“I wasn’t going to question it because I was desperate to find somewhere for him.' A recent investigation by The Age uncovered undisclosed links between Mooroolbark Grammar and Scientology, a religion described by critics as an abusive cult.
Since questions fromwere sent to Mooroolbark Grammar, the school has overhauled its website and confirmed the links to the teaching methods of Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard in a section titled FAQs.Earlier this year, Mooroolbark Grammar opened as a small new school on the site once occupied by Yarralinda, a loss-making primary school.
That was Kate’s experience. There was no apparent mention of links to Scientology by staff, although she said she would not have recognised any mention of Hubbard, a science fiction writer who founded the religion in the 1950s, or Applied Scholastics. The school insists all parents are told of the school’s background and teaching methods.
A Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority spokesperson did not directly answer questions about Mooroolbark Grammar’s links to Scientology and whether it should receive public funding. “Mooroolbark Grammar is a non-government school, not operated by the Department of Education and Training,” a spokesperson said.
“They must be very desperate to try to distance themselves from any affiliation with Scientology because the stench of Scientology abuses is just too great these days.” Montessori is a style of teaching that has an emphasis on children learning at their own pace and developing natural interests and independence.A Consumer Affairs Victoria spokeswoman said that they did not comment on individual cases or businesses, but warned that under Australian Consumer Law, a business must not engage in misleading or deceptive conduct and must not make false or misleading representations.
Mooroolbark Grammar principal Gabriella Agosta, 29, was born into a family of prominent Scientologists, the Caligiuri’s. She claimed the links to Hubbard had not been previously disclosed as it was a new school and the website was under construction.