Sydney schools targeted by Scientology

A group funded by the Church of Scientology has been discovered targeting school children across Australia.

The group known as Youth for Human Rights has been distributing pamphlets and DVDs claiming Scientology founder L Ron Hubbard is a leader on human rights issues.

Mr Hubbard is listed ahead of figures such as Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King.
It’s the second wave of controversy to surround the Church of Scientology this month.

Last week Scientology came under attack from independent Senator Nick Xenophon who made allegations of “criminal” activity under parliamentary privilege.

The Church has denied any wrongdoing in relation to Senator Xenophon’s claims, which included allegations of coerced abortions, fraud and blackmail.

The NSW education minister Verity Firth has responded to the revelations by banning school principals from handing out the material.

Ms Firth said the material, which was targeting year 6 students, was a “marketing exercise.”

“It would appear that this organisation has links to the Church of Scientology, which is not approved to conduct any activities in NSW public schools,” Ms Firth wrote in a memo to principals.

A spokesman for the Church of Scientology, Cyrus Brooks, told the ABC the minister had been mislead about the nature of the information being distributed which he labelled “secular”.

“This promotes the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights,” he said. “This is not information from us.”
Mr Cyrus said the inclusion of Mr Hubbard in the material was as valid as including other leaders such as the Dalai Lama.


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