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Will & Jada Are Starting a School

June 29, 2008
Evil Beet
Jada Pinkett Smith, Will Smith
28 Comments

Will Smith and Jada Pinkett-Smith are two of the founders of a new private elementary school in Calabasas called the New Village Academy. The school will incorporate a teaching method developed by Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard and employ some teachers who are church members, although students of any religious background will be welcome. Assuming they get accepted and can pay what is sure to be astronomical tuition.

This Hubbard-influenced teaching method is called “study technology.” It focuses on hands-on experience, mastering a subject before moving on and not reading past words students don’t understand.

The curriculum also includes living skills, robotics, yoga, etiquette and technology. The school has a no-sugar policy and encourages parents to limit their children’s television time.

“New Village Academy was born of a simple question, ‘Is it possible to create an educational environment in which children have fun learning?'” says Will. “Jada and I believe the answer is ‘Yes.'”

Anyway, I’m sure Will & Jada are going to take all kinds of shit for using Hubbard’s techniques, but my take on it is this: whatever we’re doing in the school system in this country right now isn’t working. So, while I certainly hope they’ll stop short of bringing any Xenu into the classroom, I applaud them for exploring an alternate approach to early education.

28 CommentsLeave a comment

  • This is a Scientology school, with the curriculum of all the other Scientology schools, but it’s not open sold as such. Why hide that fact if you are proud of it. Why deny you are a Scientologist if you are not ashamed of your cult? Anyway with Hancock’s box office, perhaps the people have spoken. Will is less than honest and a creepy cult member now.

    Unfortunately there will be people to stupid to even do research and will be sending their kids to that schlock excuse for a school.

  • So, I guess Will Smith is officially the ‘new’ Scientologist. Tom Cruise became a crazy PR nightmare, so now they’re trying a more subtle approach. Scientology without actually calling it scientology.

    Why they gotta get all the good ones.

  • What part of this says creepy scientology? Sounds awesome to me. I hated public education and something like this would have been far better. Besides, people who go to catholic school rarely end up catholic (at least in my family/circle of friends). It depends on what you’re taught at home.

  • all together now folks……”ha…..ha”
    cos we all really did know this was coming…….right?

  • The thing is…it’s not the children of families who can afford the “astronomical tuition” that are in need of the alternatives. I’m sure some of those children could benefit from the program, but it’s the ones in the inner cities, the ones from families who don’t care, the ones in poverty, etc. that are really in need of help.

  • This isn’t a new concept. They should sell it as “constructivism”. That’s what it is. Students develop their own knowledge and learning by “constructing” it themselves. The student buy in is a lot higher because they are learning about concepts that interest them and lead to other new concepts and learning. Not to mention, they also learn a lot from each other.

    Why hasn’t it been fully integrated here in the states? Two reasons: Standardized Testing and No Child Left Behind.

    Hubbard’s idea? Whatever.

  • Wow. I can’t believe you would actually support anyone who would use Hubbard’s incredibly flawed “Study Tech”.

    Study Tech = Scientology = Created by an insane egomaniac

  • Wow. I can’t believe you would actually support anyone who would use Hubbard’s incredibly flawed “Study Tech”.

    Study Tech = Scientology = Created by an insane egomaniac

    Perhaps you ought to visit the following sites to find out exactly what Scientology and “Study Tech’ are all about:

    http://www.studytech.org/home.php

    http://www.hollywoodinterrupted.com/

    http://www.xenu.net/

    http://www.lisamcpherson.org/

    http://www.whyaretheydead.net/

    …and that’s just a start. From those sites you can find hundreds, if not thousands of websites and message boards that will tell you everything you’re so determined to ignore about Scientology.

  • Study Tech is one of Scientology’s basic mind control techniques. It doesn’t look like one, at a cursory glance though, which is pretty much necessary. (Hard to manipulate someone if they think they’re being manipulated)

    What it is: One of the basic tenets of the thing is to read, and keep track of your misunderstood words (“MUs” or “misunderstoods”). Then look them up in a dictionary and read it again until you understand it.

    What you’re meant to think it does: Now, the above is common advice when it comes to helping people improve their vocabulary. Most people have probably been advised to do so at some point in grade school. So to the causal observer, it seems reasonable. Perhaps even common-sense.

    What it actually does: The problem is, this ‘tech’ is NOT being used as a vocabulary aid. It’s used for everything. If you don’t understand the text (and there is often good reason not to, some LRH statements are patent nonsense), then it is because you have MUs. If you do not share the instructor’s interpretation of the text, you’ve misunderstood it. Go back and write up your MUs. If you question the text then you definitely have MUs (and possibly even an ‘ethics condition’).

    So, if you don’t understand the text, it’s because you don’t understand the words. It’s a sly bit of semantic sleight-of-hand that shifts the focus from the content of the text to its expression. The content cannot be questioned. It fosters the reader to blindly accept what they read and whichever interpretation is given to them. Having doubts or critical thoughts about the text is made to backfire on the reader – THEY have misunderstood something.

    It’s a control mechanism and it’s antithetical to everything modern education is about. (as well as the lofty goals of ‘study tech’ too..)

  • I could go on and on about The Cult…but I can’t get passed the fact that I want Jada’s body so bad it makes me want to put down the cheeseburger…well, almost.

  • don’t know about the study tech or whatever the hell it is, but i love the idea of no sugar for kids. i am so tired of kids all hyped up on sugar, having tantrums in the store for candy and then the parents always give in and buy them more candy and soda. that can’t be good.

  • I though Will Smith had left Scientology? Apparently not. How sad.
    I was under the impression that he was a smart guy, until now!

    I hope people realise what Scientology is, before ever even considering sending their children to that school.

    Anyone more curious about Scientiology should definitely check out xenu.net

    Reading about their “disconnection” policy is vital too. It destroys families from what I’m lead to believe. Maybe start here? http://www.scientologydisconnection.com/

    Sorry, didn’t mean to bombard you guys, but I think it’s important to look in to these things.

  • Ok, I’m kidding.

    I didn’t read up on study tech because I avoid anything Scienterific like the plague. I do like Waldorf schools and the idea of unlearning, and I was hoping it would be more like that. Crazy parents can send their kids to crazy school if they want. I don’t really care because it doesn’t affect me. They’re not going to drag my offspring into their cult, since I couldn’t afford it. Right?

  • Yes, Kitty, I think it would be safe to assume that I don’t endorse the indoctrination of children into cults, no matter how rich and famous the cult members and supporters are.

    @Astra:

    It galls me that people simply shrug and say: “Oh, it’s not my problem.”

    Take a few moments and read a little about the goals of Scientology, then tell me it doesn’t affect you. You just might be part of the 2.5% of humans they think ought to be “disposed of quietly and without remorse”. So might your child.

    Do you see why it really *is* your problem?

  • Scientology has this long history of creating organizations to hide the fact that they are really fronts for the cult.

    This is absolutely sick that they are trying to brainwash children in a school so that they will join the cult.

    Beet, I am sorry but you are a dumb c*nt for encouraging this sort of thing by giving it your approval.

  • Scientology Sucks Ass! Butt seriouslly (pun intended)…

    I have not problem with the “cult” word. Look it up, every religion is a cult. It’s the mind games and manipulation proported by their whole belief system. Just because Will and Jada endorse something doesn’t mean it’s fucking sound or wise for our school kids. I know they mean well, but they be fucking nuts!

    By the way the whole idea of sugar hyping kids up is a fucking myth!

    http://abcnews.go.com/2020/Story?id=1658232&page=2

  • So have any of you ever even gone and studied *anything* with an OPEN MIND and CLOSED MOUTH?! I am so sick of people shouting their beliefs and trying to claim that everything else is evil, bad, or crazy. As the Wiccan Rede says, Live and let live. Fairly take and fairly give. But that’s not just a Wiccan tenet; it is in just about every spiritual path. So how about all you narrow-minded so-and-so’s get your heads out of whatever hole they’re in and open your minds to other possibilities? I’m not saying embrace them, just stop being prejudicial bigots!
    Oh, and BTW mmobius, sugar might not make someone hyperactive, but it sure as s*#t ain’t good for your health! Look at the obesity epidemic and tell me sugar has nothing to do with it! I know, I know, all the junk food has a big part, but come on, there is sugar or high fructose corn syrup in damn near everything on store shelves these days! And what is fructose but another form of sugar?!

  • I would like to add that I was raised Catholic. You want to talk about mind control? I got out when I was 14 and never looked back. Now I study every faith I can find info on, and yes, I even read up on Scientology from time to time. But mostly Wicca now.