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The Cult Wants to Teach our Children
The Sunday Mail [scottish publication, not to be confused with the Mail on Sunday], 28 March 1995
by Marion Scott and John Nairn
A controversial cult is targeting Scots children, the Mail can reveal today.
Parents of youngsters with learning difficulties and worried about exam success, have been attracted by cult members promising to help their children educationally.
The woman behind the scheme is Dorothy Milton, who advertises her Edinburgh-based Effective Education Scotland tutoring courses in YELLOW PAGES.
ADVERTS
But the mother-of-five doesn't tell parents she's a Scientologist.
She teaches pupils in special classes at the Eric Liddell Centre, in the city's posh Morningside area.
Her adverts contain no reference to Scientology. They say: "Worried about exams? Programmes in the Basic Skills, reading, maths etc."
Although Milton, 43, is teaching children, the General Teaching Council have no record of her. A spokesman said: "We have never heard of her or Effective Education Scotland."
Lothian Regional Councils education department also has no knowledge of Effective Education, and say it isn't an accredited organisation with the local authority.
Mrs Milton DENIED to Sunday Mail investigators that the teaching methods she uses had direct links with Scientology, the cult founded by black-magic fanatic L. Ron Hubbard.
But in their own magazine, "The Auditor", Scientologists boast:
"Dorothy Milton is delivering L. Ron Hubbard's study technology to non-Scientologist children."
Milton told us: "The books I use come from Applied Scholastics, which is an educational body."
CALLS
She claimed the Los Angeles-based Applied Scholastics wasn't connected with the Church of Scientology, but admitted that the books she uses are based on Hubbard's teachings.
Applied Scholastics was founded in 1972 by a group of Scientologists who were teachers. But Church of Scientology spokeswoman Margaret Reece said Applied Scholastics "is not a recruiting pool for the Church."
Mrs Milton lives with her husband Ian, also a Scientologist, at 31 St Katherines Brae, Gracemount, Edinburgh.
She told Sunday Mail investigators she has been inundated with calls from parents willing to pay up to 16 pounds an hour for tuition.
She claimed she became interested in Hubbard when she was training to become a teacher, and added: "I thought his methods were very good."
One anxious mother phoned the Sunday Mail after Mrs Milton warned parents at the Eric Liddell Centre on Wednesday night that a newspaper article might be appearing, linking her with cults.
The woman said: "I wouldn't want my child to be in any danger, or near any cult."
RISK
Asked if Mrs Milton had ever revealed that she was a Scientologist, the mother said: "Not until Wednesday. I had not heard of Scientology before.
"Mrs Milton said she followed Mr Hubbards educational teachings, but that you didn't need to follow his religious teachings unless you wanted to."
Bonnie Woods, of the cult-rescue group ESCAPE, said: "Parents have to be warned of the risks that could be involved."
And Andrew Barclay, chairman of the community-based Eric Liddell Centre, said last night: "We were not informed that this group had links with Scientology. Our committee will now decide whether to allow them to remain here."
[Picture with caption "FOR HIRE: Mrs Miltons phonebook advert" Text: "BEHIND AT SCHOOL? WORRIED ABOUT EXAMS? We Formulate Individual Programs In The Basic Skills: Reading, Maths Etc. To Bring Younger Children Up to Confidence At Their School Level For Older, Students Our Speciality Is Resolving Concentration Problems And Getting Them Up To Exam Requirements"]
[Picture with caption "PRAISED... in the Scientology Magazine" Text: Dorothy Milton, HAPI public, is running an ABLE group, delivering L. Ron Hubbards study technology to non-Scientologist children. She uses the Grammar and Communication Course for Children, Learning How to Learn course and the Study Skills for Life course. DIANETICS ads are placed in the town's taxis so all passengers get introduced to DIANETICS this way!"]
[Picture with caption "DOROTHY MILTON ... denied teaching link with cult"]
HUBBARD'S WACKY LEGACY
The bizarre ways of Scientology have never been far from the public eye.
In Scotland, the world-wide cult operates from headquarters on Edinburgh's South Bridge.
The Mail has revealed in the past how members of the cult are put under enormous pressure.
Many claim that it is almost impossible to break free from the Scientologists clutches. The cult, which claims to have seven million members world-wide, is based on the wacky teachings of science fiction writer L. Ron Hubbard, who is thought to have died in 1986.
Hollywood stars who have been recruited by the smooth-talking Scientologists include John Travolta, and the newly-married Michael Jackson and Lisa-Marie Presley.
Up: Martin Poulter > Scientology Criticism > UK Media Archive