Thursday, December 23, 2010

Gulen Charter Schools in the USA: Gulenist Charter Schools asked to come clean by no...

Gulen Charter Schools in the USA: Gulenist Charter Schools asked to come clean by no...: "Sr. Reporter: Sociologist calls on Gülenist charter schools to come cleanSr. Reporter: Sociologist calls on Gülenist charter schools to come..."

Monday, December 20, 2010

Horizon Science Academy contributes to local unemployment and lay offs

So let's see, despite the fact that in 2008, Ohio's unemployment rate was 9.4%, the US government granted the Gulenites 95 visas, and in 2009, with an unemployment rate of 10.9%, 107 visas were granted to the Turks. In sum, from 2001 to 2009, 448 visas were granted, allowing 448 Turkish or foreign born teachers the opportunity to work in Ohio, displacing qualified (usually far more qualified) American teachers, administrators, and accountants.

And this is only Ohio. The "Gulen-inspired" schools are all over the country, and are likewise, supplanting American professionals throughout the United States, because they can. Our government has essentially given them carte blanche to take our jobs, despite the severe economic losses that so many Americans are experiencing due to high unemployment rates.

ABOVE TAKEN FROM http://www.charterschoolwatchdog.com/

Sunday, December 19, 2010

Debate continues over Horizon Science Academy funding

http://www2.nbc4i.com/news/2010/nov/16/debate-over-charter-school-funding-ar-292569/

Published: November 16, 2010

Home / news / local / education /

Debate Continues Over Charter School Funding

By Tanya Hutchins

Charter schools say they don't receive equal state funding. Administrators, parents & state lawmakers have differing opinions.
Horizon Science Academy's Middle School is in Continuous Improvement status on its state report card, the same status as Colulmbus City Schools. But, the Director of Horizon says when it comes to funding, the similarities end.
Charter schools do not receive funding from the Ohio School Facilities Commission, unlike traditional public schools.
"I don't know what the best solution is, whether having the school facilities money or having access to the current school buildings that maybe the Columbus City School District isn't using will help a whole lot," said Onder Sechen, Director of Horizon Science Academy's middle school in Columbus.
Sechen says he is making do with what he has, but there is always room for improvement.
The Ohio School Facilities Commission's Chief Financial Officer says there is a small loan guarantee program for charter schools but not a grant program. "Our main program is for grants. There is a state and local share, but our state money is a grant. There's never been a grant program with state money for the charter schools," said Eric Bode.
Bode said work on 784 new or renovated buildings has been completed, including 100 that opened last year.
After 12 years, the Ohio School Facilities Commission has disbursed $8.5 billion. A spokesperson for the commission said total state and local money spent statewide amounts to $4 million each day.
The Ohio PTA has an official position on charter schools. "We actually support the philosophy of charter schools and education. There are always alternative, different ways to educate our children, as long as they don't take away funding from our traditional public schools and that they're held accountable for the monies that they receive," said Debbie Tidwell, President of the Ohio PTA.
Linda Gleckner is a parent from Columbus who has children in traditional public schools. She attended an Ohio PTA Conference on Advocacy at the Vern Riffe Center Tuesday. "As a taxpayer whose children are in the traditional public schools, I'm happy that my money is going to my public schools, but I would like them (lawmakers) to investigate how the money would be more equally distributed among charter schools," Gleckner said.
"If it's public and it's public funds, then they should get a share of that money as well," said Lorie Roan, a parent from Parma, where school tax levies have failed at least seven times.
Gleckner and Roan say they'd like to learn more about school funding and the amount of money that goes to charter schools.
NBC 4 has received calls and emails from some parents questioning the quality of charter schools. The station has also received communication from charter school parents praising school choice and asking for the state to give charters time to raise performance levels among students who have transferred from traditional schools below grade level.

HORIZON SCIENCE ACADEMYS DBA CONCEPT SCHOOLS SEEKS $93 MILLION IN BONDS - CLICK BELOW
http://horizonparentstruth.blogspot.com/2010/12/concept-schools-seeks-93-million-bond.html

Thursday, December 16, 2010

Horizon Science Academy-Why are taxpayers funding Islamic school in Cincinnati?

Exiled Islamic Imam Muhammed Fethullah Gulen

Why are taxpayers funding Islamic school in Cincinnati?

· December 15th, 2010 8:50 pm ET

· By Mark Hallenberg, Cincinnati Islam Examiner

http://www.examiner.com/islam-in-cincinnati/are-taxpayers-funding-islamic-school-cincinnati

Looking at the Horizon Science Academy website one is impressed with its presentation. A parent would appreciate the emphasis on science and mathematics, and might see HSA as an excellent option to the fumbling public school system for their child.

However, the FBI and taxpayers are unimpressed.

The school is part of a vast network of schools and Madrasas inspired and founded by Muhammed Fethullah Gülen, who believes in a 'new world order' - an Islamic New World Order. His schools are worldwide with a growing number in the United States.

In 2007 the IRS Form 990 for the Cosmos Foundation, a Gulen Movement charter school operator in TX, TN, and OK, received $41,570,721 from taxpayers. Russia and Uzbekistan banned his schools, The Netherlands claims they're a front for an Islamic fundamentalist group.

Paul L. Williams, Ph.D. writes, "By alleged “stealth jihad,” the Gulen Movement, an Islamic-based movement out of Turkey, has been advancing its presence and influence throughout the country by the establishment of charter schools that are funded by U.S. taxpayers."

At the Gulen schools, students are indoctrinated in Turkish culture, language, and religion so that they may be of service in making Fethullah Gulan’s dream of a universal caliphate a reality. The Madrasas sponsor Turkish clubs, Turkish language societies, Turkish dance groups, and annual trips to Istanbul.

Rachel Sharon-Krespin writes: “His (Gulen’s) followers target youth in the eighth through twelfth grades, mentor and indoctrinate them in the ışıkevi, educate them in the Fethullah schools, and prepare them for future careers in legal, political, and educational professions in order to create the ruling classes of the future Islamist, Turkish state.”

Turkish translator Sibel Edmonds testified under oath August 8, 2009 when asked if Gulen should be considered a threat to the security of the United States, her answer, "One hundred percent, absolutely." In another summary she states, 'Here is a Turkish Muslim preacher who fled Turkey after his alleged intentions to replace the secular government with one based on Sharia laws were exposed. He comes to the US, settles here, and starts taking advantage of our vastly and overly used nonprofit laws to build his network of dubious NGOs. Meanwhile he continues to expand his network of Madrasas and related businesses overseas-Central Asia, Caucasus, Balkans, etc.

At present, there are over 85 Gulan madrasas (Islamic schools) in the United States, and all operate with public funding. Horizon Schools is operated by Concept Schools of Des Plains, IL. Both a part of the Gulen Movement in the U.S.

Related sources - Charter School Watchdog, Charter School Scandals

HORIZON SCIENCE ACADEMYS DBA CONCEPT SCHOOLS WANTS $93 MILLION IN BOND MONEY CLICK HERE http://horizonparentstruth.blogspot.com/2010/12/concept-schools-seeks-93-million-bond.html

Thursday, December 9, 2010

Concept Schools to host 8th annual CONSEF, March 12, 2011

Concept Schools get the awards ready. Gotta reward those Horizon Science Academy students.

8^th Annual Concept Science & Engineering Fair

It is with great excitement that we announce the 8^th Annual Concept Science & Engineering Fair (CONSEF). Last year more than 300 students from 25 different schools participated and we expect even more this year. CONSEF is organized by Concept Schools, a Chicago-based, non-profit, charter management and consulting organization.
The mission of the Concept Science & Engineering Fair is to increase public awareness in science, math and engineering. We believe that every school has the potential to shine in science, math, and engineering, and therefore, we encourage every school to share their experiences, talents, and abilities with other schools through this unique platform.
http://www.consef.org/

What the Concept Schools fail to explain is that this Fair is for their Horizon Science Academys and no other schools participate but their own. Time to shine up the medals, awards and get the camera ready!!!

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Concept Schools seeks $93 million bond to repair leaky roof and refinance local debt.

Concept schools aka Horizon Science Academy wants $93 million bond for leaky roof and to (wink-wink) refinance local debt to the tune of $12 million.

County establishes process to review bond applications

http://www.dispatchpolitics.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2010/12/08/copy/county-establishes-process-to-review-bond-applications.html?adsec=politics&sid=101

Wednesday, December 8, 2010 02:52 AM

By Elizabeth Gibson

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

Franklin County commissioners put a review process in place yesterday that will help them decide whether to approve proposals for tax-exempt private bonds.

Horizon Science Academy wanted to replace a leaky roof this summer, but it needed consent from county commissioners before it could apply for tax-exempt financing, which would result in a lower interest rate compared with a traditional commercial loan.

The county wouldn't invest any taxpayer money, and elected representatives would have to give the OK before tax-exempt bonds are sold.

Commissioner John O'Grady had questioned whether the holdup might cause problems for the publically financed charter school. But Commissioners Marilyn Brown and Paula Brooks pushed to postpone a decision on the charter school's request in August.

The school's parent company, Concept Schools, had planned to issue $93 million in bonds for its chain of Midwest charter schools. About $4 million of that would have gone toward rehabbing the Columbus schools; an additional$12million would have gone toward refinancing local debt.

New Plan Learning, which owns the schools' facilities, approached the county. When asked whether the window for selling the bonds had passed, a New Plan Learning representative said there are future opportunities.

"We respect the commissioners' decision to take things slowly and develop guidelines ... and we feel confident that they will provide the approval because we are a quality organization," Murat Arabaci wrote in an e-mail.

Commissioners said they felt they needed a standard procedure.

The commissioners' approval is mostly a technicality, but they worried that investors would see it as the county vouching for the debtor.

The review process has been delegated to the Columbus-Franklin County Finance Authority Board, a public agency that works to facilitate capital investment in central Ohio. It will be responsible for ensuring that the bonds support a public purpose and for gauging what the market says about the group's credit. The applicant would pay a $3,500 fee.

Commissioners said they put the review process in place because they were concerned the school might be the first of many to seek approval.

But Jean Carter Ryan, executive director of the review board, said she doubts the floodgates have opened. She said some of what made these bonds attractive to banks this year were incentives in the form of federal stimulus funds. Some of those incentives will end next year.

egibson@dispatch.com

Saturday, December 4, 2010

Ohio Tax Money Tied to Exiled Turkish Leader Fethullah Gulen

ProgressOhio Blog

http://www.progressohio.org/blog/2010/09/shadows-on-high-ohio-tax-money-tied-to-exiled-turkish-leader-who-wants-an-islamic-republic.html

Shadows on High: Ohio Tax Money Tied to Exiled Turkish Leader Who Wants an Islamic Republic

By Brian Rothenberg on September 16, 2010 8:18 PM

Tell a friend

Categories:

Ahh, the irony.
The inane "Ground Zero mosque" debate pretends to be about 9/11 sensitivity. The contention is that putting a community center and prayer space into an old Burlington Coat Factory blocks from the World Trade Center site is somehow provocative.
(Unlike Glenn Beck's farcical rally in the shadow of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech, which wasn't provocative, no siree.)
In reality, this debate was fueled by a surprisingly large faction on the right that finds anything Islamic borderline toxic and incompatible with baseball, apple pie and all things America.
So, now comes news that Ohio tax payer money is going to schools tied to a controversial Islamic religious figure previously wanted for trying to overthrow the Turkish government.
Where's the outrage?
Josh Mandel has built a career opposing pension money being invested in companies with ties to Iran's radical Islamic government. Where is he on this?
Jon Husted? Charter school money got your tongue?
Mr. Kasich? Mr. DeWine? Ding Dong. Anyone home in right-wing Ohio?
Ahh, the irony.
Here's the low down: Concept Schools is part of a national network of Turkish run schools and operates 17 schools in Ohio.

USA Today reports that the network has over 100 schools in 25 states that educate 35,000 American children, and are largely financed through taxpayer funding.
The newspaper reports that all the schools have ties to Fethullah Gülen, leader of the Gülen Movement, the third most powerful faction in Turkish government, after the military and the secular government.
In fact Concept Schools is just one of the Charter school networks with ties to the Gülen Movement.
Oddly though, Mr. Gülen resides in America, Pennsylvania, specifically. He is in voluntary exile for allegedly pushing for an "Islamist" state from the fractured and secular Turkish rulers.
And while his movement is not hostile to the West, it is ironic that he operates in charter schools, a world filled with right-wing fanatics whose hatred toward everything Muslim extends to placing a Muslim community center a few blocks from Ground Zero where fast food joints and strip bars now roam.

Ohio has 17 charter schools tied to the Gülen Movement:

A recent USA Today article outlines the complex web between the network of schools, Gülen, and management companies like Concept, which operates and manages charter schools and that public education dollars are being funneled into it. The schools are among the highest performing and have the largest amount of students nationally but have nonetheless been less than transparent about their finances and ties to Gülen as USA Today reported:

Described by turns as a moderate Turkish nationalist, a peacemaker and "contemporary Islam's

Billy Graham

," Fethullah Gülen has long pushed for Islam to occupy a more central role in Turkish society. Followers of the so-called Gülen Movement operate an "education, media and business network" in more than 100 countries, says University of

Oregon

sociologist Joshua Hendrick.

Top administrators say they have no official ties to Gülen. And Gülen himself denies any connection to the schools. Still, documents available at various foundation websites and in federal forms required of non-profit groups show that virtually all of the schools have opened or operate with the aid of Gülen-inspired "dialogue" groups, local non-profits that promote Turkish culture. In one case, the Ohio-based Horizon Science Academy of Springfield in 2005 signed a five-year building lease with the parent organization of Chicago's Niagara Foundation, which promotes Gülen's philosophy of "peace, mutual respect, the culture of coexistence." Gülen is the foundation's honorary president. In many cases, charter school board members also serve as dialogue group leaders.

Education officials who are familiar with them say the schools aren't trying to proselytize for Gülen's vision of

Turkey

. While Turkish language and culture are often offered in the curriculum, there's no evidence the schools teach Islam.

Maybe that's enough to cover over the recent spate of Muslim hate crimes, Koran burning threats and mosque-building rightwing zeitgeist - but the fact remains that a controversial figure in his own country, living in self-imposed exile, is using funds from Ohio taxpayers for his schools.
The ties themselves are - well the movement calls them "non-organic." Here is how USA Today describes it:

While the Turkish-affiliated schools disavow any connection to the Gülen Movement, Gülen himself maintains in legal filings that he's the inspiration behind their growth. But William Martin of

Rice University

in Houston says educators' assertions of "no organic connection" to Gülen are accurate.

Nonetheless, he says their efforts to minimize ties to Gülen, likely from fear of being branded Islamists, bring "unnecessary and probably counterproductive" suspicion. "I do not think they are a sinister organization."

In an e-mail interview, Mehmet Argin, principal of Tucson's Sonoran Science Academy, says his school's parent corporation, Daisy Education Corp., "has no legal or organic ties" with other schools. He cautions against linking charter schools founded by Turkish-Americans directly to the Gülen Movement "just because Turkish-Americans may be inspired by Mr. Gülen."

In an e-mail interview, Gülen denied any direct connection to these schools, rejecting the notion that there is a "Gülen Movement," but acknowledging there may be educators now in U.S. schools who have listened to his philosophy. "I have no relation with any institution in the form of ownership, board membership or any similar kind," he said.

It's hard to know what to make of Gülen, his politics and the schools. It is clear however that during at a time when our country's school teachers are being laid off by the thousands, his schools still continue to bring in H1B visa teachers over from Turkey. Gülen affiliated schools have submitted over 1,349 applications for foreign teachers nationwide and brought 91 into Ohio since 2008.
All of this leads us to continue to question the wisdom of handing over public money to charter schools, when so many continue to be less than transparent about their finances and practices.
In fact, recently the Columbus Dispatch featured a charter school that fired its founder because the music "academy" was so poorly run "that even the treasurer could not be certain whether public money was being spent to launch records and hold concerts."
Right-wing conservatives seem to rail these days about wasted government spending, sweetheart contracts, government corruption and, lately, Islamaphobia. Here we have a litany of stories about David Brennan's profiteering, lawsuits against his White Hat management, gospel singers turned teachers abusing classroom money and murky connections to Turkish Islamist politics.
Yet the outrage over Park51, where taxpayer funds are not at stake and the First Amendment couldn't be clearer, was ceaseless. But no one ever said my right-wing friends value consistency over the Fox talking point of the day.
So next time you're watching O'Reilly or Beck and that commercial comes on for ECOT telling your kids they're safer learning at home on the computer than attending high school, over here on the left, that looks as wasteful as Sarah Palin's bridge to nowhere in Alaska.
As for Mr. Gülen, last week he won concessions favoring his Islamist movement over the military in Turkey.
Given the way the books are kept at some of these charters, you never know how much you may or may not have contributed to that movement; there is little evidence either way.
Just remember, it's a non-organic connection.
Ohio conservatives, you gotta love 'em.

Horizon Parents Truth

Concept Schools, Gulen Charter Schools Midwest operations