Horizon Science Academy attempts to sue State of Ohio for loss of educational grant money #Gulen #MoneyFraud #SalimUcan #ConceptSchools

Horizon Science Academy sues Ohio for loss of educational grants from Gulen Cemaat

By Emily Bamforth, cleveland.com CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A dozen Horizon Science Academies, part of a series of charter schools in Ohio, are suing over denied Ohio Department of Education grant money, claiming the rules for the grant were changed after the application process. Three Horizon Science Academy Schools are in the Northeast Ohio area, including the Horizon Science Academy of Lorain and Horizon Science Academy Cleveland Middle and High schools. Twelve schools throughout the state are plaintiffs in the lawsuit, which names the Ohio Department of Education, Gov. Mike DeWine, the state school superintendent and the director of community schools as respondents. Read the full lawsuit in the document viewer at the bottom of this post. Mobile viewers, click here. The lawsuit, filed in the Ohio Supreme Court, refers to the “Quality Community Schools Support Grant” created through House Bill 166, a state budget bill. Community schools are commonly referred to as charter schools, which are operated as public schools but not controlled by a school district. Horizon Science Academies are open admission. If applications exceed the number of spots, students are chosen through a lottery. Under the grant, qualified charter schools are eligible to receive up to $1,750 each fiscal year for each pupil identified as economically disadvantaged and up to $1,000 each fiscal year for all other students, according to the Ohio Department of Education website. Horizon Science Academies officials applied for the grant, believing the schools met criteria. But, according to the lawsuit, the application was denied because of an additional restriction allegedly not part of the state bill or the application form. The independent school boards running Horizon Science Academies contract with Illinois-based Concept Schools NFP. The lawsuit claims funding was denied because Concept is not registered with the state of Ohio as a foreign corporation. An attached letter in the lawsuit from Office of Community Schools Director Karl Koenig describing the denial reads: “Specifically, Concept Schools NFP is not registered as a foreign corporation with the Ohio Secretary of State’s office and, therefore, is not in good standing in Ohio.” Horizon officials claim that information was not stated as a requirement on the application form and when the schools followed up with the state on the application, that issue did not come up as a concern. Horizon also claims that Concept is registered with the state already. The schools are asking that the state approve the grant applications. Ohio Department of Education officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the lawsuit. The Ohio Department of Education also rejected other schools, including the for-profit Accel Schools chain, because of issues with corporate registrations. In Accel’s case, some schools that failed to meet academic criteria may have qualified for money because other Accel-run schools received a federal grant, according to previous Plain Dealer reporting. The state claimed that the company’s registration did not link operations in Ohio to other Accel-run schools. Some other Concept-run schools qualified for the money by meeting academic criteria. https://www.cleveland.com/news/2020/06/dozen-ohio-horizon-science-academies-sue-ohio-department-of-education-over-denied-grant-funding.html A dozen charter schools, Horizon Science Academies, including the Horizon Science Academy of Youngstown, are suing the Ohio Department of Education over denied grant money, claiming the rules for the grant were changed after the application process. The funds were to be awarded as part of a two-year Quality Community Schools Support Grant (QSF) which recognizes schools that provide quality education to underserved populations. According to the release from Horizon Science Academies, the lawsuit comes as a last-resort effort after the ODE refused to reconsider its improper decision. The twelve schools are the plaintiffs in the lawsuit, which names the Ohio Department of Education, Gov. Mike DeWine, the state school superintendent and the director of community schools as respondents. Horizon Science's press release said the lack of funding is negatively affecting nearly 4,500 students of the academy. On average, 83 percent of Horizon Science's students qualify for free or reduced lunch. Tim Clements, an attorney with Nicola, Gudbranson & Cooper, said that the Horizon schools met all the criteria of the grant as it was originally intentioned. "The new criterion retroactively used by the ODE, after the HSAs had already applied for the QSF, was not in HB 166 which the Ohio legislature passed when creating the funding," said Clements. "That's why we're claiming that the ODE exceeded its authority under Ohio law when it inappropriately used an undisclosed requirement for HSA's operator to be registered with Ohio's secretary of state to justify denying funding to these 12 schools." The schools’ lawsuit points out that the requirement was never intended by Ohio’s legislature and has nothing to do with the quality education that the HSAs provide to their students. Ohio Department of Education officials has not publicly commented on the lawsuit. https://www.wfmj.com/story/42255343/horizon-science-academy-of-youngstown-suing-ohio-department-of-education

Gulen’s Turkish Charter schools. The CIA sponsored imam and his troublin...

Gulen’s Turkish Charter schools

Gulen’s Turkish Charter schools: The CIA sponsored imam and his troubling US agenda

Buckeye Hope Community Foundation dba Concept Schools HORIZON SCIENCE ACADEMY financial transparency

The main sponsor of Concept Schools dba Horizon Science Academy is Buckeye Hope Community Foundation.  There has been countless requests by the Ohio Coalition for Equity & Adequacy of School Funding www.ohiocoalition.org Asking for transparency of finances.   Buckeye Hope Community Foundation which receives public money for housing and charter schools is under the impression they don't fall under transparency laws.  
Lets hope out the Ohio Coalition for Equity and Adequacy of School Funding,  Below the last 990 tax returns filed by Buckeye Hope Community Foundation, 2015.  Review the salaries of the board members and note that Margeret Young who handles "School Services" has a listed salary in excess of $200K a year. 
Why the cloak of darkness? Shame on Buckeye Community Hope Foundation stealing from the most vulnerable of society and not being accountable to tax payers.   

Public has a right to know – except in charter school business

To the editor:

On June 8, the Columbus Dispatch published a column by Denis Smith, a former consultant in the Ohio Department of Education's charter school office, about the Ohio Public Records Law and a May 2 request sent to two charter school sponsors by Ohio E&A and the state education agency for records pertaining to the Gulen charter school chain operating in Ohio. 

After five weeks, there has been no response from ODE and one of the sponsors, the ESC of Lake Erie West. 

The second sponsor, the Buckeye Community Hope Foundation, did reply on June 4 and said that it is "not a public entity subject to public records requests."

The state education agency of the State of Ohio ignores a request for public records dealing with publicly funded schools. 

A public school entity, an educational service center, ignores a request for public records dealing with publicly funded schools. 

A charter school sponsor, who receives millions in public funds, says it is a private, not public entity and does not have to comply with a public records request. 

All three were asked about information regarding the operation of 17 schools funded by the public.

What is wrong with this picture?

(• Note: Since the publication of the article, ESC of Lake Erie West submitted the information requested.)

Sincerely,
William L. Phillis
Ohio Coalition for Equity & Adequacy of School Funding
www.ohiocoalition.org

https://highlandcountypress.com/Content/Opinions/Opinion/Article/Public-has-a-right-to-know-except-in-charter-school-business/4/22/44776

Buckeye Community Hope Foundation dba Concept Schools from Gulen Cemaat

Gulen Charter School Horizon Science Academy Sex with Students

A former teacher at a charter school on Chicago's southwest side was arrested Tuesday and charged with sexually abusing a 16-year-old student, officials said.

Megan Kotarski, 28, is accused of having sexual contact with the boy between June 16 and 18 of this year, Chicago police told the Chicago Sun-Times.

The 28-year-old is charged with a felony count of aggravated criminal sexual abuse of a victim between 13 and 18 years old, and will appear in court for a bond hearing Wednesday.

Complete Story here 

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2017/11/22/ex-illinois-charter-school-teacher-28-charged-in-sex-romp-with-teen-boy-student.html

Horizon Science Academy Gulen Charter School Sexual contact with Teacher

http://wgntv.com/2017/11/08/chicago-charter-school-teacher-accused-of-sexual-relationship-with-underage-student/

CHICAGO --  A criminal investigation by two separate agencies is underway after a female teacher was accused of having a sexual relationship with an underage male student.

The investigation centers on Horizon Science Academy Southwest, a Chicago Charter School at 54th and Western in the city's Gage Park community centered on STEM.

A school spokesman said administrators became aware of the allegations earlier this week and that the individual in question has been an instructor at the school since 2014 which is the same year Horizon opened with a kindergarten through 8th grade enrollment and has added one grade per year since eventually hoping to achieve a K-12 campus.

Dr. Christoper Murphy from Horizon issued a statement:

"Following allegations of gross misconduct by a staff member on Monday November 6, school administration began conducting an internal investigation.  As the allegations involved a minor, the school contacted the IL Department of Child and Family Services and Chicago police.  Pending the outcome of the investigation, the staff member has been placed on unpaid administrative leave."

Chicago police told the minor told his parents who then approached school officials.

The Department of Child and Family Services confirmed that an official inquiry by that agency is taking place. A spokesman could not elaborate.

"DCFS is investigating the case involving a teacher at Horizon Science Academy. The investigation is pending. No further details are available at this time."

Typically, investigations like this between teacher and student, among other aspects, try to identify any texting or emails as well as interviewing other teachers and staff.

If found guilty the teacher could face prison time and would have to register as a sex offender.

MARK HALL: FLYNN, MUELLER, KILLING ED 11/16/17 ALEX JONES INFOWARS

NAACP calls for investigation of all Gulen charter schools

Did you know that Muhammed Fethullah Gülen Hocaefendi (pictured), an Imam who exited Turkey and is sequestered in rural Pennsylvania, is operating the second largest affiliated network of charter schools in the United States? (Yes, this is the same Gülen that Michael Flynn allegedly was trying to have extradited from the United States)

In the past I have blogged about the Gülen-affiliated charter schools in the posts Bad Charters, Bad Charters, “Whatcha gonna do when they come for you” and Gulen-affiliated charter schools are bad apples? and Empire of Deceit says charters squandering taxes and violating immigration laws.

When I watched the film Killing Ed, I was skeptical, as I am paid to be. So when I was in Houston to give a talk at Rice University, I ran into a former Gülen Harmony student and asked a few questions.

Q: Was it true that the Gülen schools were populated with many teachers from Turkey who had difficulty speaking English

A: Yes

Q: Was it true that some students didn’t actually do their own science projects as alleged in the film Killing Ed.

A: Yes

I spent more time confirming with the student some of the other allegations about lack of playgrounds, self-dealing, and aberrant behavior from administrators. I was shocked their behavior was being allowed in Texas.

So, I am announcing today, in addition to getting the negative attention they deserve from law enforcement and the media, the California NAACP has now stepped up to the plate with a resolution to call for an investigation of ALL the Gülen charter schools.

RESOLUTION #16 CONCERNING THE IMPACT OF GÜLEN CHARTER SCHOOLS

WHEREAS, there exists over 200 schools in the United States operated by the Gülen Organization, teaching over 80,000 American students. This organization operates under the names Magnolia Science Academy (CA), Horizon Science Academy (OH , IL), Harmony Science Academy (TX), Sonoran Science Academy (AR), Coral Academy of Science (NV), Dove Science Academy (OK), as well as others.

WHEREAS, audits having been conducted in LAUSD, the State of Oklahoma, the State of Georgia (resulting in their closure), the State of New York, have resulted in a pattern of massive accounting irregularities involving without limitation the use of Gülen related landlords such as Terra (NY, NJ), the Sky Foundation (OK), Harmony Public Schools (TX), Concept Schools (IL, OH), the use of Gülen Related Management Companies such as Accord (CA), Concept Education Services (OH), Apple Education (NJ), Terra Science and Education (NY), as well as others.

WHEREAS, Gülen schools; such as Magnolia (CA) have targeted the African American and Hispanic communities as shown in the documentary film Killing Ed.

WHEREAS, all 200 Gülen schools recruit teachers from Turkey under the H – 1B Visa program thereby replacing fully qualified American teachers.

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, the California NAACP urges federal, state and local authorities to conduct forensic audits of both the schools, and the management organizations operating them.

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that the California NAACP further urges that these investigations be conducted by state and federal auditors as opposed to state boards of education, as well as other relevant investigations necessary to evaluate fully the apparent, suspect financial dealings, visa misuse, and highly suspicious conduct.

If you want to understand depth, breadth and shocking nature of the alleged malfeasance against Gülen-affiliated charter schools, I highly recommend you check out the film Killing Ed. (Also, check out the Empire of Deceit website) As shown in the film, the Gülen-affiliated charter schools are some of the worst proverbial bad apples in the charter sector.

What is really disconcerting about charter schools is that they stick together like glue no matter the malfeasance shown to them. They use their charter lobbying associations in California, Texas and elsewhere to fervently protect these bad apples regardless of alleged illegal activity. While charter schools, their leaders, and supporters say vehemently in public that they support transparency and accountability, the $$$$$$$ that they spend in legislatures says loudly otherwise.

Incidentally, one of the Gülen-affiliated Magnolia schools petitioning for re-authorization was rejected recently by the LA school board. Although, the LAUSD board did broker a political deal to allow many, many other charters through. However, in the past the LA County board has overruled LAUSD’s local-control to keep the “embattled” Magnolia.

Please stay tuned to Cloaking Inequity for the other education resolutions passed by the California NAACP. Also, here is another controversial resolution we passed at the convention— but right and important. California NAACP seeks to remove ‘Banner’ as anthem, supports Kaepernick

Please Facebook Like, Tweet, etc below and/or reblog to share this discussion with others.

Cleveland Ohio's Opioid Epidemic - By the Numbers. Gulen Schools Heroin Trafficker Inc...

Robert Amsterdam Presents "Empire of Deceit: An Investigation into the Gulen Schools

EMPIRE OF DECEIT book can be downloaded from website

http://www.empireofdeceit.com 

EMPIRE OF DECEIT book can be downloaded from website

http://www.empireofdeceit.com 

Horizon Science Academies - Charter Schools still abuse American money

When I worked in the Ohio Department of Education’s charter school office, I was able to observe charter school abuses up close. Since my retirement in 2011, I’ve watched from the outside as the pace of abuse has increased. Consider these:

· The Electronic Classroom of Tomorrow, which leads the state in the number of student dropouts, recently received state approval to remake itself as a school that promises to help dropouts. Why? The rules for dropout recovery schools are even more lax than the already weak ones that govern other charter schools.

· The Columbus Primary Academy, part of the Imagine Schools charter chain, is saddled with a lease that requires exorbitant rent to Imagine’s for-profit real estate subsidiary. In two other states, federal courts deemed the leases “self-dealing’’ and ordered Imagine to pay $1 million fines. The latest state audit shows the academy’s current lease extends to 2033, while the latest state report cards shows the school continues to fail our kids.

· Ohio charters affiliated with the Gulen movement received mostly Fs on their report cards — a pattern too common in Ohio where charter schools have been sold as a better alternative to traditional public schools.

Charter schools are publicly funded but privately managed. Ohio has some very good charter schools, but it has more very bad ones. Even when faced with overwhelming evidence that the worst performing ones need to be closed, Ohio legislators and other policymakers have been slow to embrace comprehensive charter reform and downplay the steady parade of scandals.

A new book, Empire of Deceit, provides a look at charter schools in Ohio and 27 other states run by followers of Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen.

Gulen schools in Ohio took center stage more than three years ago when a panel of teachers who worked for the Horizon Science Academy of Dayton testified before the State Board of Education about problems they personally witnessed: widespread test-tampering; a teacher who encouraged an in-class groping game; teachers who openly referred to African-American students as “dogs;’’ a “Science Academy’’ with no working labs.

The state school board launched a supposed investigation into the teachers’ allegations that found no wrongdoing. Those of us who support comprehensive reform were not surprised by the lack of action by the board in what other Gulen critics thought was a cover-up.

The new book shows how these Ohio charter school scandals, which have been well documented by Ohio journalists, are part of a national trend.

It shows there have been 833 “special occupation” visas filed by the Ohio Gulen network alone. Instead of hiring qualified Ohioans, the schools obtained visas to hire Turkish nationals to fill positions such as assistant principal, art director and even English teacher.

These statistics follow news reports showing that the U.S. State Department raised serious and repeated concerns about the schools, sending cables to the CIA, secretary of defense and the president’s National Security Council. Special attention was paid to the large number of Turkish nationals with questionable credentials seeking visas to teach at U.S. charter schools. 

The book details a property lease signed by a board member of an Ohio-based school that resulted in the school paying him in rent three times the purchase price of the property. These lease payments are similar to some found in Imagine schools.

Should we mention that the board member of this school was also the landlord?

It’s time for parents, teachers, school district officials, lawmakers, charter school proponents and other concerned citizens to demand immediate reforms for a system that sends more than $1 billion annually in taxpayer funds to mostly low-performing charter schools that abuse public money.

Last year, Ohio passed a new law that improved accountability, made it easier to close some chronically failing schools and banned some conflict-of-interest business relationships. The continued scandals, poor academic performance and abusive leases show we have more work to do.

Let’s find a way to close the bad charter schools and invest in the good ones to ensure a better return on investment of our tax dollars and a quality education for all of our children. We can’t do anything less for our future.

Smith is a retired school administrator and a former consultant in the Ohio Department of Education’s charter school office.

https://www.ohio.com/akron/editorial/commentary/denis-smith-charters-schools-still-abusing-public-money

Gulen Charter Schools under US scrutiny- Horizon Science Academy

FETO, a designated terror group in Turkey, has established itself abroad through companies, foundations, media outlets and charter schools.

The leader of the network, Fethullah Gulen is accused by Turkey of being behind a bloody coup attempt which left 249 people dead and more than 2,000 injured in the country last July. 

Gulen, currently living in self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania, has denied the charge and continues to fight against  Ankara's extradition demands.  

His movement controls 163 schools across the country, teaching around 70,000 students. Now some schools linked to his network have come under investigation in the US over allegations of financial misconduct.

"In the state of New Jersey alone, a chain of charter schools is linked to the Gulen Movement, also known as FETO. The organisation's attempt to launch a fifth school in this state was denied, after the board of education said it had used "forged and fraudulent" petitions to show community support for its initiative,"  Ersin Konkur, a former maths teacher in a Gulen-linked school, told TRT World. 

Gulen Charter Schools former CIA Officer explains

Gulen Schools in Ohio Complaint Filed, Concept Schools

Gulen Schools in Ohio Filed complaint HORIZON SCHOOLS et al from Gulen Cemaat

Markers of Gulen School Operations

Gulen Movement Organizational Markers from Gulen Cemaat

Lawyer for Turkish government refers Ohio charter schools to auditor

After The Coup: Gulen-linked schools probed for misuse of funds

Scores of Horizon Science Academy - Concept Schools piss poor

Gulen "Inspired" schools always claim to be "high performing"

http://magnoliascienceacademy.blogspot.com/2016/09/magnolia-science-academy-claims-to-be.html

Gulen Charter Schools in Ohio stealing millions from US taxpayers

http://wkbn.com/2016/10/11/turkish-government-links-youngstown-charter-school-to-terrorism/

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) – Over 100 charter schools across the country, including one in Youngstown, could have ties to an international Islamic religious movement, according to an attorney hired by the Government of Turkey.

Attorney Robert Amsterdam came to Columbus on Tuesday. He says Horizon Science Academy and others like it are being used to funnel money to groups opposed to Turkey’s government.

The Turkish government has gone a step further, calling them terrorists.

“We found, really, a tremendous pattern of abuse going on in the United States and what makes the U.S. somewhat unique is that it’s taxpayer money,” Amsterdam said.

Turkey says the religious movement is behind the failed coup attempt that killed 300 people earlier this year.

View image on Twitter

 Follow

ProgressOhio @ProgressOhio

Read @robertamsterdam's take on the Gülen movement's secretive nature & its role in a failed coup in Turkey:http://www.forbes.com/sites/realspin/2016/08/11/to-understand-turkeys-alleged-coup-plotter-look-to-his-u-s-schools/#38927e996dcc …

7:29 AM - 11 Oct 2016 · Columbus, OH, United States

 
•  Retweets
 
•  likes

In his teachings, Cleric Fathulleh Gulen has said that “studying physics, mathematics and chemistry is worshiping God.”

Concept Schools, a charter schools management company, runs Horizon Science Academy.

Concept’s co-founder, Salim Ucan, appeared in a 2014 documentary about the Gulen movement, and says the schools are based on the desire to serve others.

“All our schools are located in urban environments. So we serve predominantly minority students and predominantly students who are coming from economically disadvantaged families,” he said in the documentary.

Concept Schools denies the allegations and says they’ve never been proven. It released the following statement in response to Amsterdam’s talk on Tuesday:

Today’s press conference held by a teachers’ union-affiliated group and a foreign agent, made numerous false allegations against the public charter schools managed by non-profit Concept Schools.

The last time this group made such allegations about Concept Schools, state education officials and the Auditor of State’s office found them to be incorrect and false. We expect the same will occur with these latest allegations.

Sadly, these false allegations undermine the hard work and success of our students, many of whom already face serious challenges.

Buckeye Community Hope Foundation is the sponsor for the nine charter schools that Concept currently operates in Ohio. Its associate director of the education division, Jennifer Robison, says they have never seen any indication of misconduct in relation to the schools.

On Tuesday, Attorney Amsterdam said one way Concept Schools takes advantage of the system is through its real estate company, “New Plan Learning.”

“Schools in Ohio, often under the New Horizons moniker, essentially pay double and triple the market rent, moving the money into the movement itself,” he said.

One of New Plan’s companies bought the Horizon Science Academy building in 2010, the year the school opened, for $550,000. Three years later, the company sold it to New Horizon for $980,000.

All of New Horizon’s money comes from state and federal grants.

View image on Twitter

 Follow

ProgressOhio @ProgressOhio

"The Gülen movement is a global organization thriving on American taxpayer money," says @robertamsterdam#AuditGulen @OhioAuditor

7:33 AM - 11 Oct 2016 · Columbus, OH, United States

 
•  88 Retweets
 
•  55 likes

Robison says the purchase was above board.

MORE NEWS ON HORIZON SCIENCE ACADEMIES - GULEN CHARTER SCHOOLS

http://www.wcpo.com/news/state/state-ohio/lawyer-for-turkey-refers-ohio-charter-schools-to-authorities

http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2016/10/11/charter-school-chain-fleecing-taxpayers-attorneys-for-the-turkish-government-alleged.html

http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/lawyer-turkey-refers-ohio-charter-schools-auditor-42724827

http://nbc4i.com/2016/10/11/lawyer-for-turkish-government-refers-ohio-charter-schools-to-auditor/