Copyright 1991 The St. Petersburg Times
 
THE CHILDREN OF SCIENTOLOGY
 
St. Petersburg Times (PE) - THURSDAY November 14, 1991
 
MEMO:
 SERIES: EDITORIALS
 TYPE: EDITORIAL
 
   Some children involved in the Church of Scientology apparently
have no one who cares about looking out for their welfare. They
tell haunting stories of hardship, loneliness and estrangement.
 
   In a two-day series, Times reporter Curtis Krueger provided
glimpses of the lives of parents and children involved in
Scientology. While there were Scientologists who sent Krueger
testimonials about ways the organization has improved their family
life, there were other people who recalled an austere existence
and a legacy of bitterness and pain. The stories told of Carlo, a
15-year-old boy found weeping on a Clearwater street corner last
March. He told police he didn't go to school, but instead did
maintenance work for the Church of Scientology from 8:30 a.m. to
10 p.m. daily. His mother was a church staff member, but Carlo
lived away from her in a church-owned housing complex.
 
   There was Beth Erlich, who at 11 signed a billion-year contract
pledging herself to the Church of Scientology. She attended a
Scientology-affiliated school, but then worked about 50 hours a
week doing filing and other jobs for the church, she said. She
lived with others in a room at a former motel.
 
   There was Mark, age 10. Police found him around midnight
wandering downtown Clearwater, where Scientology has its
international spiritual headquarters. He told police he worked six
days a week - sometimes as late as 10:30 p.m. - and was supposed
to be paid the grand sum of $12 a week.
 
   There were other recollections by former Scientologists - of
poor food, inadequate schooling, overcrowded living facilities,
separations from parents and painful divisions in families.
 
   The Church of Scientology contends those stories are lies,
mistakes or examples of problems that were discovered and
corrected long ago. Yet there are indications that as recently as
this past spring, children were working long hours for the
organization. It is not clear, said an official with the state
Department of Labor and Employment Security, whether there have
been violations of child labor laws by the Church of Scientology.
But to their credit, investigators are concerned and have begun an
inquiry.
 
   Yet to be explored is whether the department has any authority
to enforce labor laws in this case, since the Church of
Scientology calls itself a religion. The department's legal staff
should hasten to reach a conclusion, and the Legislature should
clear up any ambiguities in state law. No organization, religious
or otherwise, should be able to work young children for long
hours. A caring society does whatever is necessary to protect its
children from that sort of exploitation.
 
   Local public school officials may be the only ones who can
investigate whether Scientology children are attending school as
required by the state. Florida's compulsory school attendance law
was written decades ago, before private schools blossomed
throughout the state. It gives responsibility for investigating
possible violations to the county school superintendent, who can
initiate court action against parents if their children are not
regularly attending school somewhere.
 
   The Church of Scientology has been the focus of numerous court
battles and news stories. Though some appalling practices have
been revealed, Scientology has used threats and the cloak of
religion to hide many of its activities from public scrutiny.
 
   But there should be no place to hide if Scientology and its
adult followers are neglecting children, requiring them to work
long hours, or denying them adequate schooling, rest and
recreation. State and local officials responsible for the welfare
of children must find out.