriculum. From their first days on campus, students learn the School’s expectations as outlined in the School’s 3 R’s. This code highlights desirable attributes and responsibilities, which are addressed daily in classrooms and all programs. Weekly all-school assemblies emphasize values of good behavior and community service. The School takes on various service-learning projects that assist the greater community as well as provide our children with opportunities to learn about Los Angeles and about other children in our diverse city.

Students are expected to respect the rights of others, as well as respect civil laws and authority. In addition, students learn from an early age to have regard for school property, others’ property, and to pay attention to others’ feelings. We provide tools and skill sets that enable our students to be cooperative leaders who demonstrate the ability to negotiate and compromise. Teachers talk to students as individuals, much as one would with a close family member, and take each individual into consideration when redirecting behavior. Conflict resolution techniques are used when a student experiences problems with another student.

Our Leadership Development program is a unique aspect of NVA. Our faculty helps the students make decisions that are in their best interest and in the best interest of the class. As students move from grade level to grade level, being aware of how their behavior impacts those around them is expanded to include how decisions (by both children and adults) can affect the community and eventually, the world.

A. What happened to the well-established ethics system and why are you not talking about it now?

B. Are these lovely teachers who are like family members the same ones who were "trained to work with "our" children on ethics"? Who conducts the training? Who accredits it? What is the basis of the training?

C. The ethics program was "a unique aspect of NVA". Is the new "Leadership Development" program the same as, different from, or does it incorporate, the ethics program?

D. Most importantly, just what IS the ethics system of NVA?

Parents of potential NVA students should be asking these questions.

Exscientologykids.com has a board about Scientology education. A couple of comments:


Quote:
Apple School was established February 4, 1974 by Bonnie Bishop. It used Hubbard study technology. It started with 15 kids. I first attended September 1974 as a fifth grader.

Because it was small at first, multiple grades would be merged into a single class. And it had all trappings of simple org -- conditions, ethics officer, etc. I remember how time consuming looking up words, demo kits, etc. all was. But then we would have to make a certain amount of progress in our academic work to gets points and stay in power.

They had CONDITIONS? (When a Scientologist is in lower condition, they get punished.)


Quote:
It's also a really safe campus (but I think that's probably true for many private schools).

But they go way overboard with "ethics handling", to the point where it becomes psychological abuse. Treatment like that can really smash one's self-esteem, especially for kids.

Quote:
I completely agree with you 100%! I had extremely low self-esteem most of the time while I was at Delphi. I desperately wanted to graduate from there while I was there... but I lacked the focus, and I felt really horrible, like I wasn't being an ethical person, I wasn't doing M3 enough. I was in and out of ethics all the time for falling behind target. Being at Delphi was very stressful for me.

Quote:
Students are made to write up their O/W's (basically a written confessional). They may be assigned a "lower condition" and have to follow formula steps to get out of that condition.

When you are on the condition of LIABILITY, you have to make amends for being a bad student. Amends can be anything from bulk mail, cleaning, working in the scullery, etc. And then after you do this, you have to go around the school asking people to read your liability formula and get them to sign it, giving you permission to rejoin the group. It is rather degrading.

When you think about it, being sent to Ethics is sort of the equivalent of a combination of being sent to the principal's office and seeing the school guidance counselor. But in a regular school, you are free to disclose or withhold anything going on with you, and the guidance counselor won't pass judgment on you, only try to help you work through it.

Quote:
I also want to add -- Scientology claims that counselors/therapists are bad because they "evaluate" your problems for you. But just think about all the times an Ethics Officer evaluates for you when you're in Scientology. "You are being out-ethics," "You are PTS," "You are in a condition of Treason," etc. Not only are they evaluative, they are judgmental, which in my opinion, is worse than being evaluative, and can be detrimental to the person who is trying to get better.

Quote:
There were two faculty members who were ethics officers. The other ethics officers were students who were earning credit to finish their Form (it's sort of a leadership kind of thing, since you're expected to be a leader before graduating from Delphi). I guess technically, they'd be more like "assistant ethics officers." The ethics officers weren't the supervisors/teachers, they were basically the "principal's office" you were sent to if you got in trouble for anything.

Quote:
Although, one time, when I was speaking to the Ethics Officer, I talked with her about this. She said, "If you don't agree with it, then why are you here? You have to keep your integrity in on this. If something isn't working for you, like Method 3 Word Clearing, then you have to be honest and say, 'Hey, this doesn't work for me.' And if you honestly feel it doesn't work for you, then you shouldn't be here, you should be some place else. Because everybody in this group believes it works, that's why we are in this group, and if you don't believe it works, you're only pretending to be part of the group. And then you're not being honest with us or yourself.
"Let's say we give you a recipe for a cake. We want you to make that cake using the exact recipe we gave you. Then you make the cake, but you change the recipe a little bit. It might still be a good cake, it might even be a better cake than the recipe we gave you. But.... is it still the same cake? No, it is not. Here at Delphi, we're making a specific cake, and we want you to stick to that specific recipe."



Almost all of the above comments are from: Ex Scientology Kids :: View topic - Delphi Education: Good or Crappy?

Our original thread about the New Village Academy: Will Smith opens Scientology school!"
 

byte301

Crusader
And now this:



http://blog.washingtonpost.com/cele...tapoll_can_will_weather_a_s.html?hpid=entnews

AND this:

Sky News, UK: Actor Smith In Scientology Row

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From the article

11:28am UK, Tuesday July 01, 2008

"The head of Will Smith's new school has denied claims that it is a centre for Scientology."

"The actor and his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, have founded the New Village Academy in Los Angeles, which is scheduled to open in September."

"The school will use instructional methods developed by Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard called study technology."

"And some of the teachers belong to the church."

"But the Hollywood couple say they are not Scientologists, and the academy's director Jacqueline Olivier insists the facility has no religious affiliation."

"She told the LA Times: "We are a secular school, and just like all non-religious independent schools, faculty and staff do not promote their own religions at school."

"Nor do staff pass on the beliefs of their particular faith to children."

"Ms Oliver said some of the school's workers are Scientologists, Muslim, Christian or Jewish."

"As well as reading and maths, the school offers classes on yoga, robotics and etiquette."

"The most high-profile follower of Scientology is Smith's fellow Hollywood actor Tom Cruise."


My comments:

Comments section is OPEN. Suggested form of harpoon (props to Anon E Moose for original):

Reporters may have found the New Village website slightly void of scientology related content. Why, because in that last few days they have been systematically cleaning the site of all reference to scientology, in what is at best a bungling attempt at a cover up. The changes are broken down in the following protest site topic, with saved versions of the pre-alteration pages.

Will's Scilon Academy has "cleansed" its website

The breakdown of the changes is extensive, and you will find pretty damning. The real screw up on their part is that previous online reporting of this covered the unchanged version, so this change is something which they very much cannot back out of or deny.

They also tore down the staff list, probably because more than a third can be confirmed as being scientologists, also covered in the above linked topic. Now why would they need to hide that.
__________________
It seems to be turning into a shit storm. :)
 
Last edited:

byte301

Crusader
Anonymous is busy today!

"Teachers? We don't need no stinkin teachers at New Village Academy!"

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Badges, we don't need no steenking badges!" - The late, great Alfonso Bedoya (props to anonCSPSG for pointing this out), Alfonso you are missed.

Fans the world over know near instinctively where these words come from ("Blazing Saddles"), and if you didn't know the answer it's time for a Mel Brook's film festival in your home! This being said, who would have thought that one of Hollywood's richest celebrities would pay a million dollars to fund a school where only one of the teachers is registered in the state of California as having a licensed credential to teach their precious kidlets!

What follows is a list of employees from the "New Village Academy" website which may have recently been "purged" from all indicators. A recent search of the licensure site for California public school teachers turned up some interesting information.

The following is the result from searching on:

https://teachercred.ctc.ca.gov/teach...licSearchProxy

These are the limitations of the search:
Public school, not charter, list of certified teachers
Credentials issued before 1989 may not be on the list.


Tara Avadis- Not listed, no teaching credential found

Jana Batabunde-Bey – Not listed, no teaching credential found

Andrea Beckham –Not listed, no teaching credential found

Sigrid Burket – Not listed, no teaching credential found

Mariappan Jawaharlal –Not listed, no teaching credential found

Tasia Jones – Not listed, no teaching credential found

Carol Anne McGuire –Not listed, no teaching credential found

Natalie Nourian – Not listed, no teaching credential found

James Oliver FOUND: James Ronald Oliver, Clear Single Subject Teaching Credential (exp: 03/01/2011, iss: 03/01/2006).
“This credential authorizes the holder to provide the following services to limited-English-proficient pupils: (1) instruction for English language development in grades twelve and below, including preschool, and in classes organized primarily for adults; and (2) specially designed content instruction delivered in English in single-subject-matter (departmentalized) courses as authorized on this document. This crosscultural, language and academic development authorization also covers classes authorized by other valid, non-emergency credentials held, as specified in Education Code Section 44253.3.”

Single Subject licensed to teach: Crosscultural, Language, & Academic Development Emphasis, Physical Education (Examination)

Jacqueline Olivier –Not listed, no teaching credential found

Marcia Perkins – Not listed, no teaching credential found

Leonard Purnell – Not listed, no teaching credential found

Sisu Raiken – Not listed, no teaching credential found

Carolyn Roberts – FOUR LISTINGS FOUND under this name, no way to tell if one is her.

Ricky Starr -Employee Head chef

Tracy Wagner –No listing, no teaching credential found

Keisha Washington – No listing, no teaching credential found

These are listings for teachers who registered to work in public schools in the past and present, and what their current license credentials are. This list does not include unregistered teachers which may teach at charter schools, and I’ve no idea how typical it is to hire people completely without registered credentials or where to check them.

Given that only one person on that whole list has a teaching certificate registered in California, perhaps this too is newsworthy?
 

Dulloldfart

Squirrel Extraordinaire
Running the same names through Kristi's site, http://www.truthaboutscientology.com/:

Tara Avadis- Not listed, no Scientology credential found

Jana Batabunde-Bey – Not listed, no Scientology credential found

Andrea Beckham – Four Freewinds services in 2001 listed

Sigrid Burket – Freewinds and CC services listed, 1995-2005

Mariappan Jawaharlal –Not listed, no Scientology credential found

Tasia Jones – Freewinds and CC services listed, 2000-2005

Carol Anne McGuire –Not listed, no Scientology credential found

Natalie Nourian – Not listed, no Scientology credential found

James Oliver - CC services listed, 2003

Jacqueline Olivier –Not listed, no Scientology credential found

Marcia Perkins – CC services listed, 1992-2006

Leonard Purnell – Not listed, no Scientology credential found

Sisu Raiken – Freewinds, CC, and other services listed, 1992-2004

Carolyn Roberts –No listing, no Scientology credential found

Ricky Starr - No listing, no Scientology credential found

Tracy Wagner –No listing, no Scientology credential found

Keisha Washington – No listing, no Scientology credential found

Of course, there is no guarantee that the same names belong to the same people.

Paul
 

sandygirl

Silver Meritorious Patron
I guess I'm just NOT getting WHY Will smith is denying he's a Scio. He IS funding a school that uses Scio principles-so he obviously believes that they work.

If you believe that Scio is worth putting your $$$ and time into WHY are they denying the church.

Is is because they have their precious careers to think of?

I get really angry over this. While in, KSW1 is drilled into you continuously. LRH, himself, says that if your on board then you are there on the same terms "WIN OR DIE IN THE ATTEMPT"

No where does it say-use what you like and keep denying that you are part of the group.

This is a MAJOR button with me!!! Is there some secret double-standard for celebs?
 

sandygirl

Silver Meritorious Patron
Huh, How convienant!!!

So when my husband was followed to work (staff recruiting cycle) or I was repeatadly called at work (asking them not to about 100 times)-and I objected to this treatment I was NOT applying KSW!!!!!

Celebs can just privately fund the church-no contracts or selling books at the mall for them!!! How unfair!!!
 

asagai

Patron Meritorious
Celebrities have always been treated differently by the CofS, Sandygirl.

They were always allowed to be more dilletante about Scn - Ron was lying to you when he wrote those words in KSW! :duh:

There has always been a gradient as to how Scns were treated as regards KSW. This was done deliberately to form a bridge from public to dedicated slave to accomplish Ron's documented ambition in his admissions: "Men are your slaves".

The bridge goes Non-Scientologists, Celebrity Scientologists, Public Scientologists, Mission Staff Scientologists, Outer Org Staff Scientologists, Sea Org Scientologists.

This bridge was created by Ron to draw people across from "Wog" to "Slave" and you see the public moving across to "Slave", facilitated by this bridge from dilletante to dedicated scientologist.

Will Smith's "non-Scn school" is simply an early stage covert Scn set-up to draw innocent children and their parents across to becoming Ron's slaves. Smith himself will be drawn across from dilletante to Slave unless he wakes up from the cult-mind-warp, like some celebs do. Some celebs "wake up" because they are allowed to mix with "Wogs" more than non-celebs usually do. This price of lapsed celebs is the price the cult pays for using them as a "wog"-gathering dissemination tool, which Ron set up with his early celeb-targetting campaign.

It's a well-established routine, that I have seen in operation since the sixties.
 

sandygirl

Silver Meritorious Patron
Asagai,

As usual you're right on the mark!! It was such a huge upset for me, that the Scio celebs were being shoved down our throats when their experiences were so different!!!!

I remember 2 things from before I finally made the break-little things but they helped tip the scales:
****I was being berated by the E/O for not being totally "on board" with KSW. My crime? NOT promoting Scio. at my work (I am in the education system). Now since I didn't want to lose my job I wasn't about to push CCHR crap down respected educator's throats!!! However, low and behold I come home from work, pop on the telly and there is Ms. Alley on the largest watched TV show on the planet!! And how is Ms Alley promoting KSW you ask??

She's prancing around the stage in a bikini and panyhose-talk about worshipping the old bod.

*****We were under constant fire for not coming up with more $$$$ for bridge. We were harrassed to remortgage our home and charge up the credit cards. We refused as we have children and were not messing with our home. Lo and behold I see TC on TV. HE'S spending $3mill on a wedding complete with $2K perfume for Katie and $500 underpants!!!!! Of couse, you can say it's his $$$ blah, blah, blah.

My point-it seemed a bit excessive when he is trying to "clean this place up". How much auditing for staff members who receive none could he have bought with $3mill?

I'm just sayin.......
 
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