Another Teacher speaks out.

Great American Teacher

michellerhee · 1 day ago

I worked in a Gulen charter school last year for six weeks. (I didn't know it at the time.) It was very poorly run. Unprepared students, curriculum not being taught completely (as is mandated by state law). They are also very nasty people and they play dirty.

In our rush to privatize public education, we are handing the keys over to radical Islam. Wake up, America!

http://frontpagemag.com/2010/11/23/debbie-schlussel-stands-up-for-persecuted-christian-teachers-%E2%80%93-in-america/?cid=117142

 

FOR MORE INFORMATION GO TO:   http://www.harmonyparenttruth.blogspot.com/

or

http://www.magnoliascienceacademy.blogspot.com/

 





Gulen Movement and expansionism in America-List of Gulen Charter Schools in America

The goal was to move rapidly before America caught on about the Gulen connection.  Today there are over 150 Gulen Charter schools in the USA.  Lately they are being DENIED their applications and expansions.  There are many reasons 1) much better competition from American based companies like KIPP schools, Basics, and Inspire 2) money is tighter 3) the Gulen Charter schools are NOT performing 4) the over use of h1-b Visas for foreign non-English speaking teachers or ESL teachers.


This map is from a Turkish Magazine

For a complete up to date list of Gulen Charter Schools:
http://charterschoolscandals.blogspot.com/p/list-of-us-gulen-schools.html

READ ABOUT THE RAPID EXPANSION OF GULEN'S HARMONY SCIENCE ACADEMY
http://www.slideshare.net/CASILIPS/rapid-expansion-harmony

Gulen Movement's Congressional Friends, Congresswoman Jean Schmidt

Nicknamed "Mean Jean" Congresswoman Jean Schmidt is a Turkish Tool and enabler of the Gulen Movement in the USA.  Jean has been a guest many times to Turkey by the Rumi Forum, and other Gulen NGOs.  Jean also speaks at many Gulen Insitute functions,  watch the videos below on her hearing before the elections committee and the abnormal amount of Turkish money to Queen Schmidt's campaign.


From accusing the Chinese of drilling for oil in cahoots with Cuba off the Florida coast to publicly lambasting a senior lawmaker and decorated war veteran as the newest Congressman, Jean Schmidt has made a pretty persuasive case for the Dept. of Homeland Security to put a roof over Ohio’s 2nd district and designating it a lunatic asylum.

But let it not be said that Schmidt appeases the enemy. By April of this year, the Cincinnati Enquirer did some number crunching and discovered that by President Obama’s 100th day in office, she shared a distinction with John Boehner and Geoff Davis: Voting with the President 0% of the time.


She also thinks she’s a hottie, btw.  Sorry Jeanne, you skin is weathered like cheap leather.  When you take those FREE trips to the Turkish coast be sure to use a hat and SPF 50.  Dear Ohio Taxpayers:  It shouldn't surprise you that your state is the second largest number of Gulen Charter Schools- (surprise - surprise)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=En7HhLV4oIA

Congresswoman Jean Schmidt who has been brought before the Ohio Elections Committee 2 times on various charges is a Gulen Institute honorary member.  One of these hearings was based on the abnormal amount of Turkish Coalition of America, and Turkish Americans who contributed in excess of $30,000 in campaign contributions to Schmidt.

Besides Free trips to Turkey, Congresswoman Jean Schmidt is a regular speaker at Gulen events and dinners. Is there any coincidence that Ohio is the 2^nd state with the largest amount of these Gulen Science Academys?  Was ex-FBI Turkish translator turned whistleblower Sibel Edmonds telling the truth about the American enablers of Gulen?  Do your research and decide.

Here is the link for Congressional Members and their trips to Turkey, note that many are given under the Rumi Forum, Turquoise Council or the other many Gulen Foundations.   http://www.legistorm.com/trip_browse_by_approver/index/state/OH/page/2.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yN3ZbjBgs_I

Watch Congresswoman at a Gulen Institute Dinner in Texas, she is described as a “Friend of Turkey”

Congratulations for being #11 on the list of 21 looniest legislatures
http://welcomebacktopottersville.blogspot.com/2009/08/21-looniest-legislators-ii-part-two.html

Gulen's Concept Schools is under scrunity in Ohio, Horizon Science Academys

Watch NBC Channel 4 News, Ohio's Horizon Science Academy is particularly interesting as they have been protected by Congresswoman Jean Schmidt. 
http://www2.nbc4i.com/news/2010/nov/23/public-charter-school-funds-under-scrutiny-ar-301282/

Published: November 23, 2010

Home / news / state_regional /

Public Charter School Funds Under Scrutiny

By Tanya Hutchins

"Concept Schools" runs 25 schools in five different states, serving 7,000 students.  In Columbus, the schools are known as Horizon Science Academies.  Horizon's High School is ranked Excellent on its latest state report card.  Horizon Middle School is rated in Continuous Improvement and Horizon Elementary is in Academic Watch.
Two NBC 4 viewers contacted the station, asking us to look into allegations that Ohio taxpayer money was being used to recruit teachers overseas, specifically Turkey.
The Ohio Federation of Teachers showed NBC 4 a lease for a Horizon School in Dayton, whose landlord has a Turkish mailing address.  The President of the Ohio Federation of Teachers wants to know if the rent money is actually going to Turkey.  She also wants to know why Turkish teachers are employed by Horizon.
"At a time of high unemployment in Ohio, when teachers have been laid off, teachers coming out of college can't find jobs. Why would we be importing teachers and administrators from Turkey when Ohioans don't have jobs?" questioned Sue Taylor, President of the Ohio Federation of Teachers.
The Ohio Coalition for Quality Education doesn't think there should be restrictions on where teachers come from or where public charter schools are located.  "They do recruit some of their teachers from Turkey because they have, frankly, high quality teachers in Math and Science in Turkey," said Ron Adler, President and Founder.
About 10% of teachers who work for Concept Schools are international.  The Vice President says taxpayer money is not used to recruit teachers overseas.  "That does not make it a Turkish school, nor an Islamic school.  These are public schools serving students who need those services the most," said Salim Ucan.   He said Concept Schools are some of the highest-performing schools in the country.
"I've monitored and provided technical assistance to Concept Schools since 1998 and I can say without hesitation that these schools are of the highest quality, hardworking, and they achieve wonderful results with their students. They are an exceptionally good investment of our public dollars," said Patricia Hughes, Director of the Community School division for Buckeye Hope Foundation, one of Horizon's sponsors in Ohio.
Concept Schools is based in Chicago.  The Ohio Attorney General's Office has no record of complaints against the company or Horizon Science Academies.

Partial Script from newsreel:
NBC - "Concept Schools" runs 25 schools in five different states, serving 7,000 students. In Columbus, the schools are known as Horizon Science Academies. Horizon's High School is ranked Excellent on its latest state report card. Horizon Middle School is rated in Continuous Improvement and Horizon Elementary is in Academic Watch.

Two NBC 4 viewers contacted the station, asking us to look into allegations that Ohio taxpayer money was being used to recruit teachers overseas, specifically Turkey.

The Ohio Federation of Teachers showed NBC 4 a lease for a Horizon School in Dayton, whose landlord has a Turkish mailing address. The President of the Ohio Federation of Teachers wants to know if the rent money is actually going to Turkey. She also wants to know why Turkish teachers are employed by Horizon.

"At a time of high unemployment in Ohio, when teachers have been laid off, teachers coming out of college can't find jobs. Why would we be importing teachers and administrators from Turkey when Ohioans don't have jobs?" questioned Sue Taylor, President of the Ohio Federation of Teachers.

The Ohio Coalition for Quality Education doesn't think there should be restrictions on where teachers come from or where public charter schools are located.

"They do recruit some of their teachers from Turkey because they have, frankly, high quality teachers in Math and Science in Turkey," said Ron Adler, President and Founder.

About 10% of teachers who work for Concept Schools are international. The Vice President says taxpayer money is not used to recruit teachers overseas.

"That does not make it a Turkish school, nor an Islamic school. These are public schools serving students who need those services the most," said Salim Ucan.

He said Concept Schools are some of the highest-performing schools in the country.

"I've monitored and provided technical assistance to Concept Schools since 1998 and I can say without hesitation that these schools are of the highest quality, hardworking, and they achieve wonderful results with their students. They are an exceptionally good investment of our public dollars," said Patricia Hughes, Director of the Community School division for Buckeye Hope Foundation, one of Horizon's sponsors in Ohio.

Concept Schools is based in Chicago. The Ohio Attorney General's Office has no record of complaints against the company or Horizon Science Academies.

  http://www.lambslain.com/2010/12/bill-gates-charter-school-movement.html =

Religion Clause: Many Charter Schools In Texas Have Religious Connections

Religion Clause: Many Charter Schools In Texas Have Religious Connections

Gulen Schools are closing DOWN, DOWN, DOWN and being DENIED, DENIED,DENIED

Chesapeake was salvaged (barely) after the police had to close it down because of the abusive sexist Turkish Male principal.  It is happening as we speak: Beehive Science Academy, Dove Science Academy, Denials for expansion in Kentucky, Colorado and many many other school districts that are investigating these clowns.  We know you read our blogs, and you do understand English enough to know that you cannot mess around with our tax dollars to promote your "agenda" the Turkish culture and light introduction into Islam has got to stop.  The money $$$$ is getting cut off and those government spies that are working for the government of America and Turkey

Gulen Charter Schools-Delaware BEWARE, Gulen Charter Application for new school

      

      Delaware please be aware of the Charter school application from First State Math and Science Academy trying to open in New Castle County. This is a Gulen Movement school, and they are rapidly expanding in the USA up to 150 and counting.
Don’t know who Islamic Imam Fethullah Gulen is? Do your research and find out 1) why was he exiled from Turkey? 2) What is his grand ambition?
http://www.vision2015de.org/resources/01-15-10-TNJ-Education%20board%20OKs%20changes%20to%20rules.pdf

http://www.gulencharterschools.weebly.com/
http://www.charterschoolwatchdog.com/
http://www.gulencharterschoolsusa.blogspot.com/
http://www.charterschoolscandals.blogspot.com/

Gulen Charter Schools - 10 steps of denialism

 

Gulen meeting credible world religious leaders----Why doesn't Gulen wear his Mullah clothing? 

10 Facets of Islamic Deception: Taqiyya Shown in Gulen Charter Schools

1. Hard core Denial: Flatly deny, we are not part of Gulen we are Turkish Scholars, merely trying to educate you Americans in your insufficent educational efforts.

2. Soft Intimidation: Intimidate teachers and parents with cease and desist letters if they mention Gulen in connection with the schools. American teachers threatened with job loss.

3. Hide under the guise of Religion and Tolerance: Claim Gulen is a good man who promotes interfaith dialog with world's religious leaders. (photos to prove 1 time meetings) uses local Gulen Interfaith programs to con local politicians and Christian groups. Turning churches into Gulen Charter schools (Lotus School of Excellence- Aurora, CO) or the ex- private Catholic School purchased by the Gulen movement and shamelessly converted to a new Charter school in St. Louis, MO.

4. Hard intimidation: Send cease and desist letters from Gulen Foundation lawyers to parents or teachers who dare speak the truth. (threats and intimidation start) walk into State Charter meetings with attorney as in the case of Beehive Science Academy. Fire teachers that try to form a Teachers Union and want to improve student academics. Claim parents are disgruntled because their child got bad grades.

5. Step up Marketing and Public Relations: Beef up the marketing and Public relations with Gulen's own web sites and media. Keep up the appearance with local politicians, police, etc., who visit the schools - always have a video or camera ready to capture the moment of presenting tea sets to visiting elected officials. Stay on top of blogs, web sites, news articles that are exposing and questioning the Gulen managed charter schools in the USA. Free trips to Turkey for local media, politicans and interfaith groups.

6. Medium Core Denial: Gulen schools claim "there is no proof or evidence" it is a "conspiracy theory" (by the way there is plenty of proof) or "American paranoia."

7. Pay offs and bribes: Pay off's of victims so the case doesn't reach national attention only local. Dove Science Academy rape victim -family and attorney get $100,000 from the Gulen Foundation in Oklahoma. $5,000 for the kids locked into a closet by Turkish teacher (after all it was a cultural difference) Free trips to Turkey for politicians, students, etc.  Turkish language taught at night and in the schools, "Turkish is the language of Love and Peace."

8. Business as usual : Continually apply for more grants, loans and open more schools at a rapid pace. Surely no one will notice (strategic ambiguity) rob grants from Walton Family Foundation and Gates Foundation to pay for payroll, and other non-allowable expenses. Audits come and go - dodge more bullets with attorneys. It is all a misunderstanding, we are another culture. We didn't understand that we cannot use American Tax dollars for HB-1 Visas, Turkish trips, etc, after all we teach Turkish Character in the schools.

9. Soft Core Denialism: Schools are admitting to ties to the Gulen Movement - "We may have teachers that are Gulen followers but we don't teach religion." "We cannot prevent our teachers from being Gulen followers." or Gulen "inspired" school. Be honest: you are all known Gulen members, with ties to each other in the USA and in Turkey.

10. Playing Victim: "Mean Americans don't understand Muslims, you are being unfair and racist (Turkish is not a race but an Ethnicity)" "Why do American people hate us and have so many prejudices toward us?" "We are victims of American ignorance." "All these articles and documentation are untrue." "Gulen is promoting peace and tolerance -Americans promote lies and hatred." "We will sue you"

One of the many Gulen Interfaith groups thoughout the USA visits Turkey and the Grand Mosque

Matt Yapanel Lotus School for Excellence and his lame excuses

UPDATE 12/8/2010- SUPERINTENDENT HADDAD TO DENY LOTUS SCHOOL FOR EXCELLENCE http://www.timescall.com/news_story.asp?ID=24487

Ümit;gözyaşları Dur, sen Amerikalılarla kazanamazlar. Onlar başarısız ve Longmont arazi ellerine almak istiyorum.Lifebridge de Hıristiyanlar senden iyi alırsınız. Longmont şehri mal ve mülk sahibi olacak.bir bebek gibi ağlıyor dur, ben bir bebek bezi almak gerekir

After failing to make the grade and approval for an expansion, Matt Yapanel (aka Umit Yapanel) posted this letter to the newspaper comments in Colorado.  Seems Mattie thinks that excuses like a turnover of teachers is the reason for poor score results.   Cry babie Mattie, WAAaaaaa, WAAAaaaa, WAaaa

http://www.timescall.com/news_story.asp?ID=24255



I am Matt Yapanel, the president of the board of directors at Lotus.
 The comparison presented in this article is not fair. It only compares last year's CSAP results. Our reading/writing scores were not very good last year due to some staff turnover in our Language Arts department. Moreover, we tried a new approach which obviously did not work. This is all fixed this year and we are using state-of-the art intervention programs such as Reading Plus (www.readingplus.com) in order to help our struggling readers.
 New School Performance Framework Scores are posted in CDEs website. These reports combine last 3 years of data, are therefore more reliable and fair to compare.
 http://www.schoolview.org/documents/CDESchoolPerformanceFramework_flatfile_110410.xlsx

 In this document, our middle and high school ratings were combined so I am using an interim report we received from CDE that breaks down our middle and high school portion.

 In the middle school, there are three areas;

 25% of the scoring comes from raw achievement which means how many students are proficient and advanced in each subject area. This portion really depends on the incoming level of students into our 6th grade. Since APS students are very low-achieving to start with our achievement scores are low at this point. However, achieving higher growth means that these students will catch up to the state level shortly as they are learning more.

 50% of the scoring comes from growth (CO growth model)

 25% of the scoring comes from closing the achievement gap (also referred to as growth caps). This portion is defined as having more growth in minority students compared to white students, more growth in Free-reduced lunch (FRL) eligible students compared to non-FRL students, more growth in ESL (English Language Learners) compared to native speakers and more growth in IEP (Special Ed) students compared to general education students.

 The second and third criteria are critical. Second criterion refers how well students are growing and the third one refers how successful school is in closing the achievement gap.

 For high schools, there is a fourth criterion 'Postsecondary and Workforce Readiness' which is measured by CO-ACT. Since Lotus did not have any 11th graders last year, this score was not calculated. The overall percentages are 15% Achievement, 35% Growth, 15% Growth Caps, and 35% Workforce Readiness. Skyline high school can still be compared to Lotus (in the first 3 criterion) as we are running the same program in the high school. Below a fair comparison table is presented.
 As you can see, Lotus is the highest overall scoring school amongst all neighborhood middle schools used in the article. Its growth is very high and it is the most successful school in closing the achievement gap amongst all.
 
 School Data Window Final Plan Type TOTAL SPF
 Lotus Middle 3-year Performance 65.3%
 Trail Ridge 3-year Performance 60.0%
 Longs Peak 3-year Improvement 53.5%
 Heritage 3-year Priority Improvement 44.9%
 
 Lotus High 1-year Performance 73.8%
 Skyline High 3-year Improvement 58.7%
 
SEE OUR OTHER GULEN "CRY BABY" AWARD AT:
http://magnoliascienceacademy.blogspot.com/2010/12/latest-gulen-cry-baby-award-goes-to.html

UMIT (MATT) YAPANEL CRIES TO BOULDER COUNTY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT ABOUT EXPANDING IN ANOTHER COUNTY
http://www.stvrain.k12.co.us/boardOfEducation/meetingsMinutes/2009/11/04/3.2.3.pdf

Sonoran Science Academy - Karatas Lies

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9blUHiJ6Pg

Thanks to a parent of an ex-student from Sonoran Science Academy in Tucson, Arizona for sending this. 

Lotus School for Excellence more under the surface

Besides the crappy test schools that once again leave Lotus School for Excellence left to fix their issues, there seems to be an intanglement with the LifeBridge Church 420 Acre Village Subdivision in the town of Longmont.  The LifeBridge people have rented space to the Gulen Managed Lotus School for Excellence in Aurora, CO and have enticed Matt Yapanel (Umit) et al to rent space temporarily in Longmont, CO until they can BUILD a school on the subdivision.  You got to be kidding Matt, do you think the Americans are going to allow you to expand?   Get real you pompous Ass!  Next post will be to discuss those PERSONAL LOANS from Hizmet brothers.
There is an interesting controversy at the St. Vrain Valley School District concerning the approval of two new charter schools. According to the district’s accountability and accreditation committee Lotus School of Excellence and Skyview Charter School fail to meet the minimum standards for approval.
As a former teacher, parent and grandparent, I recognize the importance of a superior education. The institution of free public education to all children in the United States is something that we should treasure – forever.
A public education serves many purposes. It provides the foundation necessary to succeed in a complex society. I am reminded of the saying that “we learn to read in order that we might read to learn.” It prepares us for citizenship, not just as Americans but as citizens of a larger world.
As a society we have concluded that an educated population is of benefit to all of us and accordingly we have agreed to tax ourselves to achieve this. Regardless of age or family status education benefits us individually and collectively.
Raising and educating children has always been and will always be a challenge. We are all of us individuals with differing levels of intellect and talent. We learn through different methods and we have individual interests.
As Americans we have had many choices to educate our children. We can send them to public schools, private schools or religious schools. If we choose the latter two, any costs associated with those choices are our individual responsibility.
In recent decades public charter schools have gained cachet. Declining student performance has caused us to examine reasons and solutions. That is as it should be. However, there is an absence of purity of purpose in our efforts. Superior performance should be the only goal, but that is not and perhaps never has been the sole motivation behind this changing emphasis.
As such, the move toward public charter schools needs to be examined for motives beyond a high quality education.
One of the underlying motives for pushing charter schools is a hatred of teachers unions by some individuals and segments of our society. Our public school teachers have been demonized simply because they belong to a union. Certainly there are good and bad teachers as there are good and bad electricians, plumbers, accountants, lawyers, analysts, financial advisors, and so on. That will always be the case. However, the quality of our teachers is only one component of poor pupil performance, and very probably not the most important component. The student, the parent, peers and broader societal conditions all bear some responsibility.
Americans are resistant to change, especially sudden and drastic change. They have demonstrated that over and over again. For this reason, we need to be especially concerned about incrementalism, movement in slow and subtle steps to an outcome that would not be acceptable if it were to take place all at once.
There are those whose goal is to privatize all education. There are those who seek tax credits and/or vouchers for private, religious and homeschooling. All of this flies in the face of our agreed upon social goals and the reasonable sharing of the cost.
In the case of Lotus School of Excellence there is a further complicating issue. Lotus plans to rent space at LifeBridge Christian Church, located in unincorporated Boulder County just north of Highway 66.
The Times-Call has had two articles this week on the controversy of approving the applicants. Several readers commented on the articles. Amongst them is Matt Yapanel, president of the board of directors of Lotus.
He writes the following about the relationship between Lotus and LifeBridge.

Charter schools get around 30% less funding then regular public schools. That’s why we have to be extremely careful with our spending. Creating an efficiently run school is the goal and we make even pennies count toward improving student achievement. With less money, most charter schools are providing better opportunities for their students. I can tell you that we have achieved this in our Aurora campus which was a previous church/private school facility. When we leased space from the church, they were in financial trouble; they had another project to build and move but were not able to sell their existing facility. As a charter school, that facility was very suitable for us to serve as our permanent campus. We purchased the facility, co-existed in the building sharing the mortgage payments in which time Lotus improved its enrollment to fully support the facility when the church has moved out. Meanwhile church has built their great new home and moved there ultimately. Both entities got what they needed to the best possible extent; it was a win-win situation for both parties. Lotus took over the full facility this year and opened an elementary school to serve 610 students, 65% of which are free-reduced lunch eligible and 80% are minority students. Because of the shared use of the space, we saved hundreds of thousands of dollars, which we put right back into the classroom. Therefore, sharing space with a church is a fiscally very responsible move. We are a public school simply sharing space with a church, that’s what most charter schools do as they establish their program and work to acquire a permanent campus. It is challenging to be able to pay for a facility when you get 30% less dollars. However it is not the quality or appearance of the facility that matters, it is the programs running in that facility that matters the most.

Although Mr. Yapanel was speaking about the Aurora situation, those who are aware of circumstances surrounding LifeBridge will see strong similarities in both situations.
LifeBridge mortgaged it’s properties at Highway 66 and those in Weld County between Union Reservoir and Highway 119 for $26 million dollars in July of 2007. They planned to build a waterfront community of homes with a substantial religious campus as well as commercial enterprises. Their intent was to annex the Weld County properties to Longmont. There is also a history of attempts to annex to Longmont the church’s existing facilities and properties. None of those efforts came to fruition because of resistance within the Longmont community for many reasons and from many interests.
In December of 2009 LifeBridge refinanced its debt to the Church Development Fund (CDF) and turned approximately half of its Weld County properties over to CDF as deeds in lieu of foreclosure. The LifeBridge project was derailed by the economic conditions that have resulted in massive declines in both residential and commercial development, amongst other changing financial circumstances.
With LifeBridge in need of money and Lotus in need of a location, the two entities have joined forces. One of the concerns that the St. Vrain Valley School District with which it is wrestling is indirectly supporting the financial needs of LifeBridge Church through taxpayer dollars that would go to support Lotus. This is a slippery slope towards violation of the establishment clause of the First Amendment.
If Lotus can overcome its low score in the accreditation assessment, it would do well to find a location other than a church to house its school. In today’s economic situation, I’m confident that there are options for its location that would not place the SVVSD in the precarious position of de facto supporting a church.
All of us with a concern for the education of our children, need to take a step back and ask further: Are charter schools really the answer to our needs or are they a step towards privatization? If our schools are substantially privatized, what happens to the education of those who cannot afford private tuition? If tax dollars are used to support school privatization as they are in so many other instances, who then decides what is taught and how it is taught?
There is a place for public, private and religious schools. But only public education deserves taxpayer support. We can fix what’s wrong without throwing the baby out with the bathwater.

NOTE THE PERSONAL LOANS GIVEN TO THESE SCHOOLS

Lotus School for Excellence: Evidence of Affiliation with the Gulen Movement

Lotus is a publicly-funded charter school in Aurora, Colorado.


Hakan Batan

• Former Lotus School for Excellence board member
• Loaned Lotus School for Excellence $132,000 at 9.5% interest rate in May, June 2007.  Loans mature in Oct 2013.
• President Colorado Turkish American Chamber of Commerce, a.k.a. CO-TA  (this Gulenist organization has connections with the Northern Lights Society and the Niagara Foundation of Minnesota, both also Gulenist non-profits, through Murat Ergen)

Adnan Doyuran 

• Principal, Lotus School for Excellence
• Principal, Momentum Middle School, San Diego  (Gulen charter school which has since changed its name to Magnolia Science Academy San Diego)
• Magnolia Educational and Research Foundation, California  (Gulenist non-profit)
• Dean of Academics at Magnolia Science Academy 1, Reseda, California (Gulen charter school)
• Petitioner, Sequoia Academy of Science, Gulen charter school proposed in 2006 by the Dialog Foundation (Dialog, a Gulenist non-profit, is now the Magnolia Educational and Research Foundation)
• Petitioner, Orange Science Academy, Gulen charter school proposed in 2006 (other petitioners: Ertan Salik, Saken Sherkhanov, Ali Gurel)

Varol Gurler

• Principal, Lotus School for Excellence, Aurora, Colorado
• Principal, Sonoran Science Academy Phoenix  (Gulen charter school)
• Principal, Magnolia Science Academy 1 Reseda  (Gulen charter school)

Alptekin Kavi

• Board member, Lotus School for Excellence
• Loaned Lotus School for Excellence $145,970 at interest rates up to 8.5%
• Tour guide on Gulenist Turkey trip (see travel blog of Alan Gottlieb, publisher of Education News Colorado)

Timur “Tim” Saka

• Founder, Lotus School for Excellence
• Teacher, Beehive Science and Technology Academy  (Gulen charter school)
• Teacher, Magnolia Science Academy 1 Reseda  (Gulen charter school)
• Principal, Magnolia Science Academy Santa Clara  (Gulen charter school)

Emrah Turgut

• Petitioner, Lotus School for Excellence Longmont (proposed Gulen charter school)
• Rumi Club, University of Colorado (Gulenist organization; its website contains references to Fethullah Gulen and mentions that the club founders are inspired by him)

Zhandos Utegulov

• Founder, Board Member, Lotus School for Excellence
• Author, Fountain Magazine  (the main US publication of the Gulen Movement; Fethullah Gulen writes the lead article of each issue)
• Multicultural Mosaic Foundation  (Gulenist nonprofit)
• Member, Niagara Foundation Nebraska  (Gulenist nonprofit)
  

Umit “Matt” Yapanel

• Founder, Board President, Lotus School for Excellence, Aurora
• Loaned $40000 to Lotus School in 2007 at 9.5% interest rate; loan matures Oct 30, 2013
• Petitioner, Lotus School for Excellence Longmont
• Petitioner, Lotus School for Excellence Jefferson County
• Director, Multicultural Mosaic Foundation   (Gulenist nonprofit)
• Accord Institute for Education Research  (Gulenist nonprofit)

 LEARN MORE ABOUT HOW GULEN THE GOD FATHER WANTS TO MAKE COLORADO A DEAL


http://harmonyparenttruth.blogspot.com/2010/11/colorado-godfather-gulen-and-his-mafia.html

Lost in the Ozone...: What Happens if the Charter School Companies Win? byAlan Singer - The Huffington Post

Lost in the Ozone...: What Happens if the Charter School Companies Win? byAlan Singer - The Huffington Post

Gulen Movement teachers arrested for child molestion

http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/Turkish-missionaries-molest-boys-20101020

The Gulen Movement is a male dominated Sufi Islamic Movement, women have secondary roles.  Gulen's male teachers for the most part have at an early age lived under strict housing dormitories in Turkey.  They have curfews, are not allowed to date freely -they value chastity, Gulen himself has never married so naturally the Gulen Movement is more comfortable with males.  

Turkish missionaries 'molest' boys

Marietie Louw-Carstens, Beeld

Polokwane - Three Turkish missionaries, who teach Islamic lessons at an aftercare centre in Polokwane, have been arrested for allegedly assaulting and molesting under-age boys.

The three young men appeared in the Polokwane Magistrate's Court on Wednesday on charges of assault, assault with the intent to inflict grievous bodily harm and contravention of the Sexual Offences Act.

The men, aged 24, 22 and 19, were arrested on Monday after a police investigation.

According to the law, they may not be identified because they have yet to plead on the sexual charges against them.

12 complainants

Twelve of the boys who attend the centre are complainants in the case.

The boys, aged between 11 and 14, all come from previously disadvantaged communities in Limpopo, and they all come from poor families.

They are alleging that they were beaten and that the men apparently also set dogs loose on them. The boys also allege the men kissed and molested them.

Andries Rheeder, the men's legal representative, said during their bail application that all the pupils have since been removed from the aftercare centre.

They are currently in a place of safety. The boys were also taken to a hospital for medical examinations earlier this week.

The men have been involved in the aftercare centre for the past two years. They also live there, and apparently transport the children to and from the primary school every day.

Can't speak English

After school, they teach the children about the Islamic faith.

The men can't speak or understand English at all. Court proceedings had to be translated into Turkish for them.

State prosecutor Alice Lekganyane did not oppose bail. The men have to hand in their passports.

Magistrate Janine Ungerer postponed the case to December 2 for further investigation.

- Beeld

HERE IS THE NEVER MARRIED FETHULLAH GULEN IN HIS 1 TIME MEETING WITH THE LATE POPE JOHN PAUL II IN 1998.   SOME 10 YEARS AFTER JOHN PAUL II WAS SHOT BY A TURKISH NATIONAL. 

Gulen Charter DENIED-Knoxville Charter Academy

Suzan enticing the community with Turkish festivals, Interfaith Dialog and the famous FREE Trips to Turkey
PRELUDE TO GULEN CHARTER SCHOOL APPLICATIONS

 Suzan and Leyla, it is a WELL known fact that you two have been involved with the Gulen Shit Show for years.  In Uzbekistan and Turkey, even immigrating to the USA Suzan has on the founding board of the Gulen Charter School in Greensboro, North Carolina- Triad School for Math and Science.  Ms. Leyla came from the Arizona Sonoran Science Academy, where she has a special gift of arranging dance and singing numbers for the Turkish Olympiads.

Hey girls, you are getting USED big time by Fetos, it seem there have been a rash of denied Gulen Charter School Applications so sending in the "softer side" of the Gulen Movement is a strategy.  The word in Tennessee is they are already working on softening up the local community (Academia, politicans and Media) with Turkish Cultural dinners and FREE trips to Turkey.  Bet Congressman Cohen loves it. 

http://www.metropulse.com/news/2010/nov/10/two-proposed-schools-come-short-knox-county/?comments_id=2273

November 10,2010

Until quite recent years, the prospect of getting some well conceived charter schools in Knoxville held considerable appeal.

Tennessee’s public school curriculum and student proficiency standards were among the weakest in the nation. Yet even so, more than 20 of Knox County’s 76 public schools were deemed to be “failing” on one or more measures of student achievement on the state’s Report Card of school performance.

But even as 22 charter schools were springing up in Memphis and five in Nashville since the state Legislature authorized these publicly funded but independently operated schools in 2002, prior to this year no credible applications to start one were submitted to the Knox County school board for approval, as they must be.

By now, however, the educational landscape has changed dramatically. A much more rigorous state curriculum has been coupled with much higher standards of student proficiency. At the local level, numerous early intervention and specialized remedial programs have been put in place to help students who are struggling. And the Knox school system has been an innovator in offering incentive pay to teachers based in part on their success in raising student test scores.

So it borders on the ironic that this would be the year when two charter school applications were submitted to the school board by an October deadline. Under state law, the board had until Nov. 30 to act on them, and a rejection can be appealed to the State Board of Education for action by mid-March. In various ways, including approval of the two appeals that have come before it, the State Board has shown a favorable disposition toward charter schools targeting the three categories of students who are eligible to opt for them: namely, those now attending “failing” schools, those who haven’t scored proficient on their TCAPs; and those in grades K-3 (and thus haven’t yet taken TCAPs) who are deemed to be “at risk” by dint of eligibility for the federal free and reduced price lunch program.

On the surface, both of the proposed charter schools embody innovative concepts that would appear worthy of consideration. One is for a grades 7-12 boarding school called the Booker T. Washington Academy to be located on the underutilized Knoxville College campus in the belief that “children who are raised in single parent homes or poor kids living in a bad environment can benefit by physically moving away from such places.” The other is for a K-8 school called the Knoxville Charter Academy with a math and science emphasis “aligned with Knox County and state goals of higher student achievement, preparing its students with a fundamentals technical and scientific jobs, and helping narrow the gap for STEM education in Knox County.”

In an appearance before the school board, the prime sponsor of the boarding school, Sherman Jones, compared it to a residential charter school in Washington, D.C., that was lavished with praise in the ballyhooed documentary film Waiting for Superman. Jones once served as headmaster of a boarding school for black students in rural Alabama and later as vice president for development at Knoxville College. However, the Alabama school closed during the middle of a school year on his watch, and Knoxville College made little if any progress during his tenure there.

The school board last week followed the unanimous recommendation of a review committee chaired by Assistant Superintendent Donna Wright to deny the Booker T. Washington application. The review committee found the application both academically and financially deficient on many counts, giving it a score of 28 on a scale of 100 on a state-prescribed evaluation matrix.

The review committee found more to like about the Knoxville Charter Academy application, giving it an overall score of 77. The committee was particularly impressed with its education plan, which scored 37 on a scale of 40. Nonetheless, the committee recommended denial of its application in large part because of concerns about the school’s governance and proposed location. “There are no details or description of how the governing board will contribute to the school. It is not clear what ties the governing body has to the community or relevant work experience. There is only one individual with K-8 experience,” Wright’s evaluation stated. As for location, proposed suburban sites in the vicinity of Lovell Road were deemed inaccessible to the population of “at risk” students whom the school must target.

While endorsing the committee’s recommended denial, Superintendent Jim McIntyre held out the possibility that the school’s application could be amended acceptably. And he volunteered that, “I think it would be greatly improved by the addition of at least two individuals with significant public education experience, and we would certainly be willing to help the applicant identify individuals with the appropriate experience and expertise.”

The lead sponsor of the proposed school is Suzan Mertyurek, whose résumé fails to include that she was a founding board member of the Triad Math and Science Academy in Greensboro, N.C., a charter school that opened in 2008. The one board member with identified K-8 experience is Leyla Achilova, who was head of the math and science department at Sonoran Science Academy, a charter school in Tucson, Ariz.

Both Mertyurek and Achilova recently moved to Knoxville when their husbands took positions at ORNL and UT respectively. In an appearance before the school board, Mertyurek said, “We hope to address your concerns and are already looking at an alternative site.” When asked privately if she was going to take up McIntyre’s offer to help in adding board members, she said, “We’re willing to look at that, but we do have concerns.”

What’s left unsaid in all of this is the sensitive issue of the prevalence of individuals of Turkish ethnicity on the proposed school’s board as well as on the board and administration of Triad and Sonoran. Various websites list both of these schools as associated with what’s known as the Gulen movement inspired by the teachings of Fetullah Gulen, an eminent Islamic scholar whom Wikipedia says is now, “living in self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania” from secular Turkey.

Mertyurek denies any affiliation with the Gulen movement and insists her proposed school will be completely freestanding and secular in nature. I have no reason to disbelieve her, but believe this is another point on which the school board needs to be satisfied before approving an amended application. The same church/state separation issue should apply to a Christian charter school sponsor.

Mertyurek, is a LONG time member of the Gulen Movement she is doing the Gulen Movement Lie Shuffle.  Ask Suzan if she will still open the school if 1) They do not import uncredentialed teachers from Turkey on H1-b Visas 2) Do NOT teach Turkish Character according to Gulen's Pearls of Wisdom 3) Leave out the Turkish Olympiads  4) Do not parade the Islamic flag of Turkey with American children while teaching them the Turkish national Anthem. 5) No trips to Turkey for the Children.  6)  Full accountability of American Tax dollars.

READ these articles about Suzan and Leyla

http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2010/sep/16/Dishing-with-Suzan-Mertyurek/

http://www.fethullahgulen.org/press-room/news/3340-turkish-olympiads-shows-global-reach-of-turks-to-the-world.html

SUZAN AND LEYLA THIS IS WHAT GULEN REALLY THINKS OF YOU.

Susan you lied about your affiliation with Gulen.



Here is Suzan Mertyurek as a speaker from Texas A & M University (TAMU) at a 2007 Institute of Interfaith Dialog (IID) event in Texas.  http://www.interfaithdialog.org/conferences/peaceful-heroes-conferences.html

Suzan Mertyurek’s husband, Ugur, worked at TAMU. He's a nuclear engineer. http://catalog.tamu.edu/GRAD_catalog04_05/Faculty/Faculty-M.htm

Suzan Mertyurek’s maiden name is Mutlu. Suzan Mutlu has been an author for Fountain Magazine, a pre-eminent Gulenist English language publication.

http://fountainmagazine.net/author.php?SHOWAUTHOR&AUTHORID=260

Leyla Achilova is Leyla Achilov (AKA Leyla Kayumova). She is the wife Dilshod Achilov. Both have Sonora Science Academy and Gulenist connections. http://gulencharterschools.weebly.com/sonoran-science-academy.html

Leyla Kayumova was quoted in an article which appears on IslamOnline.net entitled “World’s Gulen Brotherhood."  Excerpt: "The world doesn't see Turkey as a Muslim or a religious country, they see it as a bridge country between East and West," Turkish language teacher Leyla Kayumova, who works in Arizona, told Reuters. http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?c=Article_C&cid=1243825131997&pagename=Zone-English-News/NWELayout

Dilshod Achilov is affiliated with the Foundation for Intercultural Dialog (a Gulenist organization) in AZ; he gave keynote speech on “Rumi, Sufism, and Universal Love” for 2005 Whirling Dervishes event at ASU http://www.fid-az.org/node/44

Dilshod Achilov is on the faculty of Eastern Tennessee State University. He is from Uzbekistan. The Gulenists in the U.S. are primarily Turkish, but also from the Turkic countries of Central Asia. http://www.etsu.edu/cas/polisci/faculty.aspx

Dilshod Achilov somehow managed to complete his M.A. and Ph. D. while supposedly working for the Sonoran Science Academy as a counselor from 2005 to 2008.

http://www.redorbit.com/news/science/121860/charter_school_excelling/

http://www.sonoranacademy.org/tucson/Portals/0/YAle%20Counseling%20Award.pdf

 

Gulen Charter Schools targets for terrorism

Every week we get reports of some disturbing issues at the Gulen worldwide schools.  This particular story is from Gulen's own Today's Zaman on 9/24/2010.  Gulen's schools are potential worldwide targets for terrorism, with his controversial political issues in Turkey.   Is it worth the risk having your child in one of these schools?

http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/news-222532-terrorist-pkk-targets-gulen-movements-schools-in-hakkari.html

September 24, 2010

Schools opened by the Gülen movement, inspired by internationally respected Turkish scholar Fethullah Gülen, in the eastern province of Hakkari are often threatened by the terrorist Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), according to an interview by the T24 news portal.

The portal interviewed a follower of the movement in the province but declined to give his name due to security concerns. The interviewee said the Gülen movement first opened an educational institution, a dershane (lesson-house) in Hakkari in the 1993-94 school year. Students attending a dershane pay for extra lessons outside of their regular school curriculum. “Troubles in the province reached their peak during those years. Prominent figures of the [Gülen] movement traveled to the region to see what could be done to improve education there. But they concluded that the required atmosphere for establishing a school in Hakkari did not exist. This is when they decided to take the first step to improve education there and opened a dershane. That’s how the Fem and Anafen dershanes, which are still active in Hakkari, were opened,” he noted. He also said the first private school the Gülen movement in Hakkari was opened in 2007. There are currently 300 students at the school, Hatice Avcı College, and the school’s dormitory accommodates around 100 students, both boys and girls. According to the interviewee, 80 percent of students at the school come from families that are originally from Hakkari, but the number of students started to decrease after the PKK recently threatened the lives of families sending their children to this school. The terrorist PKK planted a percussion bomb in the dormitory of the school on Sept. 14, which damaged the building’s walls and windows and frightened students and their families. Following the recent release of a video clip posted on the website of the pro-Kurdish ANF news agency, some families told the school administration that they no longer want to send their children to the school due to security concerns. In the clip, the PKK said, “Whoever sends his child to this school will become a PKK target.” The interviewee said the recent PKK threats have led to a decline in the Hakkari school’s attendance. “The school was growing more and more popular among locals. In 2007, when the school was first opened, there were only 70 students. The following year, this figure rose to 150, and then to 300.” ‘Followers demand protection, police advise them to carry guns’ The interviewee stated that followers of the Gülen movement asked for protection from police after being threatened by PKK members. “The police, however, advised them to carry guns. Let’s be logical. What happens when a Gülen movement follower carries a gun for self-protection and uses it in the event of a real danger? Turkey will be outraged! Everyone will say a movement follower has killed a man. This will pave the way for claims that the movement is engaged in illegal activities,” he stated. He also said many officials in Hakkari, whether it be the governor or the police chief, say that it is the Gülen movement and its followers who stand firm against the terrorist organization. “They ask us not to bow to the PKK. Otherwise, they say, the nation will be lost in despair,” he added. According to the interviewee, the PKK has close relations with locals in Hakkari, and almost every Hakkari resident has a family member or relative who has joined the terrorist group. “Let me give you a striking example. It had a big impact on me when I heard it. A Hakkari resident who used to work for the Gülen school in the province said he was shepherding in the summer months. While resting on a mountain once, as his sheep grazed, he saw men coming from the top of the mountain. They were PKK members, and they were coming to visit him. He immediately killed one of the sheep and cooked it for the terrorists. They all ate together. Then they left. A few months later, he saw one of the terrorists at a grocery store in the city.” He added that terrorists often visit the city when they want to eat döner, a fast food made with lamb, beef or chicken. The interviewee denied claims that Gülen schools offer “exclusive training” to students to attract more followers to the movement. He said many graduates prefer to return to their hometowns to serve their community after having completed their higher education. “For example, a doctor I know in Hakkari attended a Gülen primary school. He then went to Van to attend a high school. He studied medicine at a university in one of the western provinces. And years later he returned to Hakkari to serve his people.”

We already know about the PKK. I am sure Al Qaida may wants to get at him for calling Osama a beast and for siding with America.  The word needs to get out on these schools. They are a political target. No matter if you like them or not as a parent. They have enemies. Not like us who blog who just want to raise awareness but some serious heavy hitters and radical thinkers who may want to kill them and make examples out of them. They have targets painted on them.  These parents need to understand that smoke and mirrors of the belief of better education and Olympiad contest come with a price and there are strings attached. I feel this article may have some back lash in the Muslim world. It isn't just a controversy in local neighborhoods but on a global scale. Why put your children in a situation like this everyday is beyond me.  Weather you love the school or not they do have enemies.