Scientology ties at New Village Leadership Academy stir controversy for Will Smith and Jada Pinkett-Smith
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Saturday, September 12, 2009
The Calabasas, California private elementary school New Village Leadership Academy (NVLA) opened its 2009–10 school year this week amid controversy over its connections to Scientology. The school was founded by celebrity couple Will Smith and Jada Pinkett-Smith, who paid about US$1 million to lease the facility in 2008. Former head of school Jacqueline Olivier was removed from her job in July, and replaced by Piano Foster, an individual who has taken Scientology courses at the organization’s Celebrity Centre.
Smith and Pinkett-Smith are good friends with Scientologists Katie Holmes and her husband Tom Cruise. In 2006, Smith acknowledged to World Entertainment News Network that he had discussed Scientology with Cruise: “I’ve talked to Tom about it. [There’s] lots of incredible, wonderful concepts but Jada and I don’t necessarily believe in organized religion.” ABC News reported that 2008 tax returns for the Smiths show they gave $122,500 to organizations with ties to the Church of Scientology.
| “All I can say is it is not a Scientology school.” | ||
In an interview with Ebony, Pinkett-Smith denied the school was affiliated with Scientology: “All I can say is it is not a Scientology school. Now, If you don’t trust me, and you are questioning my integrity, that’s a whole different matter. That is straight evil to think I would bring families into that educational institution and then try to get them to convert into some religion,” she said. According to New York Daily News, the school is registered with the government of California as “non-religious”.
The school utilizes a teaching methodology called Study Technology, which was developed by Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard. Study Technology is promoted through Applied Scholastics, a Scientology-associated organization founded in 1972. “Study Technology is a secular methodology intended to help students better understand what is being studied and apply it to real life,” said Pinkett-Smith in an email to ABCnews.com. Karin Pouw, an official with the Church of Scientology, was contacted by ABC News but did not comment on a possible affiliation between NVLA and Scientology, instead referring questions back to the school itself.
New York Daily News cited Radar Online in reporting that former head of school Olivier was fired from her position because she had issues with the Study Tech teaching methodology used in the school. According to The Sydney Morning Herald, Olivier was removed from her $200,000 position with the school because she reportedly did not agree with portions of the school’s curriculum which were developed by L. Ron Hubbard.
| “What they seem to have is some sort of a hybrid. Scientology repackaged for the Hollywood crowd.” | ||
Carnegie Mellon University computer science Professor David S. Touretzky, described by ABC News as “the most ardent critic of Study Technology”, spoke with ABCNews.com about his thoughts on Scientology connections with the school: “What they seem to have is some sort of a hybrid. Scientology repackaged for the Hollywood crowd. It’s hitting all the politically correct elements … but snuck in there is this Scientology stuff.” Professor Touretzky operates a web site which analyzes Study Tech and argues that it is actually a form of Scientology masked as an educational method. In a February 2008 interview with Wikinews, Professor Touretzky mused that recent criticism of Scientology on the Internet might prove to “warn off Hollywood celebs from cozying up to the cult”, including Will Smith.
Executive director of the California Association of Independent Schools, Jim McManus, was also critical of L. Ron Hubbard’s methodology, stating: “I look at the Study Tech ideas and it doesn’t seem sound educationally.” University of Virginia psychology professor Dan Willingham, author of Why Don’t Students Like School, asserted to ABC News that the methodology is flawed: “It’s perfectly possible that the methodology is based on ridiculous principles and that something effective is happening in the classroom, but ridiculous principles certainly lowers that possibility.”
| “This revenue stream is one of the many sources of income which the Church of Scientology uses for such tactics as invoking frivolous lawsuits and hiring private investigators to intimidate critics.” | ||
Members of the Internet-based group critical of Scientology, Project Chanology, were present at the school’s 2009 opening to protest what they called a “front” of the Church of Scientology. A 2008 press release by Project Chanology was critical of what it referred to as the revenue the Church of Scientology receives from licensing fees schools pay the organization for utilizing the Study Tech teaching methodology. “This revenue stream is one of the many sources of income which the Church of Scientology uses for such tactics as invoking frivolous lawsuits and hiring private investigators to intimidate critics,” said the press release.
According to the web site TruthAboutScientology.com, which publishes data compiled from Scientology magazines Freewinds, Celebrity and Auditor, multiple individuals in management roles at NVLA have attended Scientology classes. In addition to the newly installed head of school, Piano Foster, the school’s director of learning Tasia Jones and its artistic director Sisu Raiken have both received Scientology course training. “I officially took over on July 1, 2009, and I’m looking forward to the challenge. I’ve been working in education for the past 20 years at various public and charter schools so I feel I’m ready for the job,” said Foster of her new position at NVLA.
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By Penny Lane
Have you had your dentist ask you questions like, ‘Are you snoring or sleeping bad?’ or ‘Do you suffer from halitosis no matter what you eat or do?’ or ‘Do you suffer from acidity?’ Would be surprised if your dentist points you to a sleep apnea clinic rather than an invisalign? Do not because very often poor dental health is actually a pointer to other medical conditions that you might be suffering and not knowing about.
Mouth odor which is so terrible and everyone hates, could be the result of poor digestion, bad eating habits, gastroenteritis, and many other similar problems. High acidity also causes yellowing of teeth, plaque and even cavities. Snoring is another example where oral health points to underlying health problems – in this case it is respiratory disorders.
Recent studies show that even heart diseases could be detected through the analysis of the condition of your oral health. Tooth infections and abscesses can influence the immune system to such an extent that the heart would be affected as well. When there are acute and continuous recurring infections of the jaw bone in particular, it is often a pointer that the heart is under threat as well.
This is why it is important to visit your dentist at least every six months so you would not only ensure the health of your teeth but also your health overall. The dentist would be able to tell you whether what you are suffering from is owed to poor dental hygiene, poor eating habits or other ailments in the body that reflect in the oral health problems.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qr3Rd7g6AGY[/youtube]
It is very important therefore that you maintain good oral health and take the trouble to immediately remedy any problem you find with your teeth or gums. Most people still suffer from dentist phobia and would do anything to postpone a visit. If you are among this bracket of people, please note that you are doing yourself a great disservice. You might be hiding some very serious medical condition.
There are a few things that you should always do to ensure that your teeth stay healthy and disease free.
1. Brush your teeth two to three times a day – generally the best habit is to brush immediately after a meal. However, brushing 2-3 times a day would suffice. Brushing usually helps to remove any remaining food particles from in-between teeth and also wash away any acidic remnants from the food you consumed.
2. Flossing is a must – flossing is once again a very important daily activity which you should never ignore. Flossing, like brushing would ensure that there are no shreds of food remaining in between the teeth, which would later decompose and create mouth odor.
3. Avoid sugary foods – as a general rule refined sugar is not recommended for good health. Generally speaking this creates acidity and gastric problems. When sugary matter remains on the teeth it weakens the enamel and causes cavities.
It is very important that you pay attention to the health of your teeth and mouth in general for neglecting this aspect may impact negatively the rest of your body.
About the Author: Penny Lane visited a
Seattle sleep apnea
specialist for remedy to help her sleep more soundly. She visited a
Seattle Invisalign
dentist to look into the braces for her children.
Source:
isnare.com
Permanent Link:
isnare.com/?aid=630542&ca=Wellness%2C+Fitness+and+Diet
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