I bet you think that the largest chain in the U.S. is KIPP. If you did, you are wrong.
KIPP gets the most publicity, but it does not have the largest number of charter schools.
The largest charter chain in the nation is the Gulen network of charters.
You probably never heard of them.
All were established by Turkish nationals associated with a reclusive cleric named Fethullah Gulen.
This cleric and his movement, as the New York Times reported, are controversial in Turkey. He lives somewhere in Pennsylvania, but he has a thriving movement in Turkey.
The Gulen schools specialize in teaching math and science, and some of their schools get outstanding test scores.
60 Minutes did a special about the Gulen schools and was very impressed.
Others find it odd that a Turkish cleric would create a chain of charter schools in the U.S.
Some of the schools have gotten into trouble with state auditors.
Many screen out or exclude students with disabilities. This of course raises the test scores of the schools.
Two days ago, I wrote a post about a Gulen charter school in Minneapolis that pushed out 40 children with special needs.
Sharon R. Higgins runs a website called Charter School Scandals, where she keeps track of the financial and educational misdeeds of charter schools. She has a special section dedicated to following the Gulen network. She summarized her findings here.
It is all rather puzzling.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Another link that might add to the discussion:
http://www.gulenmovement.us/
Merhaba Lowie, it is Professor Siktir here.
How does your propaganda web site have anything to do with mistreating special needs students in MN. and in Texas stealing $187,000 intended for SN education? Would you care to discuss the audits conducted? your loan default and soon foreclosure in GA at the now DENIED Fulton Science Academy? You know that “blue ribbon” school (snicker, giggles)
Love the propaganda and your media persuasiveness but your numbers are not lying like you are.
Stop derailing conversations back to your topics about how Hizmet promotes love, peace and tolerance. Tell that to the 40 special needs children you have thrown out of the “Gulen Inspired” Minnesota School of Science.
Special Needs and disabled children have rights too, or didn’t you notice? Perhaps it is your GREED that gets in the way as Finkel described on “60 minutes” your cult cares only about furthering the growth and share of power of the Movement.
You will lose because you are selfish and self serving.
Gulen is receiving lots of tax dollars and hire teachers from Turkey, not sure why teachers from the USA aren’t qualified. It is a profitable industry for this man, who lives on a guarded 45 acre compound in the Pocanos.
Of course Louisiana has a history with the Gulan Charter Schools. Their charter for Abramson Science & Technology in New Orleans was finally pulled but not after the La Dept. of Educ buried year-old complaints by its own staff – sexual assault of a student, teachers doing student science projects, classes without a teacher for weeks, Turkish teachers will little English language ability. . . . some excerpts from a Times-Picayune article last year:
http://www.nola.com/education/index.ssf/2011/07/state_shuts_down_abramson_char.html
Like many of the charter schools that have sprung up in New Orleans since 2005, Abramson has welcomed young recruits from Teach for America, a group whose ranks in the city have swelled.
Inci Akpinar, the vice president of a company called Atlas Texas Construction & Trading, sat down with an official from the Louisiana Department of Education a little more than a year ago and made him an offer.
As the state official, Folwell Dunbar, recalled in a memo to department colleagues, Akpinar flattered him with “a number of compliments” before getting to the point: “I have twenty-five thousand dollars to fix this problem: twenty thousand for you and five for me.”
Baton Rouge still has one.
Correct Kathy, but Kenliworth is also under investigation as well as their Pelican Education. Have you learn to read 990 tax returns? All of you as American citizens must go to http://www.guidestar.com after a short regisration search for Pelican Education and review their tax returns. You will see an abnormal amount of money going to advertising, PR and marketing. Not to mention in one year over $1.7 million in “travel expenses” that is a lot of free trips to Turkey my friends.
That money should be for the children of America and promoting their education, getting them more tools and advancing them forward in a competitive society. Instead the Gulencis promote Turkocenticism : Turkish classes, Turkish Culture, they even had Turkish character classes (maybe they were teaching the kids how to steal from the federal government) These Turkish Olympiads they spend millions on and it is Gulen’s showcase demonstrating how the younger generation will be Turkified. (research Turkificiation pograms and Janissary under the Ottoman Empire)
In his sick and disturbed mind, Gulen wants to restore a neo Ottoman empire where the Gulencis will inherit and operate the education, businesses, military, judiciary systems, politics, etc., and everyone will speak Turkish “the language of love and tolerance” and forget about a particular Charter school in PA that just fired 8 American teachers. We will be teaching the “Kolbasti” dance.
http://www.gulenturkisholympiad.blogspot.com
“Professor”–change the name you sign or you will be blocked from this site in the future.
Just a strange situation. You gotta love it though. I wonder what the local officials are thinking. The H-1B visa program is very distrubing.
http://gulencharterschools.weebly.com/importing-english-teachers-from-turkey.html
Here’s a link to the 60 Minutes story. I encourage everyone interested in Gulen to watch this.
Two Gulen charters are located “ON” U S AIRFORCE BASES. One in Arizona, one in Florida. Reason for concern? I think so.
Gulen in Arizona. Sonora Science Academy /Davis-Monthan AFB. http://www.sonoranacademy.org
Which Gulen charter school is located on a AFB in Florida?
Last year Concept Schools attempted to start one on Naval Station Great Lakes near the city of North Chicago in Illinois. Its name was to be the Great Lakes Math and Science Academy, but it was rejected.
http://newssun.suntimes.com/news/9672248-418/three-vie-for-district-187-charter-school.html
Concept Schools is the operator of their Midwest region schools, including the special ed-student-rejecting Minnesota School of Science, the charter school that Diane recently wrote about.
Does anyone else notice that, despite more and more legitimate coverage about Gulen charter schools in the mainstream press, our public officials are remaining utterly silent about all of this?
I cannot find Florida AFB charter. Heard it referenced but can’t confirm. Search shows that the two bases in FL do not have on base schools.
Professor Siktir;
Sharon lets not forget about their failed attempt to have one on the Mokapu military base in Hawaii. They were basically shamed off the island by parents, teachers and good citizens. Not to mention a very savvy writer at the Hawaii Free Press.
http://www.hawaiifreepress.com/main/ArticlesMain/tabid/56/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/4330/Gulen-Cult-strikes-out-in-Hawaii-Legislature-School.aspx
My suggestion to you all is go to http://www.charterschoolscandals.blogspot.com which has the complete list of Gulen “Inspired” charter schools. If you have one in your town or state, contact teacher’s unions, superintendants, state officials, media, human rights groups, etc.
They can be stopped but you must educate your neighbors, friends, fellow employees, etc.,
Another video you should watch put out by our favorite cult under the “Pearls of Wisdom” and how to “keep secrets”
This group is very superstious and has a phobia about disabled / special needs kids, they believe they possess demons.
Maybe that is why they do not serve these children and cream out the lower performers to only keep the students who will make the school and themselves look good. They also cheat on tests and identify children from powerful families that will serve them.
I have spoke to many blinded parents, who after years of their child getting C, D and F’s on testing are NOW remarkably getting A’s and winning awards at the Gulenist sponsored events.
There are politicians and parents that are enabling this group and it is just plain dangerous. But equally there are politicians that know about the Gulen Movement, parents are finding out every day about them and many have been a victim of threatening letters of litigation if they speak about the school, not to mention the gaggle of American teaches who are now in numbers collectively to file a class action of some sort.
Watch this video and tell me if these are the sort of nutjobs you want teaching our children? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vkcy95hPkEY
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/post/largest-charter-network-in-us-schools-tied-to-turkey/2012/03/23/gIQAoaFzcS_blog.html
“Because of our charter school system, the United States is the only country where the Gulen Movement has been able to establish schools which are fully funded with public money. In other countries the movement’s schools are private…”
How convenient for Mr. Gulen.
All of this inspired by a 5th grade educated Imam from SE Turkey. Not bad, not bad at all.
I notice that most charter school advocates have a sudden, genteel attack of deafness when Gulen schools are mentioned. They apparently don’t have the stomach for dealing with this at all.
I think the purpose of the people who are labeling successful charter schools as Gulen Charter Schools is to defame Fethullah Gulen and successful charter schools. As it was mentioned on CBS’s 60 Minutes that nationwide Newsweek Magazine listed some of those two successful charter schools as miracle schools of the nation. They’re combining those schools as Gulen Charter Schools, because they’re successful. Those people who are actually against good and goodness picking Fethullah Gulen’s name as a person to mention with those successful charter schools. Whoever they are, they don’t like Fethullah Gulen because of his teachings and positive contribution to humanity in 21st century. In the other hand Turkish oriented people are not the only people operating charter schools. Why are those people picking only charter schools operated by Turkish origin professionals?
http://www.gulencharterschools.tk , http://www.gulenschools.org
Perhaps one reason is because they import English teachers from Turkey who can barely speak English. Another reason perhaps is because of the cult-like vibe that Gulen gives off.
Most of the readers and posters on this blog pick on all charter schools. I think Gulen has been mentioned only a few times. No persecution complex please.
Charter Lover Dad;
Merhaba, defaming Mr. Gulen would not be a difficult task. After all he was shamed out of his own country as “60 Minutes” mentions “self imposed exile”. Now I know you Gulencis will tout “Gulen came to the US for health reasons” really? so are you saying your Gulenist operated hospitals and health care in Turkiye are not capable of treating Diabetes Type 2?
Gulen has issued a fatwa to his followers to sue or litigate anyone that questions their use of money, or promotion of Turkish culture, etc., In fact, their schools in Mass. (Chesapeake Point Science Academy) which barely got a renewal with many restrictions is suing the Anne Arundal school district. THey claim the restrictions and not allowing the schools to use their own contractors and resources is costing them over $700K.
In Texas the “Gulen Inspired” Harmony Science Academys have joined with the Texas Charter Association suing the state of Texas becuase they want their hands on the money for facilities improvements that public schools get. This will cost the tax payers millions to feed the monster of Harmony.
Frankly, The ADA and ACLU should sue the operators of these schools for their many civil rights abuses, wrongful termination of great American teachers and abuses of Visa for financial gain. Not to mention explotiation of their fellow brethren who are forced to give (Tuzuk) over 40% of their salary back to the movement. Gotta love the money laundering schemes with these layers and layers of Gulen NGOs.
to learn more about a few lawsuits filled by teachers against these “gulen inspired schools” go to http://www.gulencharterschools.weebly.com
Remember your best defense is educating the masses about this dangerous group. You can research Dr. Aland Mizell, Dr. Joshua Hendrick, and ex-FBI Turkish translator turned whistleblower Sibel (Deniz) Edmonds about the dangers of this group to American democracy. Unlike what the Gulenists would like you to believe, they are hated by mainstream Turkey. They have barely a 7 million following worldwide. But they move into key positions and push out non-Gulenists or destroy people that are perceived as “threats” to the movement. Up to and including jail, sex scandals, accidental death, etc.,
I just googled your name and based on its definition, I may ban you from this site.
I assume it is a pseudonym. I suggest you change it.