Why Scientology should not be allowed into the Schools

Hello, folks,

If L. Ron Hubbard's "study technology" and its application by Delphi Academy are so wonderful, why does Delphi have to lie about its achievements?

With great interest, I listened to your report of Mon., Aug. 18, about the proposal for a charter school in L.A. by a scientologist, and the application of Hubbard's methods at Delphi. Since I have a daughter who recently began attending that school, I have been investigating its claims and credentials. I wish to share what I have learned with you.

Delphi claims 96% of its students apply for admission to college. Included in a packet of explanatory and promotional material they provided me was a page entitled "Partial List of Colleges and Universities that have Accepted Delphi Graduates." I wrote each of the 35 U.S. schools on that list. Of the 27 that replied, only 3 acknowleged having received applications from Delphi students in recent years; 16 said either they had not received such applications or they could not consider them. For example, U.C. Santa Barbara said it "...does not accept students applying from Delphi Academy...because Delphi is not an accredited institution."

So, I researched secondary school accreditation in California. I had a correspondence with the Director of Undergraduate Admissions for the University of California, who told me U.C. recognizes only one accrediting agency: the Accrediting Commission for Schools. That organization wrote me to say Delphi is not accredited.

I contacted an official in the state department of education who told me the state does not accredit schools.

I wrote American College Testing, which replied, "Few if any Delphi students have taken the ACT test."

I wrote Educational Testing Service; unfortunately, they were unwilling to provide information about Delphi students' history with the SAT's.

It is obvious to anyone familiar with scientology that it is attempting to achieve a measure of legitimacy, as well as recognition of Hubbard's name, his methods, even his unique use of language, by obtaining a charter for a new school and by getting the state to approve the use of his texts by public schools. Whether these are attempts to cross constitutional boudaries between church and state is a matter for the law to decide. Scientology has been able to represent itself as a religion when its needs are thus served and as a secular organization when that suits best. Maybe they can have it both ways.

Whether or not they have success in these endeavors, we need to ask: do Hubbard's methods work? If Delphi is a good example, they obviously do not.

I can document and/or duplicate all of the information I have provided, and more. If you wish to do further research on Delphi, it has a web site:

~delphila/psrdb.html In particular, see "Accrediting Agencies." The State of California I have addressed above; Applied Scholastics International is a Scientology organization (www-dot-appliedscholastics-dot-org/INDEX.htm); and California Interscholastic Federation exists to promote athletic competition among private schools, according to its web site.

If you want to discuss any of this information with me: e-mail: skeller@ecentral.com

Steve Keller