Secular vs. Religious Education

In 1997, the Church of Scientology submitted five of its text books to the California State Department of Education to be approved for use in public schools. Their submission was rejected, based on "social content" and not on their quality or method of instruction. However, there are ample reasons that the religious nature of these books makes them unsuitable (and unconstitutional) for use in public schools.

  1. The five books … are all standard works listed in the Church of Scientology's catalogue [offsite].

  2. Their publisher, Bridge Publications, ABLE, and Applied Scholastics are all listed as part of the Church of Scientology's religious tax-exemption [outlink] with the IRS.

  3. In the official Scientology publication, What Is Scientology? the church writes "as the aims of Scientology seek evolution to higher states of being for both the individual and society, these activities have grown increasingly important to the Church and, in 1988, it formed the Association for Better Living and Education (ABLE) to support, promote and expand the social betterment organizations that use Mr. Hubbard's Technologies in society… ABLE's activities are supported at the Church's highest ecclesiastical levels. There is also substantial direct financial sponsorship by the Church and donations by its members" (p. 405).

  4. Applied Scholastics is also a direct arm of the church of Scientology. What Is Scientology? reveals, "In 1972 Applied Scholastics was founded to advance the application of Mr. Hubbard's study technology outside the churches of Scientology… Through ABLE, the church and its members support and sponsor Applied Scholastics" (p. 422).

  5. In 1990 Scientology's Applied Scholastics released a flier promoting its proposed training center as "a model of real education for the world" that would "create overwhelming public popularity for Hubbard" (Los Angeles Times [outlink], June 27, 1990, p. A18).

  6. Scientology has employed duplicity to deceive the public and governmental authorities. At first Scientology called itself "the only successfully validated psychotherapy in the world" and a "precision science." That eventually got them into trouble with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and a federal judge who concluded "that Hubbard was making false medical claims and had employed 'skillful propaganda to make Scientology… attractive in many varied, often inconsistent wrappings'" (Ibid. [outlink], June 25, 1990, p. A18).

    However, Scientology's literature (Scripture) constantly and clearly teaches that Hubbard "technology" is their "applied religious philosophy." According to internal material and Scientology defectors, "Scientology has worked hard to shore up its religious profile for the public, the courts, and the IRS" (Ibid. [outlink]).

    Now when it suits them, they want to be able to assume a secular profile again through Applied Scholastics and ABLE. But there is too much inviolate "scripture" which teaches that Scientology's aim is to "clear the planet" to spread Scientology into every sector of society, "to bring the government and hostile philosophies or societies into a state of complete compliance with the goals of Scientology… Scientology is the only game on earth where everybody wins" (HCO Policy Letter, August 15, 1960, emphasis added; see also "Opinion Leaders," HCO Policy Letter, May 11, 1971; and "Special Zone Plan," HCO Bulletin of 23 June AD 10). They can't have it both ways. …

  7. As ACLU attorney Douglas Mirell stated after comparing the five Hubbard books with other materials from the church of Scientology, "I have some fairly serious questions about the constitutionality and, from a public-policy standpoint, the propriety of using these materials in public schools. It seems like the books go out of their way to use terms that have a technical definition within their religion" (Education Week, September 3, 1997, p. 1).

-Craig Branch in "Applied Scientology in Public Schools? [outlink]" The Watchman Expositor [offsite], Vol. 14, No. 5, 1997.