Concept Schools, Gulen Charter Schools Midwest operations
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Showing posts with label Salim Ucan. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Salim Ucan. Show all posts
Thursday, June 18, 2020
Horizon Science Academy attempts to sue State of Ohio for loss of educational grant money #Gulen #MoneyFraud #SalimUcan #ConceptSchools
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
Wednesday, May 23, 2018
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.
Thursday, November 30, 2017
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 SCHOOLSWHEREAS, 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.
Saturday, October 7, 2017
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.
Sunday, July 30, 2017
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.
Thursday, October 27, 2016
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
Tuesday, October 11, 2016
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.
Read @robertamsterdam's take on the Gülen movement's secretive nature & its role in a failed coup in Turkey:forbes.com/sites/realspin…
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:
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.
"The Gülen movement is a global organization thriving on American taxpayer money," says @robertamsterdam#AuditGulen @OhioAuditor
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/
Attorney for Republic of Turkey assists Ohio Americans with justice against Gulen charter schools.
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — A lawyer for the Turkish government hired to investigate publicly funded U.S. charter schools started by the followers of a reclusive Muslim cleric living in Pennsylvania is filing a formal complaint with Ohio's auditor.
Attorney Robert Amsterdam announced the complaint Tuesday, alleging that a network of Ohio charter schools has engaged in improper relationships with its management company and landlord, with their business subsidiaries and with each other.
The complaint also asserts that Horizon Science Academies and Noble Academies have ties to Fethullah Gulen (feh-TOO'-lah goo-LEHN'), a political foe of Turkish President Recep Erdogan (REH'-jehp UR'-doh-wahn). Erdogan's government alleges Gulen was the mastermind of a July 15 coup attempt in Turkey.
A message seeking comment from the Chicago-based Concept Schools, which manage the Horizon and Noble academies, was not immediately returned.
The complaint asks Republican Auditor Dave Yost to investigate alleged "abusive property deals and leasing arrangements" made possible by close affiliations between Concept Schools and its affiliated vendors.
https://apnews.com/79108a6029e844959e1a063daea70913
Thursday, August 4, 2016
Thursday, July 28, 2016
Sunday, June 12, 2016
Sunday, May 8, 2016
Concept Schools raided by the FBI freeze on Government bonds and grants ongoing investigation
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Weeks after being raided by federal authorities, Concept Schools asked the U.S. Department of Education for about $340,000 for its
Horizon Science Academy-Southwest Chicago Charter School, 5401 S. Western Ave. It got the money. Leslie Adkins / Sun-Times
Des Plaines-based Concept Schools applied for and was awarded a nearly $340,000
federal grant for a new school on the Southwest Side despite being under investigation over allegations the clout-heavy charter-school operator was involved in defrauding a federal grant program, a Chicago Sun-Times investigation has found.
Concept — whose privately run, publicly financed schools include four campuses in
Chicago — applied to the U.S. Department of Education for the money five weeks after the FBI and other federal agencies raided Concept locations across the Midwest on June 4, 2014.
Those 19 locations included its headquarters and Chicago Math and Science Academy
in Rogers Park, the Sun-Times has reported.
The Department of Education approved the grant last year for Concept’s Horizon Science Academy-Southwest Chicago Charter School, 5401 S. Western Ave., awarding nearly all the money Concept asked for — $337,138 over three years. Concept had asked for more than $343,000 over two years, noting that most of the students at the school come from low-income families.
They were to receive about $200,000 of that last year, though an Education Department spokeswoman said Friday the money is now on hold.
In its grant application, Concept said the money would cover expenses including textbooks for 450 students, furniture, laptops and printers for administrators, supplies and travel to conferences.
Concept didn’t mention the raids — carried out as part of what an FBI spokeswoman told the Sun-Times remains an ongoing investigation. But the charter operator did mention its board of directors included a Cook County circuit judge, Dominique Ross, and that its advisory board included G.A. Finch, former chief of staff to Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle.
Finch, a lawyer in private practice, said Concept vice president Salim Ucan offered him a spot on the advisory panel four or five years ago.
“I was asked to be on it and never heard anything further,” Finch said Friday.
The Department of Education awarded the money even though the agency’s own inspector general’s office was involved in the investigation.
Geoffrey Wood, a special agent with that office, filed the “application for a search warrant” that convinced a federal judge in Chicago to approve the June 2014 raids, which sought records concerning Concept’s involvement in the government’s “E-Rate” program. That program provides money to extend Internet access to schools serving low-income students.
According to a sworn statement from Wood, Concept violated government open-bidding rules by steering more than $5 million in grant money to companies with insider ties to the charter operator. Those “related vendors” did work for Concept under the E-Rate program, according to Wood.
Catherine Grant, a spokeswoman for the Department of Education’s Office of Inspector General, said Friday, “Our investigation is ongoing, and, per our policy, we do not discuss our ongoing work.”
Asked whether the inspector general’s office let other agency officials know it was looking into Concept, Grant said, “It is our normal practice to inform the department when we open an investigation.”
Dorie Nolt, the Department of Education’s press secretary, said Friday: “We are monitoring this situation, and we have restricted Concept charter schools’ access to federal grant funds. As we learn more details about this matter, we will take additional steps, as necessary.”
She would not say when the agency moved to freeze the grant to Concept.
All that Concept officials would say was that they were “gratified” and “proud” to win the grant, “awarded to only five schools in 2015,” according to a company spokesman.
Founded in 1999 by Turkish immigrants, Concept is one of several charter chains nationwide with ties to Fethullah Gulen, an influential Muslim cleric from Turkey who has lived for years in Pennsylvania. After falling out with Turkey’s leader, he faces charges of trying to overthrow the government.
From Des Plaines, Concept oversees more than 30 campuses in seven states, including four schools in Chicago with a total of about 2,200 students.
Its Chicago Math and Science Academy and Horizon Science Academy-Southwest Chicago Charter School were awarded their charters by the Chicago Board of Education, which provides most of their funding.
Two other Concept campuses in Chicago were granted charters by the Illinois State Charter School Commission, which ordered CPS to fund them over Chicago school officials’ objections.
Concept has close ties with political figures including Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago, who visited the Rogers Park campus and filmed a video testimonial.
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