My child was a student at the Gulen Harmony Science Academy School in Texas, we served on the Parent Association and were involved with many fundraisers. Gulen Charter School- We were very dedicated to this group until we realized there was more to these schools than just "education". Our posts are from actual news sources and government data such as IRS tax returns, H1-B Visa information and other documentation.
Friday, September 10, 2010
Harmony Parent the TRUTH: Harmony Science Academy- Photos of Gulen from Turk...
Harmony Parent the TRUTH: Harmony Science Academy- Photos of Gulen from Turk...: "<> Gulen burning. We have spoken to many true democratic loving Turkish people who do not wish to be pulled into an Islamic darkness o..."
Harmony Science Academy- Photos of Gulen from Turkish people
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| Gulen burning. |
Harmony Science Academy- When did our "henky meter" or "alarm" go off?
After our first year at Harmony Science we became "family" as this is what the Teachers and Board members referred to us as in their newsletters the "Harmony Family".
We didn't think much of the school the first year in terms of strange or odd behavior, avoidence, non-direct, lack of transparency. The second year, we were involved in fundraisers and the subject of pushing Turkish culture always came up and we reminded everyone we are Americans and the school was supported by tax dollars. The bills were rarely discussed but there was a lot of money going to the Cosmos Foundation for "counseling" "other" "consultation fees" and more. These fees were unexplained but were hundreds of thousands of dollars.
The conversations were always about expansionism and not about addressing issues of special needs, or educational supplies. The board was very clear they were on a mission to double the size the the schools.
When we asked about the so-called "scholars" that started the schools we were given vague answers but later found their names on the Cosmos Foundation website.
My husband who works in a financial capacity checked their 990 IRS tax returns for free at http://www.guidestar.com/ and found millions of dollars of grant money. There was also money donated by Corporations that dealt with Turkey or had extensive defense contracts with the Republic of Turkey like Raytheon and Lockhead.
Our children attended and performed in their second Turkish Olympiad in Texas, it was huge everyone was waving the Turkish flag which is also the symbol for Islam. Most of the parents don't know this, they just thought it was "cute" their kid was singing or dancing in Turkish.
We didn't travel to Turkey the second year nor did our children.
There was a lot of emphasis on local politicians visiting the school and photos taken with them and the students. Yet the school lacked any kind of training for special needs children and discouraged enrollment from children with needs or who have had truancy and other issues in public school.
The school's enrollment admission form asks specific questions addressing this so they can weed out the children that will not make the school look exemplary.
That summer we learned that Harmony Science Academys would be opening 2 more schools in Texas, yet we were constantly raising money and their were shortages of lab equipment and other education related items. Our children both participated in a Science Olympiad we noticed it was the SAME sponsors as the Turkish Olympiad. When we checked out the companies we found several that they belonged to Turkish people and the name Gulen would pop up every time we google searched the companies.
Who is GULEN? or WHAT is Gulen?
We didn't think much of the school the first year in terms of strange or odd behavior, avoidence, non-direct, lack of transparency. The second year, we were involved in fundraisers and the subject of pushing Turkish culture always came up and we reminded everyone we are Americans and the school was supported by tax dollars. The bills were rarely discussed but there was a lot of money going to the Cosmos Foundation for "counseling" "other" "consultation fees" and more. These fees were unexplained but were hundreds of thousands of dollars.
The conversations were always about expansionism and not about addressing issues of special needs, or educational supplies. The board was very clear they were on a mission to double the size the the schools.
When we asked about the so-called "scholars" that started the schools we were given vague answers but later found their names on the Cosmos Foundation website.
My husband who works in a financial capacity checked their 990 IRS tax returns for free at http://www.guidestar.com/ and found millions of dollars of grant money. There was also money donated by Corporations that dealt with Turkey or had extensive defense contracts with the Republic of Turkey like Raytheon and Lockhead.
Our children attended and performed in their second Turkish Olympiad in Texas, it was huge everyone was waving the Turkish flag which is also the symbol for Islam. Most of the parents don't know this, they just thought it was "cute" their kid was singing or dancing in Turkish.
We didn't travel to Turkey the second year nor did our children.
There was a lot of emphasis on local politicians visiting the school and photos taken with them and the students. Yet the school lacked any kind of training for special needs children and discouraged enrollment from children with needs or who have had truancy and other issues in public school.
The school's enrollment admission form asks specific questions addressing this so they can weed out the children that will not make the school look exemplary.
That summer we learned that Harmony Science Academys would be opening 2 more schools in Texas, yet we were constantly raising money and their were shortages of lab equipment and other education related items. Our children both participated in a Science Olympiad we noticed it was the SAME sponsors as the Turkish Olympiad. When we checked out the companies we found several that they belonged to Turkish people and the name Gulen would pop up every time we google searched the companies.
Harmony Science Academy- The Sales Job
My husband and I toured the school before we enrolled our children (which will be referred to as Child A and Child B) This was in 2003, we were promptly allowed admission to the school for our children.
1) There was NO WAITING LIST
2) We were told that the foreign teachers were "Scholars"
4) Met a few of the American teachers, 4 out of the 8. The American teachers had never taught before
it seems the Harmony Science Academys are attracted to American Teachers who are inexperienced or
young. We met none that were highly qualifed.
5) We attended meetings and were soon getting the drift that the board was controlled by all Turkish people
and all MALE. The Harmony Science Academy Board would make decisions prior to our meetings and
would often times talk in Turkish to exclude us from decision making.
6) Never was religion discussed, but fundraising was an ongoing topic and expenses.
7) Child A and Child B both had a mix of Turkish Teachers and they couldn't understand them very well.
Both A and B started learning Turkish at School and found it be a different experience. They both
enjoyed Turkish Dancing and performed in a Turkish Olympiad in Texas.
8) Our family was invited to many Interfaith Dialogue and Cultural meetings at the Turkish Raindrop House
We never attended but we noted that many local politicans are speakers there.
9) My husband and I went to Turkey with our children so they could perform at the big Turkish Olympiad at
a big outside park with stage.
After our first year, we started to become suspicious of the school when we started to hear all the false claims about waiting lists and how the test scores were improving yet we saw no personal proof of this with
Child A and B. We were never allowed to see test results, or able to discuss with the principal issues about
our child's academic growth. It was as if these Turkish Teachers expected us to conform to their style, their culture and their rules.
1) There was NO WAITING LIST
2) We were told that the foreign teachers were "Scholars"
- Scholars don't teach in public schools (which is what a Charter School essentially is)
- Scholars do not teach in academia lower than a University
- Scholars general have published works
- Scholars have higher than a Bachelors Degree
- We found that the foreign teachers didn't have teaching credentials
- The foreign teachers at this school had the equivalent of a Bachelors although some were enrolled in American Universities to earn a higher degree. These teacher/students were paid to go back to school.
4) Met a few of the American teachers, 4 out of the 8. The American teachers had never taught before
it seems the Harmony Science Academys are attracted to American Teachers who are inexperienced or
young. We met none that were highly qualifed.
5) We attended meetings and were soon getting the drift that the board was controlled by all Turkish people
and all MALE. The Harmony Science Academy Board would make decisions prior to our meetings and
would often times talk in Turkish to exclude us from decision making.
6) Never was religion discussed, but fundraising was an ongoing topic and expenses.
7) Child A and Child B both had a mix of Turkish Teachers and they couldn't understand them very well.
Both A and B started learning Turkish at School and found it be a different experience. They both
enjoyed Turkish Dancing and performed in a Turkish Olympiad in Texas.
8) Our family was invited to many Interfaith Dialogue and Cultural meetings at the Turkish Raindrop House
We never attended but we noted that many local politicans are speakers there.
9) My husband and I went to Turkey with our children so they could perform at the big Turkish Olympiad at
a big outside park with stage.
- There were children from other GULEN "inspired" schools, they were upfront about the word 'Gulen"
- We had never heard the name "Gulen" although it was a subject with the other students from Muslim countries.
- We stayed in school dormatories that we later found were used by Gulen students.
After our first year, we started to become suspicious of the school when we started to hear all the false claims about waiting lists and how the test scores were improving yet we saw no personal proof of this with
Child A and B. We were never allowed to see test results, or able to discuss with the principal issues about
our child's academic growth. It was as if these Turkish Teachers expected us to conform to their style, their culture and their rules.
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