A coalition of liberal groups called on the sponsor of 11 charter schools to drop them because of allegations of racism, sexism, and test cheating, as well as FBI raids on some of them.
The sponsor, Buckeye Community Hope, refused.
“All of the schools belong to the Concept charter school network that operates in the Midwest. Concept, in turn, is one of several charter systems affiliated with the Gulen movement that has attracted scrutiny nationwide.”
The spokesperson for Buckeye said they will renew all. 9–not 11–Gulen schools. She called the allegations unfounded and accused the groups of “nitpicking.”
“Like all of Ohio’s sponsors, it receives a fee from each school, based on the number of students, for its sponsorship work. A recent report by Bellwether Education Partners, a non-profit research and advocacy group based in Boston, called these sponsorship fees a conflict of interest.”
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Fetullah Gulen has nurtured friendships with enough legislators and power brokers that he continues to move forward with his charter chains using the money of American taxpayers to add to his billions. This money is used to foment upheaval all over the Middle East, but mainly in his homeland of Turkey. His goal is to install himself to reign over a Sharia calipahte…a second Ottoman Empire.
In Los Angeles, despite the FBI raiding a number of his Magnolia Schools, the schools remain open and they now have a new Director who was the most vociferous charter school defender and operator when she was on the LAUSD BoE.
Caprice Young, who was recently hired by Magnolia to be its new CEO, was LAUSD’s board president back in 2001 where she voted in favor of the very first Magnolia Science Academy charter school. http://tinyurl.com/owcu6mo
In 2003, after losing her re-election bid for a second term, she started the California Charter Schools Association w/Steve Poizner, a Silicon Valley multimillionaire. No doubt the CCSA has decided to help cover up / ahem, *fix* the crooked mess made by the Magnolia Gulenists.
Incidentally, Huseyin “Joseph” Hurmali, Magnolia’s first CEO who worked until 2008 — returned to Turkey several years ago and has become a very high-ranking member of the Gulen Movement. He is the vice president of the Journalist and Writers Foundation (GYV in Turkish) which has been described as an “Istanbul-based public-relations arm for Gulen’s followers.” http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/09/magazine/whose-turkey-is-it.html
Thank you Sharon…you are my most trusted source on Gulen.
Correction the schools in Los Angeles were never “raided” by the FBI. However, they were audited and heads turned the other way over the many shortfalls. An FBI ‘visit’ to the LAUSD headquarters may have prompted them to take action when they realized the last audit was rapidly becoming a bad situation with a shortfall of money and the different groups layered over the schools “borrowing” from the schools. The biggest glaring issues are the interconnection of money laundering and E rate technology grants that were misused by false businesses put together by the Gulen Movement just to reap the benefits of these grants. Make no mistake about it, the Gulenists know how to sniff out government money, this is where these Charter school Associations come in, they are helping them write the grants and get a fee when they are awarded the grant (aka Grant writers) In some cases grant writers charge 10% of the awarded grant which can be very lucrative if the grant is in excess of $1 million.
Magnolia is a troubled organization, they are shuffling around putting in non Turks into high positions. Caprice Young will be more of the same in a long stream of positions she has held then abandoned after she plots a way to make money off of the situation. She didn’t come cheap, IMO she is nothing but a temporary fix to appear as if Magnolia is following the terms of the temporary injunctive court ordered relief. The courts are not blocking the closure of the Magnolia Schools they are merely insuring that all policies and procedures are followed by LAUSD. This may buy more time for the Gulenists to appear as if they are in compliance and are behaving democratically. As the saying goes a leopard doesn’t change it’s spots, they will simply funnel money out of the schools via embezzlement and their fuzzy math.
Caprice isn’t the only one guilty of glutton behavior. Monica Garcia, an LAUSD board member and board president has accepted an award from the CCSA and as her predecessor Caprice Young has spoke at the Gulen Lobbying arm of the Magnolia Schools — Pacifica Institute. Additionally, individual Gulenists contributed $$ to Monica Garcia’s last campaign. When this has been identified that a board member is in the pockets of a charter school why hasn’t Monica Garcia recused herself from voting or why hasn’t the UTLA demanded her to sit out the votes on Magnolia for conflict of interest? If you think Caprice is bad, the CCSA is trying to push in another charter school operator onto the LAUSD board- Ref Rodriguez. The ironic thing is he, like Caprice Young, call themselves “Education reformers” when the correct word is Pro desmantling of public education.
Thanks Sharon! That was a great article. I read the whole thing.
David…I am working on Gulen issues and woud like to be contact with you. Please email me at
Joining Forces for Education
joiningforces4ed@aol.com
Ellen Lubic, Director
What other states allow sponsors to get a fee for each student enrolled?
ADA = Average Daily Attendance is paid by most states, on a per student per year. The average is about $7,000 per year although it changes. Hence if a charter school has 100 kids it’s $700,000 per year. So you can see why they always trying to grow their student body. The ADA is not what is the “key” to groups like the Gulenists it’s the businesses they layer around the schools: catering, janitorial, technology, school management, furniture and uniform supply, etc., this is where the Gulen Movement brought in the TUSKON industrialist businessmen. to receive their contracts. They even tried contracting , painting but don’t know how to build a building they have to outsource it but in the case of JL Johnson Construction they screw over sub contractors. (his lawsuit is on http://www.gulencharterschools.weebly.com – The big win falls are the multi million dollar grants that the charter schools apply for. They know how to sniff out governmental funds and facility grants. The local Charter school associations help them write these grants. The schools are the catalyst for other opportunities like the grants, businesses but serve to further their lobbying arms and dialogue centers which earn them political clout to further grow their business.
Remember the Gulen Movement is based on greed., not on the common good of all but on the common good of Fethullah Gulen.
“The authors of this letter are working hard to deny parents the ability to send their children to safe schools that have high academic standards,” Concept Vice President Salim Ucan said in an emailed statement. “Bankrolled and egged on by teachers unions, they ignore the mountains of crime and dysfunction in traditional public schools while nitpicking at molehills in public charter schools. Nearly everything they claim in their letter is either distorted or false.”
I don’t know why a charter chain headquartered in Illinois would know anything about “mountains of crime” in Ohio public schools.
They were raided by the FBI. Is that really a “molehill”?
You can read the search warrants here:
http://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/education/2014/07/30/fbi-raid-horizon-charter-school-cincinnati/13364593/
This seems to be the group think now in Ohio. On Columbus on the Record yesterday, the Republican strategist on the panel was near hysteria over claimed widespread crime and abuse in our public schools. He, of course, blamed teachers. I suspect Ohio Republicans are taking a page from Campbell Brown insinuations in an attempt to dehumanize and portray all teachers as criminals. The exchange was disturbing and, frankly, unsettling, showing that when you look behind the curtain of the far right Republicans running Ohio, it is not a pretty sight. The other panel members looked shocked and shook their heads in disbelief. Many of us moderate Republicans have left and became independents. Too small a tent.
They have the balls to say that the authors are “bankrolled” and egged on by teachers unions, and are nitpicking at molehills.
I love America. I love the melting pot that it is. However, when there are qualified teachers right here, bringing them in from Turkey is ridiculousness, especially at the cost of the taxpayers.
The charters are bankrolled by the 1% with endless pools of cash and rhetoric and power. How dare Salim Ucan lie like a rug.
The Chicago Sun Times also has a series of pieces on FBI raids on Concept school chain. The Early and Often website of Sun Times has them together. Dan Mihalopoulos wrote them.
“She called the allegations unfounded and accused the groups of “nitpicking.””
Yeah, people get raided by the FBI all the time. It’s no big thing.
The Akron Beacon Journal reported that the Ohio House Speaker took a trip to Turkey, “funded by the Niagara Foundation, which is related to the schools through memberships…” Reporter Doug Livingston added that, “The U.S. Department of Labor allowed 19 of the Ohio schools to hire 325 educators, almost exclusively from Turkey”.
It’s incredible to me that they get away with this in this state. We’re building a new public school where I live and the FIRST question we got from the public was “are we using a local contractor”?
They (understandably) want their tax money to benefit the local economy, and stay in-state. This public funding goes…where? To an Illinois corporation and then to Turkey?
Gulen Charter Schools have brought Turkish and othe Middle Eastern men into the US on Green Cards, using our tax money to fund them, claiming that there are not enough good American math and science teachers to hire. Now there are close to 3000 of these uninvestigated ersatz “teachers” embedded all over the country…some as teachers but with no credentials in education, many are non English speakers, others are students in our universities, and others are unaccounted for. Why is the US allowing this, and where is Homeland Security in this mix? Might there be ‘sleepers’ in this group who will indoctrinate students in Sharia, and are some steeped in radical Islam with a goal of causing uprisings in the US? Why is it so hard to learn more about these peope?
Ellen;
You need a history lesson on Turkey, it is not Middle Eastern and the other “Middle Eastern” men you speak of are usually from Turkic countries like Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan. Turkey is Asia Minor, however a portion of Istanbul that was conquered from the Greek Byzantine’s Constaniople is on the European side. Nevertheless the name of the town changed to Istanbul by the Ottomans and the churches like the grand St. Hagia Sofia, converted shamelessly into a Mosque. There are not so much about “Sharia” law as they are about growing their share of power. As the Ottomans the Gulen Movement feels entitled to take, steal, bribe, blackmail their way into places of power and businesses. They simply have an arrogant and indigant attitude that has been instilled into them at a very young age at the Gulen Lighthouses (Dershanes) Like the Ottoman Empire, they tried to spread Turkified Ottomanism to the gates of Vienna, throughout the middle east into Northern Africa.
Gulen Movement had a goal to create 600 schools in America however that goal has become a nightmare with the scores of concerned Americans who find out on a daily basis about this cult. Make no mistake about it, they are very greedy and believe they should be teaching all children because Americans don’t know what they are doing. They will create chaos, and try to instill division of people. Even tell the parents that you are having your choice taken from you because you are hispanic, black, etc., they are experts at getting gavurs (non Turks) to fight their battles for them. The only way they will use islam is to play victim and call anyone that opposes them “islamophobic” The Gulenists (Hizmet or Cemaat) have one vulnerable weakness that will be their demise and it is their PREDICTABILITY. They are media savvy, and know how to market chicken shit into chicken salad. It’s not hard to guess their next move, if you have studied them as long as I have. Lastly they are not critical thinkers, thinking out of the box is foreign to them. Their strategy in California is spearheaded by non Gulenists, their Attorney, CCSA and Public Relations person. When they become desperate the Gulenists become sloppy, they become threatening and lose their cool. Remember they are not use to being told “No” they controlled all of the powers in Turkey for the last 15 years and now that the tides are turning worldwide they are scrambling like cockroaches.
Thank you David for adding to the information on The Gulen Movement and Fetullah Gulen. The history lesson is welcome. Between you and Sharon, we all are enlightened.
Charia…Gulen has a vast empire of businesses operating in the US and worldwide. To build a school , the contract would go to one of his other business ventures. All of his suppliers come from within his own organization. We have laws regarding restraint of trade, and anti trust. Why is the government, and all Dem and Repub, administrations since 1999 when Clinton let him into the US, not addressing any of this, and why do they have zero transparency regarding The Gulen Movement?
Yeah, I can tell that from the warrant(s) that what they’re looking for is whether “the school” (the entity) is paying several different entities and contractors that all lead back to the same 7 or 8 people and companies. They’re listed in the warrant. The specific funds they’re looking for are “e rate” grants-where that money went.
http://federalcrimesblog.com/tag/signature-maker-inc/
E Rate grant is one of the many grants the Gulenists have exploited. This particular one is very involved and stretches beyond Concept schools to California, Arizona, Texas. Their documents are extensive, and always lead to another school, business or front group operated by the Gulenists. Remember the ADA money is nothing it barely keeps the doors open of the schools, it’s the grants, businesses and political connections from their front groups they are looking at which is worth far more to the Gulen greed.
I just don’t get why any Ohio politician can get away with bringing in workers from other countries who are then paid with public money.
It just goes against what every single politician runs on in this state. I cannot imagine the uproar if a public school did this. It would be front page new: “Toledo Public Schools is bringing in teachers from overseas!” People would have to resign. It would be a giant scandal.
Here’s Sherrod Brown talking about it but it’s not just him, it’s every single politician I have ever heard in this state.
“We’ve seen more than five million jobs lost as a result of past free trade deals. At a time when Ohioans are still looking for work, we should not be rushing to sign yet another trade agreement that tips the balance against American workers.”
What happened to our love of “American workers”? 🙂
Dallas isd HR director 30, former TFA resigns due to released emails.
http://live.dallasnews.com/Event/Talk_DISD/mobile&Theme=8101
Based on the recordings, we can hope the teacher, intentionally subjected to stress, for the purpose of making her resign, will receive justice from the courts.
Punishment for the reformers who make money, by taking advantage of children, can’t be swift enough.
Commenters at the linked article, identify as TFA’ers,
“Superintendent Miles Special Assistant, DISD Sub-director, Chief of Staff, and PL Director”. The commenter added and labeled as “TFA recruits”, “Board President, Board member, HCM Chief, TEI Director, and Home Rule Commission member”.
Who are the parents who send their children to these schools? Are they of Turkish decent?
Not that it matters, I’m curious.
Betsy;
As a rule the Gulen Movement usually selects poor, high hispanic /black low income – poverty neighborhoods. For many reasons: 1) They get Title 5 money 2) Free lunch and other programs – they then create catering businesses that cater breakfast/lunch to the schools 3) these parents are usually not the most sophisticated and have a whole host of other issues ranging from unemployment, to gang violence, to a parent in prison. 4) They are very gullible to the dog and pony show that the Gulenists put on for them, I have spoke to enough of these parents that were convinced their child was going to college, getting the best education because the school shows them trophies and they like the “multiculturalism” they push along with the trips to Turkey (which now are non-existent after Erdogan’s crack down on the movement) They also like the extra attention the Gulen teachers give their kids (mostly boys) and the home visits (which is a dangerous proposition) They also like seeing their childen on stage in costumes (whether it’s Turkish Costume or not) singing and dancing….feeling like they are special and a super star. The Gulenists study people, they know who to compliment, and who they can manipulate.
Many of Turkish ethnicity do send their children to Gulen charters where Turkish language is taught. Also customs. But not all
Gulen students are Turkish…there are gullible families of all nationalities who think they get a better math and science education in these schools, while overlooking the true goals, to inculcate these children with Turkish and Islamic identity.
The enrollment at Gulen charter schools usually falls into one of these categories:
1. Many Gulen charter schools schools have a majority enrollment of students who are African American and/or Latino from low income families, with parents who’ve fallen prey to the charter schools’ clever marketing. They can be highly manipulated by the Gulenists running the charter schools and have no idea that anything called the Gulen Movement exists. This group makes up the majority of the enrollment nationally and makes for easy money for the Gulen Movement. They are also often passive parents, as far as not challenging the school goes. If the school is pressuring their kids out because they don’t produce the desired test scores or they’re a behavior challenge, these families just tend to quietly leave. But when asked to support the school at some meeting or the other, they’ll don a t-shirt, chant, and hold a sign — often in exchange for lunch, free transportation, extra credit for their child, etc.
2. Gulen charter schools have been established in more affluent communities and focus on drawing in students with parents who think their children are gifted. Actually, this is the most desirable student for the Gulen Movement, for as long as the school operators make these families feel super-special (awards, praise, etc.), the parents (often middle, or upper middle class, often white and well-educated) will become articulate, ultra-rabid, powerful defenders of the schools. They tend to argue down anyone who tries to point out the Gulen Movement connection, e.g., “How dare you to bring up anything negative about my darling child’s school that treats us as special and pays so much attention to us?” OR: “Anyone who is trying to associate my child’s wonderful charter school with something called the Gulen Movement is just Islamophobic and xenophobic.” These parents go to great lengths to avoid addressing the Gulen Movement’s existence and its many controversial issues, but sometimes they figure it out, become uncomfortable, and leave.
3. Some schools in certain communities attract students from families of Turkish ethnicity who are fully aware that the schools are operated by members of the Gulen Movement. Some are kids whose parents belong to the Gulen Movement. A smaller number have parents who are more secular-leaning Turks who want their kids to be exposed to Turkish language and cultural instruction (omnipresent at these schools).
4. Another demographic that the schools attract are Muslim families. Sometimes these are immigrant families (Bosnian, Somalian, etc.). Sometimes they are African American families who are practicing Muslims. This group doesn’t much focus on the Gulen issue, but appreciates how the schools give a special consideration to their religious needs. For instance, the Gulenists specifically sought support from a local mosque for their 2014 charter school attempt in Lewiston, Maine.
Buckeye Community Hope as a sponsor receives 3% of all State funds given to the Charter. One of their “jobs” is to oversee finance but many of the private management companies (for example White Hat that charges over 20% of State funds received) will not give the sponsors information on what they do for their fees and does not follow sponsor guidelines.
Gov. Kasich appointed Gunlock (big Republican donor) to the Ohio State Board of Education. Gunlock was on the Board of the Richard Allen charter schools, when the state auditor cited the schools for “failure to adequately monitor finances”. In an interview at Ohio.com, Gunlock was quoted as saying, “I listened to all of the financial reports like the rest of the Board members.”
Before the Republican Board majority elected him President, I sent the info. to Board member, Ruddick. No reply, IMO, no interest.
I’ve concluded, that there is no amount of failure and wrong doing that will stop Columbus from destroying the state.
There’s a great photo, at Ohio.com, of good ole boy, Gunlock, using the power cue of steepled fingers.
So Buckeye Community Hope receives a “fee” as part of their sponsorship of the 11 Gulen “inspired” charter schools. Can we agree that a) Buckeye will lose money if they don’t renew these controversial charter schools b) the it’s essentially illegal as in the California based schools were there is double and sometimes triple dipping or money grabbing going on? c) What is Buckeye Community Hope doing that Concept schools isn’t? and is the third party receiving funds from the schools a local charter school association that wants their cut. Everyone wants to money grab right till the end.
Buckeye Community Hope sounds like a foolish organization that should be held accountable for exactly what they heard and saw that makes them “satisfied” that Concept Schools are sound when the conclusion of the FBI documents have not been concluded. The people of Ohio still have their say where the funds derived from their tax money goes. Teacher, parents, and concerned taxpayers keep up your part and demand that these schools be closed, the children need you now more than ever.
“We’ve seen more than five million jobs lost as a result of past free trade deals.”
Does the success of these so called free trade “deals”, rely on consumer demand?
Does “success” of Gulen chatter schools rely on demand?
Reblogged this on Dolphin.