GULEN SCHOOL ALERT ~ A HEARING IS SCHEDULED TODAY FOR CHARTER SCHOOL SB2

Charter school bill (SB 2) should be reviewed. The Cosmos Foundation run by  a Turkish man named Fethullah Gulen is running 38 charter schools in Texas which sell themselves as Math and Science centers but in fact teach turkish ways and culture and are numbing Americans to the islamic threat we face inside our country.

 

A Public Hearing in the Education Committee on SB 2 (Senator Dan Patrick) concerning Charter Schools is pending and will probably be held Today. It would create an appointed “Authorizing Authority” taking that responsibility from the elected State Board of Education. The committee members are:

Chair: Sen. Dan Patrick   512) 463-0107
Vice Chair: Sen. Eddie Lucio, Jr.  (512) 463-0127
Members: Sen. Donna Campbell  512) 463-0125
Sen. Robert Duncan  (512) 463-0128
Sen. Kel Seliger  (512) 463-0131
Sen. Larry Taylor  (512) 463-0111
Sen. Leticia Van de Putte  (512) 463-0126
Sen. Royce West  (512) 463-0123

Ask Education Committee members to add amendments to the bill to:

#1 require charter school owners to be American citizens.

#2 require charter school checkbooks to be online for taxpayer review. This would reveal how much money goes to Turkish educators and elsewhere.

Photo By New YorK Times Click Photo to linked article.

Photo By New YorK Times Click Photo to linked article. 

Because we are taking on the public schools parents are looking for other avenues to educate their children. Many who can’t afford private schools (even though private schools use CommonCore and CSCOPE) run to charter schools. Who by the way target the lower income hispanic and black community.

By promoting Charter School legislation some elected officials see a way to get votes and stay in their positions of power. Which gives them the opportunity to move to higher office. In addition it opens the door to raise huge campaign donations from charter school lobbies such as the Cosmos Foundation/Harmony/Gulen Science Centers who are giving free all expense paid trips to legislators in Texas and across the country and whose consultant was former executive director of the Republican Party and trusted advisor to President George W. Bush, Karen Hughes Hughes. 

 

Just to be clear, I am not against all Charter Schools. Although I firmly believe we must hold elected officials accountable for the legislation they put forward which may pose a National Security threat to our nation.

If you are reading this an asking what are the Harmony Charter Schools? Below is a great video by Frank Gaffney founder of the (Center for Security Policy) as he works within his own community to stop the Gulen movment in Loudoun Virginia. Harmony is the name for the Gulen/Cosmos Foundation schools in Texas. In other states they go by different names. “

 

List of Gulen Charter Schools in the United States

 

An example of what results is Texas Senate Bill 2 currently working its way through the Texas Legislature.  Some of the heroes on exposing CSCOPE are now pushing a bill that completely opens the door for the Gulen Charter Schools to come into Texas in mass numbers.

Below is a breakdown of Senate Bill 2.

 

Senate bill 2 is a comprehensive overhaul of the laws that govern charter schools.  Changes are made on the authorizing, governing, and establishing of charter schools in Texas.

Looking at the bill, there were a lot of areas of concern, given the recent experience on CScope in Texas.

 

  • The current laws cap the number of charter schools in Texas at 215.  The cap is entirely removed.

 

  • A new governing board of 7 appointees will be the only oversight of these schools.  The State Board of Education will have no authority to grant or revoke charter school privileges in this state.  This puts us back in the position of non-elected officials in charge of the education.

 

  • If there are any vacant or underutilized facilities in a school district, the ISD “shall” lease that taxpayer funded facility to any approved charter school that wants it.  Note the word in the bill is shall (a mandate) rather than the word “may” (which is a choice).

 

  • First time charter schools will be granted a license to operate for a term of 5 years.  It will automatically renew at that point for 20 years.  Most of the Harmony/ Gulen charter schools (currently under question) will fall in the 20 year category.

 

  • The TEA will be required to post all vacant or underutilized facilities for all to see.  For organized charter efforts underway, it will be easy to snap up these facilities all over the state.

 

  • No new charter will have to pay rent or purchase the facility.  They pay $1.

 

  • The license of a charter school can be revoked by the newly formed commission only under the following circumstance:

      a.  The school performs badly in 3 out of 5 years
b.  The school is not fiscally satisfactory on multiple reviews

Questions to ask…..

1. Why are non- elected officials being put in charge without public accountability?
2.  Why a 20 year renewal?
3.  Shouldn’t we worry about enormous expansion of schools of any type without input?
4.  What if the curriculum is found to be offensive?
5.  Why is our state funding for-profit enterprises?

 

Connecting the Dots… Common Core Curriculum ~ CSCOPE and the Gulen/Charter Public Schools

Below is a series of short videos that will explain what the Common Core Curriculum is, who owns it and the threat it is to the United States. Notice Common Core is referenced in Michelle Malkin’s lastest  article which I highly recommend that you take the time to read. Rotten to the Core, Part III: Lessons from Texas and the Growing Grassroots Revolt

You have to also understand the connection between Common Core and the Texas CSCOPE online technology curriculum that is getting national attention. In the video linked above Jane Robins with the American Principles Project explains who Linda Darling Hammond is. 

One of the key influencers on the developers of Common Core is Linda Darling Hammond.

The developers of CSCOPE  reference Linda Darling Hammond as professional developer in their materials.

 Below will explain why the Common Core/CSCOPE opens the door for the Gulen Charter School and brings forward a major National Security Threat. 

Photo By New YorK Times Click Photo to linked article.

Because we are taking on the public schools parents are looking for other avenues to educate their children. Many who can’t afford private schools (even though private schools use CommonCore and CSCOPE) run to charter schools. Who by the way target the lower income hispanic and black community.

By promoting Charter School legislation some elected officials see a way to get votes and stay in their positions of power. Which gives them the opportunity to move to higher office. In addition it opens the door to raise huge campaign donations from charter school lobbies such as the Cosmos Foundation/Harmony/Gulen Science Centers who are giving free all expense paid trips to legislators in Texas and across the country and whose consultant was former executive director of the Republican Party and trusted advisor to President George W. Bush, Karen Hughes Hughes. 

 Just to be clear, I am not against all Charter Schools. I firmly believe we must put in safe guards first before passing comprehensive Charter School legislation and hold elected officials accountable for the legislation they put forward which may pose a true National Security threat to our nation.

If you are reading this and asking what are the Harmony Charter Schools? Below is a great video by Frank Gaffney founder of the (Center for Security Policy) as he works within his own community to stop the Gulen movment in Loudoun Virginia. Harmony is the name for the Gulen/Cosmos Foundation schools in Texas. In other states they go by different names. “

 

List of Gulen Charter Schools in the United States

An example of what results is Texas Senate Bill 2 currently working its way through the Texas Legislature.  Some of the heroes on exposing CSCOPE are now pushing a bill that completely opens the door for the Gulen Charter Schools to come into Texas in mass numbers.

Below is a breakdown of  Texas Senate Bill 2. 

 

Senate bill 2 is a comprehensive overhaul of the laws that govern charter schools.  Changes are made on the authorizing, governing, and establishing of charter schools in Texas.

Looking at the bill, there were a lot of areas of concern, given the recent experience with CScope in Texas.

  • The current laws cap the number of charter schools in Texas at 215.  The cap is entirely removed.
  • A new governing board of 7 appointees will be the only oversight of these schools.  The State Board of Education will have no authority to grant or revoke charter school privileges in this state.  This puts us back in the position of non-elected officials in charge of the education.
  • If there are any vacant or underutilized facilities in a school district, the ISD “shall” lease that taxpayer funded facility to any approved charter school that wants it.  Note the word in the bill is shall (a mandate) rather than the word “may” (which is a choice).
  • First time charter schools will be granted a license to operate for a term of 5 years.  It will automatically renew at that point for 20 years.  Most of the Harmony/ Gulen charter schools (currently under question) will fall in the 20 year category.
  • The TEA will be required to post all vacant or underutilized facilities for all to see.  For organized charter efforts underway, it will be easy to snap up these facilities all over the state.
  • No new charter will have to pay rent or purchase the facility.  They pay $1.
  • The license of a charter school can be revoked by the newly formed commission only under the following circumstance:

      a.  The school performs badly in 3 out of 5 years
b.  The school is not fiscally satisfactory on multiple reviews

 

Questions to ask…..

1. Why are non- elected officials being put in charge without public accountability?
2.  Why a 20 year renewal?
3.  Shouldn’t we worry about enormous expansion of schools of any type without input?
4.  What if the curriculum is found to be offensive?
5.  Why is our state funding for-profit enterprises?

Women On the Wall will be taking on this issue and sharing information and updates on our weekly radio show on Monday mornings at 10 am CST. You will not want to miss this show. We will have up to date information on CSCOPE  and guests who are the experts on education and other issues that are effecting our children and grandchildren.

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Knowledge is Power and together we can make the difference!!

FBI Investigates Islamist Charter School Network

FBI Investigates Islamist Charter School Network

By Arnold Ahlert

If one believes that the battle for the nation’s soul is occurring, not just in Washington, D.C., but in schools across the nation, the steady advance of Turkish-Gulen Charter Schools may be cause for alarm.

Fethullah Gulen on 60 Minutes

Fethullah Gulen is a Turkish Islamic cleric who fled his native country in 1998, after being charged with seeking to overthrow the secular Turkish government. He currently lives in exile at a 28-acre mountain complex in the Pocono Mountains, with more than $25 billion of assets at his command.

The 135 charter schools associated with the Gulen Movement (GM) enroll more than 45,000 students and comprise the largest charter school network in the United States — all of which are fully funded by American taxpayers. Fethullah Gulen has been under investigation by the government since 2011.

That investigation, carried out by FBI and the Departments of Labor and Education, is centered around charter school employees who are allegedly engaged in kicking back part of their salaries to the Muslim movement (known as Hizmet, service to others), founded by Gulen.

Gulen initiated his movement in Izmir, a city on Turkey’s Aegean coast, more than 40 years ago, preaching impassioned sermons to his followers, who may now number as many as six million. In Turkey, the Gulen Movement has been accused of pushing for a hardline Islamic state.

Yet, despite this reality, government officials investigating the kickback scheme are apparently satisfied that there is no religious agenda being disseminated in America. Their investigation is centered around the hundreds of Turkish teachers, administrators and other staffers employed under the H1B visa program, who may or may not be misusing taxpayer money.

This would appear to be a stunningly naive approach to the issue. H1B visas allow U.S. employers to hire foreign workers in specialty occupations on a temporary basis. “Specialty occupations” are defined as “requiring theoretical and practical application of a body of highly specialized knowledge in a field of human endeavor.”

Click Photo for more information from Texas

Gulen schools are among the nation’s largest users of the H1B visas. In 2009, they received government approvals for 684 visas. The Harmony School, a Gulen-related institution, has applied for more H1B visas than any educational institution in the country.

GM officials at some of the charter schools that ostensibly specialize in math and science, claim they need to fill teaching spots with Turkish teachers. At the Young Scholars of Central Pennsylvania Charter School in State College, Ruth Hocker, former president of the parents’ group, grew suspicious when certified American teachers began to be replaced by uncertified Turks with limited English-speaking skills who, despite that limitation, commanded higher salaries.

Parents pointed out that these uncertified teachers were moved from one charter to another when their “emergency” credentials expired. They also spoke about a pattern of sudden turnovers of Turkish business managers, administrators and board members.

Similar complaints arose in Texas, where it was revealed that hundreds of Turkish teachers and administrators were also working with H1B visas. In addition, the Harmony School group was using taxpayer money to fund Gulen’s movement via school construction and renovation projects.

Despite assertions that the bidding process on those projects was fair, records showed that virtually all of the work has been done by Turkish-owned contractors, according to the New York Times.

A former teacher from Turkey reportedly told the FBI that the Gulen Movement had divided the United States into five regions, with a general manager in each who coordinates the activities of the schools, and related foundations and cultural centers.

All of the above raises the obvious question: If these schools are traditional American charter schools that do nothing more than “follow the state curriculum,” as Tansu Cidav, the acting CEO of the Truebright Science Academy in North Philadelphia contends, why is it necessary to hire foreign teachers and coordinate activities nationwide?

A federal document released in 2011 may provide the answer. It posits that Gulen’s charter schools may in fact be madrassahs, where students are “brain-washed” to serve as proponents of the New Islamic World Order Gulen purportedly seeks to create.

The American Thinker’s Janet Levy takes it one step further. After noting that Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan belongs to the AKP political party founded by Gulen upon his arrival in Pennsylvania, she points out that, “Turkey is reverting to its historical Ottoman Empire-inspired Islamic fundamentalism,” even as “it is pursuing a stealth or cultural jihad against the West, in large part through the efforts of Fethullah Gülen, a Turkish Islamic theologian.”

See RadicalIslam.org’s related article Turkey Courting Native Americans in Trojan Horse Bid

In a 1999 video, Gulen himself spoke of a surreptitious plan for taking over the Turkish government: “You must move in the arteries of the system without anyone noticing your existence until you reach all the power centers … until the conditions are ripe … The time is not yet right. You must wait for the time when you are complete and conditions are ripe, until we can shoulder the entire world and carry it[.]”

The movement is well on its way towards achieving that aim. GM is now active in 140 countries. Aside from its charter school empire, other interests include boarding schools, universities, banks, media companies, newspapers, charities and think tanks.

In a 60 Minutes report, Leslie Stahl was forced to acknowledge that while Gulen “invites conspiracy theories that he’s running Turkey from the Poconos and is bent on global Muslim domination,” his movement “does lack transparency — its funding, hierarchy, and ambitions remain hidden–leading our State Department to wonder in cables between Ankara and Washington if Gulen has an ‘insidious political agenda.’ ”

This is not the first investigation conducted of Gulen’s empire. In 2008, members of the Netherlands’ Christian Democrat, Labor and Conservative parties agreed to cut several million euros in government funding for organizations affiliated with Gulen. An investigation ensued when Erik Jan Zürcher, director of the Amsterdam-based International Institute for Social History, along with five former followers who had worked for Gulen, told Dutch television that the Gulen community was moving step-by-step to topple the secular order.

In Pennsylvania, neighbors of Gulen’s fortress complain of hearing automatic gunfire and the drone of a surveillance helicopter that constantly searches for intruders. One hundred Turkish guards stand watch over the property as well. If this man and his movement–which continues to expand–have nothing to hide, they have a remarkable way of showing it.

As a Turkish observer speaking to the New Republic noted, “No society would tolerate this big of an organization being this untransparent.”

The FBI’s new investigation against Gulen’s organization brings us one step closer to exposing what goes on behind the closed doors of Gulen’s empire.

Arnold Ahlert is a former NY Post op-ed columnist.

This article appeared originally on FrontPageMag.com