Parents oppose Narconon connection By Stephanie Bertholdo Bertholdo@theacorn.com Parents of Calabasas High School students complained to the school when they learned that the drug counselor scheduled to speak at a parent education night in midFebruary was a representative of Narconon, a drug rehabilitation program based on the teachings of Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard. The Narconon approach to drug education purportedly is based on Church of Scientology doctrine rather than proven medical interventions. An objection from parents, as well as an ...

Some parents are upset with a study method introduced by a Montessori school in northwest Toronto, which they say has its roots in the Church of Scientology. Parents said the owner of the Bambolino Montessori Academy, a private school, told parents last week that it was introducing a new learning method called applied scholastics. Janice Blundon said parents like her weren't given a choice when the dean at her son's school told them they'd be implementing the study technique. "I let ...

A woman accused of killing her father and sister and injuring her mother was denied psychiatric treatment by her parents who were Scientologists, a court heard yesterday. They declined the treatment after the 25-year-old woman, who cannot be named, was diagnosed with a psychotic illness last year and instead gave her medication they got from America. Dr Mark Cross, consultant psychiatrist and clinical director of the Liverpool and Fairfield Mental Health Services, said it was not "psychiatric in nature". The woman, ...

Sydney — An Australian woman accused of murdering her father and sister was apparently denied psychiatric treatment because of her parents' Scientology beliefs, a court heard on Monday. The 25-year-old woman, who cannot be named, appeared briefly in court on Monday to be charged for the stabbing attacks at her family home in a Sydney suburb, the Australian Associated Press reported. She made no application for bail because she was unfit to be interviewed, her lawyer Wade Bloomfield told the court. ...

At first glance, it seemed like a classic David-and-Goliath punch-up: Danielle Lavigueur, a separated mother of two living in Longueuil, on Montreal's South Shore, claims the high school her 12-year-old son Gabriel attends is pressuring her to medicate him with Ritalin for hyperactivity. She refuses to yield to the alleged demand, and eventually someone calls in the Children's Aid Society. Feeling besieged, Lavigueur confides in a friend, who introduces her to Raphaël Huppé, head of research for the Montreal-based National Parents ...

EDUCATION: Organizer of a conference being held today is a Scientologist, and that worries' some in the school-reform group. ORANGE — Leaders of Orange County's "back to basics" education movement are split over attending a conference tonight because the chief organizer belongs to the Church of Scientology. Orange County Department of Education board member Ken Williams said he withdrew from the "Back to Basics Education Crusade" because of discomfort with its organizers, not because of disagreement over the crusade's goals. "I ...

Scientologists and opponents of cults waged a war of leaflets last night as more than 100 angry parents confronted two representatives of a Park Ridge Montessori school that fired five teachers in a furor over teaching materials. Claiming their children had been traumatized by the abrupt firings, some parents threatened a breach-of-contract lawsuit. Parents said two-thirds of the more than 200 students at the school were withdrawn because the teachers were fired when they refused to use books designed by the ...

As the athletes of the world come together in peace to compete in the Olympics, a group of peacemakers in Watts, a city once town by riots, received an international peace award Wednesday. It was presented by a Century City-based group. On behalf of Bridge Publications, singer Amanda Ambrose, who has a special interest in Watts, presented a handsomely framed copy of the lyrics of the song "Declaration of Peace," composed by L. Ron Hubbard, to the Parents of Watts (POW). ...

CLEARWATER — Donald Haigler, a 23-year old Scientologist torn between love for his parent, and his religious sect, has reaffirmed his belief in Scientology. In a telephone interview Friday afternoon, the young Haigler said he loves his parents and is willing to see them frequently but he will not forsake Scientology, and he will not get involved with alleged "deprogramers," such as Nan McLean. Leon and Kathleen Haigler, who came to Clearwater with Mrs. McLean in hopes of convincing their son ...

CLEARWATER — Tears of joy mingled with beads of sweat under a warm noontime gun Thursday when a young Scientologist embraced his father and mother on the steps of Clearwater City Hall. Crowded around them were officials of the Church of Scientology, church critics, news people and residents. No one interfered as the emotional seconds passed, and tears streamed quietly down the relieved faces of the family members. For Leon and Kathleen Haigler, a retired couple from Fairfax. Va., the embrace ...

Toronto ON — A Scientologist who, with the encouragement of cult founder L. Ron Hubbard, organized parents to fight the education system of British Columbia three years ago has joined forces with a Toronto Scientologist to organize parents in a similiar battle in Ontario. Arda Froese, the founder of Parents Interested in Education in Vancouver, has come to live in Port Credit and with the help of Scientologist Ester MacPherson has established an Ontario branch of the organization. Mrs. Froese says ...

Mr. Steinman is a free-lance writer living in New York. Like all true believers, the members of the young Church of Scientology (or Dianetics as it is sometimes known) believe they have found the answers. A visit to their New York headquarters in the Hotel Martinique shows that Scientology has at least put smiles on a few faces and seems to have solved many of the existential problems of the members who work and study there. According to the recent U. ...

When ministers of the Founding Church of Scientology told a Falls Church, Virginia couple that could teach the couple's defective son to talk and raise his IQ at same time, the man and wife, understandably in search of a miracle, willingly paid—in advance—the sum of $3,000 as a "contribution for spiritual guidance." The husband cashed a life insurance policy, sold some bonds, added the proceeds of a small bequest and "scraped around in various places." And then his son Paul's "processing" ...