Fethullah Gulen, the "Turkish Khomeini," is one of the world's most accomplished stealth jihadists. Details here. "Hidden Agenda? Parents raise concerns that a Tucson charter school has ties to a Turkish nationalist movement," by Tim Vanderpool for the Tucson Weekly, December 31, 2009 (thanks to Bill):
No one can knock the numbers. In recent years, students at Tucson's Sonoran Science Academy have secured stellar scores in math, science and other categories. The academy has earned glowing mentions in national magazines such as U.S. News and World Report, and in 2009, was deemed Charter School of the Year by the Arizona Charter School Association.But some parents of children who attend the academy on West Sunset Road believe it harbors goals reaching far beyond academia. They suspect the Sonoran Academy of being part of a confederation of learning institutions secretly linked to, and advancing, the cause of Turkish scholar and Islamic preacher Fethullah Gülen.
While most of those parents have resisted coming forward, fearing reprisal from an organization they say is known to target critics, one parent did agree to speak to the Weekly if we pledged to keep her identity hidden. The parent says she represents others at the academy who've become suspicious about the striking similarities of its educational programs to those of other schools around the United States which are operated by Turkish-born staff members.
She says teachers and administers freely circulate among these schools. At the same time, says the parent, the Sonoran Academy seems constantly to be bringing Turkish educators into the United States, and subjecting students to substitute teachers while the teachers await work visas.
According to this parent, all of these ties may lead covertly back to the Gülen movement, named for the scholar, who founded a network of schools around the world and now lives in exile in Pennsylvania. She says several Sonoran Academy parents believe the school has a hidden agenda to promote Gülen's brand of Turkish nationalism, advance sympathy for that country's political goals such as winning acceptance into the European Union, and discourage official acknowledgement of Turkey's genocide against the Armenians during World War I.
"We found one document, in Turkish, that talks about the purpose of these charter schools," says the parent. "They refer to them very explicitly as schools (belonging) to their movement. They're calculating, and they say if they can have something like 600 schools, then every year, they can produce 120,000 sympathizers for Turkey.
"I sent my kids to this school because I wanted them to meet regular Muslims and to see them as ordinary people," she says. "But when I find that my kids are to be turned into genocide-deniers, that's very disturbing to me."
Fatih Karatas is principal of the academy's middle school. He calls such claims ridiculous.
"We don't have any kind of connections or any kind of relations with that movement or group. A public school can not be affiliated in any way with other institutions or groups because of the regulations, because of the charters."
He also says his school has a diverse staff, native to countries ranging from Turkey to Mexico, which he considers a benefit. "But we're not promoting a certain ideology. ... These are defamatory allegations that are not based on any proof or evidence."
Still, the Sonoran Academy isn't the first Turkish-American-run charter school in United States to be accused of links to Gülen. Parents at the Beehive Science and Technology Academy in Holladay, Utah, have also raised concerns that their school is linked to this movement. And according The Salt Lake Tribune, one Beehive teacher was fired when his lesson plan about World War II and the Holocaust prompted a discussion in which the school's principal purportedly questioned that genocide. [...]
However, Karatas suggests those who make such claims are flirting with trouble.
"I'm hoping that they know that these are defamatory allegations which may put them in trouble later on. These are excelling schools. ... I hope they are aware of what they're doing."
Fethullah Gulen had troubles with previous secular goverment before Erdogan. He could be imprisoned by new laws so he escaped to United States. Now Erdogan likes him because his supporters vote for him. But military strongly opposes Gulen so he can't bring him back to Turkey.
Actually he's not a terrorist. He has good relations with Christians, Jews and Asians. But he supports veiling of women (most sensitive issue), that's why military (and me) doesn't like him.
An accomplished stealth jihadist he may be, but as the Koran repeatedly states, the signs are there for those who would see or hear.
For example, Gulen on emigation:
"Emigration in the way of truth and for its sake is so sanctified that the community of holy ones around the Last Prophet, who sacrificed their possessions and souls for the sake of the cause they believed in, and of the matchless representative of that cause, were praised by God as (and have since been called) 'the Emigrants'. We can see its importance in the fact that the beginning of the sacred era of this holy community was marked, not by the birth of the Prophet or by the first revelation or such victories as Badr or the conquest of Makka, but by the emigration to Madina.
Every individual who has emigrated for the sake of a sublime ideal will always deeply feel the pressure of the ideal which urged him to emigrate and design his life according to that ideal. Secondly, he will be freed from the criticism regarding some faults he might have made in childhood or youth. Whereas, in his own land, he is probably remembered and criticized for past faults, and has little influence upon people because, besides the factors mentioned, he is already familiar to them; in the land he has emigrated to, he will be known for his spiritual brilliance, unadulterated ideas, pure intentions and extraordinary sacrifices. For these and other reasons, it has almost always been emigrants who changed the flow of history and started new eras in the life of humanity.
Toynbee, the renowned British historian, mentions twentyseven civilizations founded by nomadic or migrant peoples. This is because no one can overcome such dynamic people. They are not habituated to ease and comfort, are ready to sacrifice everything worldly, used to every kind of hardships, and always ready to march wherever their cause requires them to go.
The 'holy ones' around the Last Prophet, who were elevated from the darkness of ignorance and savagery to become the founders of the most brilliant civilization in human history and the first teachers of a universal religion, which is still the hope of mankind for a happy future, set the best example in this matter for those coming after them. Those who later walked in their footsteps found ease and serenity in fighting with difficulties, and found vigour and life in despising death and everything worldly, and eternity in constant renewal in thought, spirit and action. They migrated from land to land to convey knowledge, morality and civilization everywhere that they settled.
It is incumbent upon us to save the young generation from indulgence and attachment to the comfort of life, and in doing so to equip them with lofty ideals so that they know how to suffer with the pains and sorrows of mankind. It is only when this is accomplished to a significant degree that our old world will be able to witness an overall felicity."
http://www.fethullahgulen.org/towards-the-lost-paradise/577-sacred-emigration.html
Easy to find. Not hard to understand. What I can not find are his sources of finance. It surely must not be through the sale of his books. Like those of his mentor Bediuzzaman Said Nursi, they are among the most boring, vague, repetitive and trite attempts at moral uplift it is possible to come across.
So, follow the money. Anyone?
The comments on the news article are very interesting; it looks like this school deserves the same scrutiny the TIZA Academy is getting, but for a completely different reason. They are not teaching Islam outright, but are using discipline methods and sweeping sexual improprieties under the rug in a most Islamic way. I also wonder why they are importing teachers when there's an excess of qualified citizen teachers here in the US.
Robert and Hugh have run pieces on Fethullah Gülen and his network of schools in the past but it's good to be reminded again that this shadowy figure exists and is playing a role in promoting stealth jihad in the West. For background it's worth first reading the entry on him in Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fethullah_Gulen , especially taking note that his father was an imam, and that he has only five years of formal schooling and appears to have dabbled in preaching, giving his first sermon at age 14. For a deeper piece analyzing the Gülen movement and its significance in the larger world an excellent and highly recommended piece is in the Middle East Quarterly at http://www.meforum.org/2045/fethullah-gulens-grand-ambition .
Some revealing comments he has made:
"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, they [the followers] must continue like this. If they do something prematurely, the world will crush our heads, and Muslims will suffer everywhere, like in the tragedies in Algeria, like in 1982 [in] Syria … like in the yearly disasters and tragedies in Egypt. 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 … You must wait until such time as you have gotten all the state power, until you have brought to your side all the power of the constitutional institutions in Turkey … Until that time, any step taken would be too early—like breaking an egg without waiting the full forty days for it to hatch. It would be like killing the chick inside. The work to be done is [in] confronting the world. Now, I have expressed my feelings and thoughts to you all—in confidence … trusting your loyalty and secrecy. I know that when you leave here—[just] as you discard your empty juice boxes, you must discard the thoughts and the feelings that I expressed here."
and
"The philosophy of our service is that we open a house somewhere and, with the patience of a spider, we lay our web to wait for people to get caught in the web; and we teach those who do. We don't lay the web to eat or consume them but to show them the way to their resurrection [into Islam], to blow life into their dead bodies and souls, to give them a life."
As for his source of support, in the Same MEQ article it states "The [U.S.] Department of Homeland Security characterized Gülen as ...'the leader of a large and influential religious and political movement with immense commercial holdings'." What the commercial holds are isn't stated.
the turks have been dyning the ww1 Armenian genocidal actions since they happened so is it surprising that these muslims would also deny the ww2 Holocaust of th jews since i believe the muslim ss brigade was involved in rounding up some of the jews that went to the death camp and (sic) we cant have schools teaching the truth when it would make some muslims look bad can we??(sac off)
We get upset when a Somali illegal migrant tries to kill a cartoonist. We get upset when a Mohammedan rapes an infidel woman and refuse to call it rape jihad. But this here is infiltration on a grand scale.
This is, in fact the real story.
Churning out 120 000 jihadists per annum in the US of A is no small fry. This is the real thing:
"They're calculating, and they say if they can have something like 600 schools, then every year, they can produce 120,000 sympathizers for Turkey."
Not for Turkey. For Islam.
Addendum to my comment on Fethullah Gülen - although there is a lot of material on the web about the Gülen movement, quite a bit of it of an admiring quality by the same Westerners we have learned don't have a clue about Islam, one of the best and most clear eyed analyses of it in terms that will be immediately recognized by JW readers is by a sometimes commenter here. Check out http://sheikyermami.com/2009/04/13/the-fethullah-gulen-movement-infiltration-on-a-grand-scale/ . Highly recommended. The other stories on the site for that day are also worth reading.
Like I said (see comment immediately above). Good stuff Sheik.
Maybe OT, but I have a question for Sheik, or perhaps Robert or Hugh or anyone else who might be familiar with the religious landscape in Turkey. In the MEQ article it states that no high position in Turkey is given to anyone who isn't a Muslim. I have a long-time friend and colleague from Stanford who was just appointed president of a university in Turkey (where he was born and received his primary/seconday education, but came to the U.S. for grad school in the late 70s and moved up to the Stanford faculty). His children's names are Ali and Aisha. We've never talked about religion, but I have always assumed that he is Shia Muslim (although somewhat nonobservant because of the wine he serves in his home) on account of his children's names, but don't know what flavor, e.g., Imami (Twelver), or Ismaili (Sevener), or Zaidiyyah (Fiver), or perhaps Alevi/Bektashi, or whether he might perhaps have been a product of Gülen. I know the details I've provided above are kinda sparse, but is there any direction I should try looking in to find out this information?
More generally, how would one go about finding out the religious affiliation of someone, not necessarily just in the the U.S., but anywhere? I'd like to think that in this Internet age it ought to be possible to ferret out this information, at least in wired countries, with a bit of judicious online sleuthing (and in the U.S. there is a huge amount of information available in online public records, e.g., divorces, arrests, property ownership and assessed values, etc., - but not religious affiliations. In fact, this information is considered to be "irrelevant" in today's PC climate and not appropriate to be part of a public document - unlike Muslim countries). Ideas anyone?
"I sent my kids to this school because I wanted them to meet regular Muslims and to see them as ordinary people," she says.
Picking your children's school for this purpose is ludicrous. There are plenty of other ways to accomplish that purpose without subjecting children to full time indoctrination, subliminal or not.
Anything other than a "traditional Values" type school always seems to go down this road. By traditional I mean readin, ritin, rithmatec and history taught corectly with acknowledgement of traditional American values. That doesn't mean we can't have a special emphasis on things such as math and science. However young minds are to easily pursuaded for us to i just ignore whats going on based on s0-called academic performance.
"I sent my kids to this school because I wanted them to meet regular Muslims and to see them as ordinary people," she says. "But when I find that my kids are to be turned into genocide-deniers, that's very disturbing to me."
You did, honey, you did....
"I sent my kids to this school because I wanted them to meet regular Muslims and to see them as ordinary people," she says.
you must really hate yourself to send your kids to a school such as this one. what is wrong with sending your kids to a regular school where they are taught to read,write and do math, along with other main subjects, ie sciences, etc.
"I sent my kids to this school because I wanted them to meet regular Muslims and to see them as ordinary people," she says. "But when I find that my kids are to be turned into genocide-deniers, that's very disturbing to me."
You did, honey, you did....
From The Text Of Article:
I'm hoping that they know that these are defamatory allegations which may put them in trouble later on. These are excelling schools. ... I hope they are aware of what they're doing."
Ahh the ever present threat. So predictable
Eastview, have you ever just asked outright, or had a philosophical conversation with your friend, leading to your sussing out his opinions? Does the depth of your friendship allow a question along the lines of 'what are your thoughts on Gulen'? Just a suggestion; I have a tenancy towards bluntness. ; )
Normally I, too, can be blunt in asking direct questions if warranted. However, in my professional circle the three cardinal rules of civilized discourse in polite company are scrupulously observed: No discussion of religion, no discussion of politics, and no discussion of sex - or gossiping about any of these topics in relation to third parties. There are professional penalties for violating these rules, so I'll have to find another way. The reason I'm curious about this is that in his new position he is likely to be involved in political matters involving the U.S. and Turkey, and I would like to be on the lookout for any signs that religion may be exerting any influence on his actions.
Re: Sonoran Science Academy
Dear Mr. *******
As you are aware, this firm represents Daisy Education Corporation dba
Sonoran Science Academy (“SSA”). SSA has been aware for several months
that you are posting defamatory, insulting and inflammatory comments
about SSA on craigslist. These posts are resulting in a significant
disruption of the SSA community. Furthermore SSA may be suffering
potential financial damages as a result of the false statements you are
circulating in the online community.
SSA responded numerous times to your complaints and concerns, responded
to the Arizona State Board of Charter Schools and has allowed you to
continue making defamatory comments on the internet for several months.
Now it must stop.
If you do not immediately cease posting SSA will pursue litigation against you, including an injunction to prohibit further publication of defamatory statements and a lawsuit for damages. SSA has been tracking and collecting evidence of your defamatory
statements. Including copies of your posts on craigslist and will
utilize this evidence in a lawsuit against you if necessary.
Very Truly Yours,
Heather K. Gaines
Dear Ms. Gaines,
Thank you for your letter dated June 29. I have reviewed it and would
make these points.
1. The “slap suit” is not a new idea but seems like a radical step for
a charter school. That school to sue a parent who had a poor experience
at Sonoran Science would appear to have a chilling effect on the
aforementioned school’s ability to attract new students. Is it truly in
the best interest of your client to have such a reputation?
2. For a school filing a slap suit on a working-class single dad would
be such a novelty that it would risk lending media credibility and a
much larger platform for me to make my case. That charges would be
hashed and rehashed and whatever harm done on Craig’s List would be
magnified. And, as you are aware, gaining prior restraint against the
media is an extremely high bar.
3. I sold plasma to buy my daughter lunch and Sonoran Science staff
threw it away, refusing to give it to her. That’s pretty compelling.
4. Should you pursue legal action, your firm would make money off
billable hours but every dime spent on pursuing a father struggling
through the current economic challenges is a dime not spent teaching
children. Is this the proper role of state and donation money that is
supposed to be spent on children?
5. How much are you willing to turn over during discovery? You are
claiming that I am wrong in my assertions against Sonoran Science. I
would then have the right to prove I’m not wrong. I’m not a lawyer
(public school advocates may take an interest but let’s assume they
don’t) and you can beat me back. But that’s more scut work for you,
more money coming out of class rooms and more risk of media attention.
6. All I want is an apology for:
a) Not informing me of an
investigation concerning my daughter’s accusation that a teacher had
acted sexually inappropriately toward her;
b) Forcing me no end of
headache when both myself and doctors repeatedly provided records of
immunization records Sonoran Science never seemed to get as they
threatened to keep my daughter from class. Felt like harassment; and
c) Throwing away a sandwich I bought with, literally, blood money.
D) When informing the principal of the school he ignored my concerns and
threatened me with a lawsuit. An apology, one for me and one to my
daughter.
I find it bizarre that you would threaten me with legal action for
criticizing a public institution on a Web Site not typically covered by
libel rules. I currently earn $12 an hour. I rent. I even rent my
furniture. I have a car payment. I am a student. I send money to my
ex-wife for my daughter. How much cash do you think you can get from
me? Moreover, how many parents will send their children to a school
that sues unhappy “customers”? They are a business.
Food for thought.
Regards,
I immediatly took that that and responce and reposted online. I hope they liked my answer. The teacher in question is American. Although still teaching. They refuse to hold themselves and the staff accountable for any wrong doings.
I do not know the Gulen Poster but I did have children at Sonoran Science Academy and I have done quite a bit of research on the Gulen Movement. What the Gulen poster says appears true. I read comments the Gulen Poster made last summer (thank you Gulen poster) and started doing research.
Many parents are upset about this connection and how the school has not disclosed any of their ties to this organization. Gulen's website infers these schools operate under his direction. There appears an overwhelming amount of evidence they are connected. People I know that have been with the school for years say the teachers and administrators travel between schools freely.
The current principal of SSA is from one of the schools in California. The principal of the Broadway school went to work at another school in the network this year. When the principal of the Salt Lake City School, Beehive was transfered a teacher who parents tell me used to work at SSA and then went to a school in california went to work for "free" in Utah. He's presently there as the principal not taking any pay. Who works for no pay? I don't know anyone who is a principal who would leave a paying job and go to work for free. There are special interests at work here.
Don't let "them" tell you they aren't connected. They are. Many parents have stayed quite while doing their research. Some teachers have known about this connection and are scared to say anything. People all over the country are researching the connections between these schools and the non-profits associated with them.
If there was nothing going on why would the principal of SSA end the article in the Tucson Weekly with at threat? Doesn't make sense. The administrators and board members are exclusively men, Turkish men. I believe these schools are forwarding an agenda.I don't agree with everything the Gulen poster says....but he is responsible for getting the word out. Prior to this summer none of us had heard the word Gulen.
My kids are in a regular public school and doing exceptionally well. They did well at SSA too but I don't want to participate in anything like this in any way. Thank you Gulen Poster.
This is from the Gulen website. Now read this all carefully!!!!
"In terms of formal organization, all facilities set up by Gülen's followers are independent units and promote themselves as such. Yet they are joined in an "educational network of virtue", as all the leading figures were socialized within the cemaat, participate in the cemaat's life and are connected to each other through the close interpersonal links of the cemaat."
"In the field of education, this part of the identity is however not stressed and teachers from outside the cemaat work at these schools as well. They may be non-Muslims and in many cases the pupils have never heard of Fethullah Gülen. In this sense, the schools may not be considered as Gülen-cemaat schools. But this assumption would deny the fact that without Gülen and the people of the cemaat, who view their work as a religious service, these schools would not exist."
-Discursive and Organizational Strategies of the Gülen Movement, Bekim Agai, 12 November 2005
http://www.fethullahgulen.org/conference-p…
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Posted by student 23
wow, this is ridiculous. i've been a student at SSA for a long time and i have never even heard of this gulen guy until i read this article. in fact, i hardly know anything about turkey even after being there for such a long time. i never felt like any peculiar ideals were placed upon me. i have not even heard of a teacher even alluding to the genocide. if there was really a "hidden agenda," then i'm pretty sure i'd be exposed to some of their ideas after being here for 4 and 1/2 years.
Posted by student23 on January 5, 2010 at 7:14 PM | Report this comment
This is plain and simple Bull, i'm sorry. I attend Sonoran Science Academy AT the Sunset Campus. There is no conspiracy or anything going on. No Substitutes because there are teachers awaiting visas. We have 7 Turkish teachers, 2 Hispanic, and the rest white! There are only 18 teachers at the school anyways! This an extremely biased and fictitious article. I had never ever HEARD the name Gulen before this article. I'm sorry, but you have all been deceived by Tucson Weekly.
.Posted by Mzacatac on January 5, 2010 at 11:17 PM | Report this comment
The principal of SSA is full of shit!!
He states here he never threatened anybody??
Hey asshole, I am still waiting for my day in court. You aint fooling anyone by promoting two female teachers to the Vice-Princapal position. That only happened after your school had and movement had been called on being racist and sexcest. Your board is a joke !!! Theives of tax payer money. Where did the money come from to plan on opening four more schools????
On behalf of Sonoran Science Academy-Tucson, we write this letter to formally respond to the Tucson Weekly article, published on Dec. 31, under the title of "Hidden Agenda? Parents Raise Concerns That a Tucson Charter School Has Ties to a Turkish Nationalist Movement." We hope that you will consider printing this letter, to give your readers the opportunity to draw their own conclusions about the biased and one-sided "investigation" that led to the article. We also invite Tucson Weekly to visit our campus to get a more accurate picture of SSA, which is a transparent, public institution open to any questions or inquiries by public media officials. SSA highly respects the freedom of speech and expression.
The article by Tim Vanderpool raised questions about possible links between Sonoran Science Academy-Tucson (a public K-12 charter school) and a "Turkish nationalist movement." The article was based on comments and allegations by a third party who apparently spoke to Mr. Vanderpool on the basis of anonymity. Mr. Vanderpool contacted Mr. Karatas, the principal, by phone to ask a few questions regarding the matter. Mr. Karatas kindly welcomed the inquiry. On at least three occasions during this call, Mr. Karatas requested that Mr. Vanderpool visit the school. Mr. Vanderpool stated that he was unable to visit and insisted on a telephone interview.
In the article, numerous quotes by Mr. Karatas were taken out of context. It sounded as if the school principal was "threatening the parents," which clearly was not the case. Mr. Karatas has great respect for the fundamental constitutional right of every individual to express him/herself and would never threaten a student, parent or staff member. To our regret and disappointment, Mr. Karatas' statements were tailored to fit the story, rather than attempting to show his authentic answers (and message) to the questions being raised.
The history and foundation of SSA-Tucson goes back to three visionary Tucson-based Turkish scientists (a prominent engineer at Texas Instruments, highly acclaimed heart surgeon in Tucson Medical Center and a researcher at the College of Optical Sciences at the UA) who saw an immediate need for quality math and science education in Tucson. These three visionaries established SSA-Tucson as a charter school that would focus on math, science and technology while providing a solid foundation in liberal arts education. SSA-Tucson has never had, and does not currently have, any links to any religious or nationalist movements. SSA is nationally acclaimed as a model school by US News and World Report, Newsweek and the American Mathematics Association. Most recently, SSA-Tucson was honored to be Arizona's Charter School of the Year.
SSA takes pride in its transparency and dedication to serving the community. We were deeply saddened by the blatantly one-sided story written by Mr. Vanderpool and published by the Tucson Weekly.
Fatih Karatas
Principal, Sonoran Science Academy-Tucson
Does this really sound like he is telling the truth? Mr. Karatas stated in his letter
" We also invite Tucson Weekly to visit our campus to get a more accurate picture of SSA, which is a transparent, public institution open to any questions or inquiries by public media officials. SSA highly respects the freedom of speech and expression" And never ever threatened a parent? or a student? His VP sure did.
Now read my letter given by the schools attorney. To threaten me for telling the truth?
Bill Thacker
Re: Sonoran Science Academy
Dear Mr. Thacker
As you are aware, this firm represents Daisy Education Corporation dba
Sonoran Science Academy (“SSA”). SSA has been aware for several months
that you are posting defamatory, insulting and inflammatory comments
about SSA on craigslist. These posts are resulting in a significant
disruption of the SSA community. Furthermore SSA may be suffering
potential financial damages as a result of the false statements you are
circulating in the online community.
SSA responded numerous times to your complaints and concerns, responded
to the Arizona State Board of Charter Schools and has allowed you to
continue making defamatory comments on the internet for several months.
Now it must stop.
If you do not immediately cease posting SSA will pursue litigation against you, including an injunction to prohibit further publication of defamatory statements and a lawsuit for damages. SSA has been tracking and collecting evidence of your defamatory
statements. Including copies of your posts on craigslist and will
utilize this evidence in a lawsuit against you if necessary.
Very Truly Yours,
Heather K. Gaines
Dear Ms. Gaines,
Thank you for your letter dated June 29. I have reviewed it and would
make these points.
1. The “slap suit” is not a new idea but seems like a radical step for
a charter school. That school to sue a parent who had a poor experience
at Sonoran Science would appear to have a chilling effect on the
aforementioned school’s ability to attract new students. Is it truly in
the best interest of your client to have such a reputation?
2. For a school filing a slap suit on a working-class single dad would
be such a novelty that it would risk lending media credibility and a
much larger platform for me to make my case. That charges would be
hashed and rehashed and whatever harm done on Craig’s List would be
magnified. And, as you are aware, gaining prior restraint against the
media is an extremely high bar.
3. I sold plasma to buy my daughter lunch and Sonoran Science staff
threw it away, refusing to give it to her. That’s pretty compelling.
4. Should you pursue legal action, your firm would make money off
billable hours but every dime spent on pursuing a father struggling
through the current economic challenges is a dime not spent teaching
children. Is this the proper role of state and donation money that is
supposed to be spent on children?
5. How much are you willing to turn over during discovery? You are
claiming that I am wrong in my assertions against Sonoran Science. I
would then have the right to prove I’m not wrong. I’m not a lawyer
(public school advocates may take an interest but let’s assume they
don’t) and you can beat me back. But that’s more scut work for you,
more money coming out of class rooms and more risk of media attention.
6. All I want is an apology for: a) Not informing me of an
investigation concerning my daughter’s accusation that a teacher had
acted sexually inappropriately toward her; b) Forcing me no end of
headache when both myself and doctors repeatedly provided records of
immunization records Sonoran Science never seemed to get as they
threatened to keep my daughter from class. Felt like harassment; and c)
Throwing away a sandwich I bought with, literally, blood money. D) When
informing the principal of the school he ignored my concerns and
threatened me with a lawsuit. An apology, one for me and one to my
daughter.
I find it bizarre that you would threaten me with legal action for
criticizing a public institution on a Web Site not typically covered by
libel rules. I currently earn $12 an hour. I rent. I even rent my
furniture. I have a car payment. I am a student. I send money to my
ex-wife for my daughter. How much cash do you think you can get from
me? Moreover, how many parents will send their children to a school
that sues unhappy “customers”? They are a business.
Food for thought.
Regards,
Bill M. Thacker
Please send this is out to all teachers and parents --and those that work at other charter & public schools.
Tom Horne wants to close public but endorses Sonoran Science Academy ? Tom Horne had been quoted the he does not care if a charter school is aligned with any religious cult or political movement as long as he gets his results. Acharter school is a public funded by your taxes. Now you know how they are getting the numbers !!! Is this how you really want your tax dollars spent??
Fraudulent sales tactics to get your kids enrolled?
SSA News Letter November 2009
"The news is filled with budgets cuts at the state and national levels and we certainly been impacted by those cuts.
I sincerely hope you will join me in making your Tax Credit to SSA wonderful extra-curricular programs. "
Mr. Karatas Principal
Arizona Republic Newspaper November 24, 2009 (three weeks later)
“Lawmakers leave charter schools untouched in cuts”
Arizona lawmakers gathered this week long enough to cut $144 million from state K-12 schools. Make that $144 million out of district K-12 schools. State money going to charter schools was left untouched. "Where's the equity in all this?" Rep. Rich Crandall, a Mesa Republican, asked his fellow legislators.
The Marana Explorer April 14, 2010
"We're currently at capacity on our campus and have a waiting list on 80 percent of our grade levels," Karatas pointed out. "We have up to 100 students in some grades waiting. We could admit more students if we had more space, but physically we can't." Mr. Karatas Principal
The Arizona Daily Star May 6, 2010
We have over “300” students on a waiting list waiting to be taught !!
Cheri Norris Teacher
Lies lies lies !!
“What?? Karatas said 100.
Daisy Education Board Meeting February 4, 2009
“Deb Davis states that she has been working increasing enrollment for the last six years….”
* There is no waiting list. Other Sonoran Science Academy Schools are below occupancy.
* It is a common sales tactic to create urgency and value. We call this the “Bandwagon Closing”
* Sales tactics do not belong in education.
"As part of its educational aims, Karatas said, the academy fosters learning and personal development by having strict behavioral expectations, character education assemblies, small class sizes and systematic consequences for misbehavior"
“I've been frustrated with many things there -- failing to respond properly to a student who was bullying my son. I had to go to them a number of times.”
Valerie Cavazos
Parent & Head of Parent Assoc. & 21st Century Success -- Classroom to Career Connection
Response to the Tucson Weekly article “Hidden Agenda”
“Mr. Karatas has great respect for the fundamental constitutional right of every individual to express him/herself and would never threaten a student, parent or staff member. “
A letter from the schools attorney to a parent
As you are aware, this firm represents Daisy Education Corporation dba Sonoran Science Academy (“SSA”). SSA has been aware for several months that you are posting defamatory, insulting and inflammatory comments about SSA on craigslist. These posts are resulting in a significant disruption of the SSA community. Furthermore SSA may be suffering potential financial damages as a result of the false statements you are circulating in the online community. SSA responded numerous times to your complaints and concerns, responded to the Arizona State Board of Charter Schools and has allowed you to continue making defamatory comments on the internet for several months. Now it must stop. If you do not immediately cease posting SSA will pursue litigation against you, including an injunction to prohibit further publication of defamatory statements and a lawsuit for damages. SSA has been tracking and collecting evidence of your defamatory statements. Including copies of your posts on craigslist and will utilize this evidence in a lawsuit against you if necessary.
Very Truly Yours, Heather K. Gaines
What was the parent upset about??
* For SSA not informing the parent that a teacher acted sexually inappropriate towards a female student. The school concealed that investigation and failed by law to inform the authorities and the parent.
* Falsifying inoculation records as an attempt to have the child removed from the school.
*Making threats of a lawsuit prior to letter from the schools attorney for demanding those be held accountable.
* Mr. Karatas and the board of directors will conceal dangerous activities from parents and encourages staff to do the same.
The Parent Association has no authority over teachers or governing board.
“Yes, they failed to properly investigate the matter, but that is a common problem with charter schools. They do not have the staff, resources or counselors to address every need. The public school system is in a better position. “
Valerie Cavazos
Arizona Daily Star April 27, 2010
• "Strategic ambiguity" — That's what sociologist Joshua Hendrick called the Gülenist tendency toward obscuring its presence one moment and highlighting it the next. That came to my mind as I thought back to an exchange with Mr. Fatih Karatas, the principal of Sonoran Science Academy's high school and middle school, during my tour of the school. When I asked him where he had worked previously, he told me he was an administrator in "LAUSD." I clarified that he meant the Los Angeles school district. I was surprised, because I had heard otherwise.
But then I went back to my office, called LAUSD and otherwise checked into it. That's when I confirmed that Magnolia Science Academy, the Turkish-run charter school chain in Los Angeles, is chartered by the Los Angeles Unified School District. So I wrote Mr. Karatas an email, and he wrote back confirming that's what he meant: "Yes, Magnolia Science Academy is a charter school in Los Angeles Unified School District. "