Robert Amsterdam, the lawyer hired by the Turkish government, to investigate the activities of Fetullah Gulen, writes here that a Gulen charter school has applied to open on a U.S. military base in Nevada. Why should a foreign entity run the “public school” on the military base? The Department of Defense schools have an excellent reputation. Why outsource to the Gulen charter chain?
The Gulen charter chain is affiliated with the cleric Fetullah Gulen, who lives in seclusion in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania. More than 140 charter schools across the country are run by Gulenists, under a variety of names. The way to tell a Gulen school is that the board is made up of Turkish men. The staff includes many Turkish teachers.
Amsterdam writes:
A secretive Islamic movement is trying to infiltrate the U.S. military by establishing and operating publicly-funded charter schools targeted toward children of American service personnel.
That charge may sound like a conspiracy theory from the lunatic fringe, but it is real and it is happening right now. The most immediate threat is in Nevada, where Coral Academy of Science Las Vegas (CASLV) is currently negotiating with the United States Air Force to locate a charter school at Nellis Air Force Base, with classes starting this fall. What is not widely known is that CASLV is part of a nationwide organization of charter schools and other businesses headed by Islamic cleric Fethullah Gülen, a reclusive but influential Imam living under self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania to avoid criminal prosecution in his native Turkey….
In Nevada, CASLV is a three-campus school operating under a charter held by tax-exempt Coral Education Corp., headquartered in Reno. Three of Coral’s board members are Turkish, one of whom was formerly the Principal at two other Gülen organization charter schools, the Sonoran Science Academy at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Arizona and the Bay Area Technology School in California.
Unfortunately, Nellis Air Force Base is not the Gülen organization’s first stab at a U.S. military base. The organization successfully opened a school on Davis-Monthan AFB in 2009, and it tried but failed to gain access to Marine Corps Base Hawaii and Naval Station Great Lakes in Illinois. In California, Magnolia Public Schools applied for a charter in Oceanside, where Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton is located, although it temporarily withdrew its application after our law firm pointed out Magnolia’s connection to the Gülen organization earlier this year.
The new film, KILLING ED, investigates the Gulen network, its financing, and its methods.
Sharon Higgins has been tracking the Gulen schools, and posts here a list of the many different names under which their schools operate.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
ISIS next, then.
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Tell all recent article from The Hill……
Charter schools vulnerable to controversial Turkish movement
By Joseph M. Humire
Since 2008, an unprecedented growth of charter schools spread throughout the country. With the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) enacted last year, this growth is expected to continue. Seen as a bipartisan success, unfortunately the ESSA has unintended consequences through the exploitation of the U.S. charter school system.
Charter schools are publicly funded, privately operated educational organizations that, at times, attract wealthy foreigners wishing to use taxpayer funds to promote an ideological cause. The largest chain of U.S. charter schools is suspected to be led by the leader of a movement facing terror charges in his home country of Turkey.
Living in self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania, with a net worth of around $25 billion, Turkish Islamic cleric Fethullah Gülen has catalyzed a global movement of charter schools from Africa to Latin America into the United States. Building private schools in over 180 countries around the world, the global Gülen movement has paved the way for the largest U.S. charter school network with more than 140 schools in some 26 states.
What lies underneath this charter-school network, however, is a possible undercurrent of white-collar crime and corruption. Known in Turkey as the Fethullahist Terrorist Organization or FETÖ this growing network is being investigated by the FBI for everything from fraud and malpractice, to misuse of public funds. One spokeswoman for the bureau said that an investigation is ongoing and FBI agents carried out raids at 19 Gülen-affiliated charter schools in Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio in 2014.
Receiving approximately $150 million a year in tax breaks and subsidies, government officials are increasingly concerned that taxpayer dollars are being used to fund a close-knit network of Turkish teachers and businesses using charter schools as a Trojan horse for embedding into the U.S. education system.
Largely designated as 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations, many of these charter schools use their charitable status to funnel foreign teachers from Turkey into the homeland. These teachers arrive with a special visa called H1B, which is intended to incentivize professionals from abroad with critical skills needed in our labor force. According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, Gülen affiliated schools are among the largest users of H1B visas. In 2009, for instance, Gülen affiliated charter schools received 684 H1B visas. By comparison, Google Inc. only received 440 that same year.
Suspicion of irregularities arose when a whistleblower from within the Gülen network testified before a Virginia school board that her husband would kickback 40 percent of his salary to the movement. This was followed by research revealing how “Turkish” language teachers is on the rise within U.S. charter schools since 2006 irrespective that no demand for the language exists.
Moreover, according to documents seized by the FBI during the 2014 raids, this surplus of Turkish teachers is complemented by preferential contracts awarded to Turkish-owned companies connected to the Gülen movement. The Gülen affiliated charter schools are suspected of using public grants given to them through the E-rate program by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to hire these companies violating competition rules stated in the grant.
For all these activities and more, the Gülen affiliated charter schools are raising red flags for U.S. authorities.
Diplomatic cables released by Wikileaks demonstrate a concern by U.S. officials that these Turkish teachers and businesses “might be using the reputation of the school as a cover to get to the U.S.” These cables state that the H1B visa applications were “not convincing” and that Gülen’s more moderate message “cloaks a more sinister and radical agenda.”
In Turkey, the Gülen movement set up a vast network of financial institutions, banks, businesses, media outlets and most importantly educational institutions. It is accused by the Turkish government of using this network to infiltrate state institutions in order to overthrow the government. To this day, the movement maintains an inordinate amount of influence in Turkey, particularly within its education system where 75 percent of prep school students are enrolled in Gülen-affiliated institutions.
Just as the Gülen movement has built its influence in Turkey, this same kind of web of money, power and influence are being built within the U.S. The worst part is it’s being funded by U.S. taxpayers. As law enforcement continues to unravel this web of corruption and white collar crime, it would prove productive for the U.S. Congress to provide oversight and support to this investigation. If for nothing else, so that the success and integrity of the Every Student Succeeds Act are not lost because of one bad actor.
Humire is the executive director of the DC-based, global think tank the Center for a Secure Free Society (SFS). Follow him on Twitter @jmhumire.
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Call me naïve, but I continue to be surprised that we are willing to ‘sell or buy’ any product, idea, shiny objects…even if it means national security, the welfare of children, saving a buck or poisoning Flint & other locations, and on it goes.
I keep hoping that we, as a Nation, will wake up and turn this ocean liner around. However, there are more examples of ‘Full Speed Ahead’.
Example: Trump/Cruz GOP!
Gülen schools should approach the President and ask if they could open a school on the Sidwell Friends campus. Not so strange, if the price is right.
I will continue to be naïve and surprised at humanities’ tendency to give up our children for just the right price. I keep hearing that we, the US, are BETTER THAN THAT.
Given the harm to our children, endless $$ & BILLIONAIRES, are we truly BETTER THAN THAT? Not convinced.
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At one time they were going to open up across the street from a beloved DC neighborhood elementary school. Don’t know what happened. I should probably follow-up.
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Someone is asleep at the switch. This would seem to be an issue of national security. Troubling and disturbing. We have one in MD that seemed to have slipped under the radar. Still haven’t heard back from anyone as to why it was approved. Someone call The Donald and shut it down.
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Asleep at the switch may be too kind. How about clueless, ignorant and bumbling?
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This would appear to be the end justifies the means situation. Problem being we don’t know what Gulens’ end game is. Are the schools merely a cash generating enterprise to aid the attempted overthrow of Erdogans regime in Turkey ? Is there an ulterior motive that would explain why so many young Turkish men replace American teachers in the Charters. They are not certified teachers by our standards. Educating American students does not appear to be the driving motive of the Charters.
Is laying the foundation for a western branch of the Caliphate the plan?
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Mark; The Gulenists with help from Congresswoman Shielia jackson Lee opened a Harmony School of Excellence just outside of Washington DC. I am sure state funds crossed over the state to help and finance this. I have spoke to 2 teachers (both American both Black men that were both let go so they could make room for ‘THEIR ” TEACHERS) Both men would be an asset and role model to the high African American population in DC neighborhoods. They were even trained in Texas at the Harmony Headquarters.
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I tossed it up on his FB (Trump) page with the word: HELP. Probably not a responsible thing to do – but hey. This needs to be shut-down. Will also email my reps in Congress. I suggest other do the same.
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Another good article raising concerns about Gulen.
http://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/education/272424-charter-schools-vulnerable-to-controversial-turkish-movement
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Outrageous! But aside from the endless Gulen scandals, here is the next important question: With imported Turkish Muslim teachers, just how “religious” are the Gulen charter schools? And isn’t it unconstitutional under both the federal and state constitutions to divert public funds to sectarian institutions? — Edd Doerr (arlinc.org)
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You would think that was the case. Also this might explain things. I had to go four pages in to find a MSM article from USA Today: http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2015/11/20/lawmakers-got-suspect-turkish-campaign-cash/75982732/
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Mark…the Atlantic article is from 2014. There are currently closer to 150 Gulen Charter Schools in the US and many more requested in school districts across the country. This, despite FBI investigations in their finances. I am beginning to wonder if these investigations are publicized only to placate and distract folks such as we on this site who ask questions, but never can get answers..
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Turkey’s President Erdogan, during his recent visit to the U.S., said that the ” Gulenist Terror Organization” (FETO) is plotting against his government by infiltrating the judiciary, the police, and state institutions through cheating in public exams.
He warned that United States tax dollars are being ‘laundered’ via Gulen Charters and poured into the coffers of FETO.
Gulen’s methods used here mirror those that Erdogan sees as terroristic in that Gulen works within the system in order to gain power.
Gulen has stated that he would work within the system until he had enough power to overthrow it. Have we , perhaps naively, assumed he was referring to control of Turkey?
It would be unwise, at best, to allow his organization to.expand by allowing access to additional US military installations.
Methods Gulen used in Hawaii several years ago should raise real concerns. They fortunately were caught in the outright blatant deception , and denied a Charter by the State Legislature.
Erdogan has issued a warning . It must not be ignored.
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Erdogan has problems at home one of which is this group, but this is a telling statement.
http://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2014/08/120-american-charter-schools-and-one-secretive-turkish-cleric/375923/
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Thank you Polly for doing your homework on how multi billions of American taxpayer dollars are being laundered through the Gulen Charter Schools and supporting businesses, and then being used to foment societal disruption and wars in Turkey with the goal of Fetullah Gulen and his huge worldwide movement to take over and institute a new Ottoman Empire based on Sharia Law, throughout the Middle East, Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas. Our officials have said this will be a peaceful movement run by a peaceful man.
I have been writing about this on this site for years, and our colleague Sharon Higgins, from whom we have all learned about the Gulen Movement, has testified before Congress and has been interviewed by 60 Minutes, and other news shows.
Yet our succeeding administrations starting with Bill Clinton (whose Global Foundation has donations from the worst radical Islamic despots), protect Fetullah Gulen, and indeed seems to collude with him in his many enterprises on American soil. They continue to help him import, on our tax money, male pseudo teachers on Green Cards from the Middle East, without oversight, many of whom have melted into the US cities doing whatever they want to do. Yet each president has deported Mexican and Latin American women and children fleeing from war and poverty.
To learn that they will now be on located on our highly guarded military bases in schools that are not focused on American education and interests, is schocking. The ‘deciders’ are giving away our country without voters permission it would seem.
Why does our government collude with Gulen and his followers? Why is he allowed to rake in billions of dollars from our taxpayers and shower influential legislators and shadowy figures like Sheldon Adelson with gifts of trips to Turkey? Why is Caprice Young in LA allowed to demand more Magnolia GULEN Charter Schools be opened without oversight (and our weak money-directed legislature is about to vote on a bill to that end)?
Why do We the People not get answers to these questions? Yet powerful Dems like Jackson-Lee can set her own agenda in this Imam’s defense? What the hell is this all about?
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Polly, the Gulenists were not caught or denied by the State Legislature of Hawaii. The Gulen lobbying arm of Pacifica Institute and West Turkic American Council (Osgur Yildiz) had wined and dined Hawaii state legislature, they even got a MOU passed declaring Turkey a partner with Hawaii and recognizing future “Partnerships” the bill was revised by several of my friends on the island, when the issue of violations of human rights was brought up. The real heros to exposing them in Hawaii (Mokapu AFB School) was the parents and staff and Mokapu elementary school. Their PTA was alerted and the parents, staff did their homework and basically stopped them. This compiled with the writing of Hawaii Free Press Andrew Walton – stopped this “conversion”. The original applicant was the Daisy Education foundation which is the CMO and layer over their Arizona schools- Sonoran Science Academy. Then they switched it to Pacifica Institute that openly declares on their website that they are inspired by Gulen. Pacifica was also applicant with the failed Washington State (under the Nevada name “Coral Academy of Science) More on Osgur Yildiz here http://www.magnoliascienceacademy.blogspot.com/2016/04/magnolia-science-academy-links-to-gulen.html
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Finally someone is writing about something important to all of us about Gulen in Az & U.S. I’ve been ranting & spitting into the wind about this.
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I have no love lost for Erdogan or Gulen, however you all must question why its the Turkish Government that is financing the investigation and numerous legal – financial issues of the Gulen movement Schools and organizations. Obviously American administration has been getting a lot of political donations from the Movement and don’t give a rat’s a** about the quality of education or who it is that is educating American children. What does that tell you?
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Gulen seems to know that if the “right” people get paid, they will gain access to opportunities to make money. The decision does not need to make sense.
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Thanks to Sharon Higgins for the list of Gulan schools by state and city and name. I looked up the only one on her list for Cincinnati, raided by the FBI several years ago, part of a larger investigation of cosy deals for tech services including other Gulan schools in Ohio. Of course the authorizer is off the hook because the charter laws have no teeth and the Department of Educaion in Ohio has not authority to act. I have found no local coverage since the investigation.
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The sad component to this is that Lomie Heard school at Nellis AFB will be demolished starting in June 2016. The gulen Movement has already started the building of Coral Academy of Science. Lomie Heard was a woman who dedicated over 30 years of her life to bringing education onto the Nellis AFB, she passed away in 2009 at 103 years old a Great American Educator…after June 2016 will be lost forever in the history of education in Nevada. Where are all the past alumni of Lomie Heard School? They need to step up and start a fund for a memorial on the AFB for her. Coral Academy of Science being built is part of a larger narrative of politics, manipulations and bribes by the Gulen Movement 1) Gulen Lobbying arms have wined and dined everyone from Congressman Harry Reid to state Governor Eric Sandoval who recently appointed the new State Superintendent of Schools (a past Charter School Association advocate and graduate of University of Reno – which the Gulenists have infiltrated as graduate students and teachers/professors) The CCSD washed their hands of it, it’s unclear what person on the base was pushing for the school to be a charter school instead of connected to CCSD. But it is suspect. In comes Coral Academy of Science who bids on this and is accepted (was their competition) and tells the base “we will build this school for free”. None of the existing teachers at Lomie Heard have applied at Coral, they were promised employment within the school district by CCSD. We may not stop them from building the school but we can surely raise a stink in the community so they have a low piss poor enrollment. The saddest is the memory of a Great American Teacher Lomie Heard being lost forever because of those creeps.
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That explains a lot. Still this is troubling and I’ll write my reps in Congress. Where are the extremists and tea-partiers when you need them?
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Laura;
they are hoping that after 2 years of the June 2014 FBI raid in conjunction with FCC, DOE that Americans will forget all about it. That is why you Americans must ban together, protest have town hall meetings, show up to school board meetings and remind these American officials they work for YOU not the Gulen Movement. Hold them accountable and make a lot of noise. Remember they need student enrollment, if you expose their lawsuits, financial self-dealings and FBI raid people may not want to enroll their kids. You have to fight the Gulenists slick marketing and show the facts. No enrollment means less money.
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Gulen has donated over $20 million to Hillary. I have the link if needed.
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Please send link. Thanks , Polly
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Here is the actually list of names that donated to Hilary and Bill Clinton as well as super pacs. you will note that anyone donating over $100.00 has to include their occupation and employer. Many are attached to Gulenist operated charter schools and or services that work under contractual bids for the schools like janitorial, IT, catering, etc., http://www.slideshare.net/GulenCemaat/gulen-movement-clinton-campagn-donors
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This is an important report that I just received. 90 pages of factual information.
http://Www.centerforsecuritypolicy.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/gulen.finalpdf
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The Url generated a 404. Sorry.
Suggest going to.
http://Www.centerforsecuritypolicy.org
At right of home page the book is pictured in red. Title….Gulen and The Gulenist Movement.
Authors…Christopher Holton and Claire Lopez
Paperback or kindle editions. PDF was also available.
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