Bear with me, this will take just a minute.
The Daily published a two-part story last Tuesday and Wednesday, an exclusive look at the most prestigious boarding school in the Scientology world. I was the reporter on that story, which was the product of more than five weeks of reporting, writing, fact-checking and editing by myself, my editor and a number of others. The final version came to more than 3,300 words.
On Friday, the Daily Mail, which runs the second largest newspaper website in the world, had a remarkably similar story.
The Mail’s version ran over 630 words, covering the same ground as our story. Same quotes, same details, same ideas. In fact, there was no information in it that wasn’t contained in my article. How odd!
Yet there was not one little link to our story anywhere at all (although they were kind enough to mention us a few times).
It wasn’t quite plagiarism — that’s not how they make the sausage at the Mail. But they do run an impressive grinder and our story just got stuffed into it that day. Different product, same meat.
This isn’t the first time this has happened, and it will hardly be the last. The Washington Post has had lots of struggles getting proper credit from the Daily Mail. But there’s a difference between what sites like Gawker and the Atlantic Wire do — we were happy with how they picked up our piece — and this.
US
Founded in the 1970s by Scientologists, Delphian has remained largely a mystery for decades.
But with the unraveling of the church’s public face, alumni of the school have begun to speak out.
THEM
But for years, the “Scientology school,” the Delphian, in Sheridan, Oregon has largely remained a mystery.
Now former students are speaking out about the controversial $42,000-a-year school where the unconventional curriculum includes learning through clay modelling and students are encouraged to report each other for breaches of the school's extensive list of rules.
US
Yet it lacks academic accreditation, and relies on Hubbard-inspired teaching methods rejected by mainstream education experts.
THEM
It does not have academic accreditation and its unorthodox teaching methods, inspired by L Rob Hubbard, have been rejected by mainstream education experts.
US
Study Tech revolves around three basic ideas: All educational problems arise from misunderstood words (including words as basic as “the” or “it”); abstract ideas need to be shown in pictures or clay to be grasped; and students should not progress in a subject until they master every single step.
THEM
It revolves around three main principles — all educational problems arise from misunderstood words, abstract ideas need to be shown in pictures or clay to be understood, and students should not progress in a subject until they grasp each step.
US
Apart from individualized courses and strict rules, alumni said that daily manual labor and hands-on learning exercises — in particular, clay modeling — are an integral part of the Delphian experience.
THEM
Students told the website that much of the learning comes through daily manual labour and hands-on tasks, with a particular focus on clay modelling.
US
At Delphian, not only are sex and drugs verboten, so are casual Fridays, public kissing and facial hair.
THEM
Sex and drugs are banned, along with casual Fridays, public kissing and facial hair.
US
One such drill conducted at Delphian requires students to sit still for two hours staring into another student’s face. If you flinch or slump, you fail, and have to start over.
A more advanced drill called “TR-7: High School Indoc.” is designed to teach students how to make people do what they are told, by physical force if necessary.
Ke explained, “You learn to control your body, and to control other people’s — so you don’t feel shy about pushing someone, or getting someone to do what you need them to do. It starts simple. You tell him to look at the wall. If he doesn’t, you try to make him look at the wall, physically.
THEM
One example of a drill given was a task in which students are required to sit still for two hours and stare at each other.
If students flinch or slump they are made to start again.
Another drill called “TR-7: High School Indoc” teaches students how to make people do what they are told.
You learn to control your body, and to control other people's — so you don't feel shy about pushing someone, or getting someone to do what you need them to do,' one student told The Daily.
It starts simple. You tell him to look at the wall. If he doesn't, you try to make him look at the wall, physically.
US
David, who graduated in the early 1990s, felt almost alien after he left.
“I came out of that place barely speaking English. I’d be at home, and I felt so different from everyone in the wog world,” he said.
THEM
But others have complained that it left them unable to work in the outside world.
“I came out of that place barely speaking English. I'd be at home, and I felt so different from everyone in the wog world,” one student told The Daily, using the Scientology word for mainstream society.
US
Despite their unorthodox education, many Delphian students have done well in the real world. Sky Dayton, founder of Earthlink and Boingo, graduated from the school.
Other graduates have gone on to become computer programmers, designers and filmmakers.
THEM
Many of the school's graduates have gone on to successful careers as computer programmers, designers and filmmakers.
Sky Dayton, the founder of Earthlink and Boingo, went to the school.
US
“It was a very fear-oriented student life,” said Paul Csige, who attended Delphian in the late 1990s. Csige is not a Scientologist. “Students were encouraged to tell on other students.”
THEM
“It was a very fear-oriented student life,” one student who went to the school in the 1990s told The Daily. “Students were encouraged to tell on other students.”
