On Monday, Ilker Basbug, former chief of general staff, was sentenced to life along with almost 300 defendants who were sentenced to various terms ranging from life to a few years. The suspects were accused of plotting to overthrow the government.
Showing posts with label gulen charter schools. Show all posts
Showing posts with label gulen charter schools. Show all posts
Monday
Ergenekon Suspects Get Lengthy Sentences
On Monday, Ilker Basbug, former chief of general staff, was sentenced to life along with almost 300 defendants who were sentenced to various terms ranging from life to a few years. The suspects were accused of plotting to overthrow the government.
Wednesday
An Anatomy of Copycat Blogs-2: When did Fethullah Gulen Come to USA?
Some bloggers claim that "Gulenists create confusion by putting different years" with regards to Fethullah Gulen's arrival to USA. Yet in reality, it is those copycat bloggers who mostly claim that Fethullah Gulen came to US in 1998, which is not the accurate date. Let's see what some "experts" say about this:
For example, in Sibel Edmond's blog we see this statement:
For example, in Sibel Edmond's blog we see this statement:
Tuesday
A Letter Dedicated to Dani Rodrik
An Interesting Letter
"Dani Rodrik, a fervent attacker of Fethullah Gulen and Gulen Movement as well as charter schools which he calls Gulen Charter Schools, would probably be surprised to see this article. Sometimes things do not go in the way you think, Mr. Rodrik. Just take a look at the statements here and you will see that innocent looking people were actually hiding their real agenda. A very interesting read..."Thursday
Top-notch School isn’t Marred by Loose Ties to Turkish Cleric
Below you will see how the anti-charter groups' claims have been refuted.
SHOULD MASSACHUSETTS be afraid of Fethullah Gulen? That’s the question at the heart of the whispering campaign against the Pioneer Charter School of Science, a high-achieving public school in Everett whose loose connections to the influential Turkish religious figure came under heightened scrutiny when it sought state permission to expand to a second location in Saugus.
Tuesday
Dani Rodrik for the Last Time
Etyen Mahcupyan continues to reveal the truth about Dani Rodrik, the renowned son-in-law of Cetin Dogan, prominent member of Ergenekon Terrorist Organization.
It is quite natural for a person to exhibit extra sensitivity and subjectivity toward a specific topic when it concerns his relatives. We can understand such a person if we come to accept that we should be more tolerant toward them and put ourselves in their place. At the beginning, many people in Turkey shared this approach for Dani Rodrik, a successful academic with international fame and a scholar known to be an advocate of democratic values. But he had come face-to-face with a very unexpected situation.
Dani Rodrik's Facts
Just hours after my article that referred to Dani Rodrik was posted on the Internet, Rodrik issued a response in his blog "Balyoz Davası ve Gerçekler" (Balyoz Trial and Facts). Apparently urged by a sense of duty, Rodrik naturally didn't want to lose any time in correcting my “misstatements.”
Response to Hatchet Job on Fethullah Gulen
When Fethullah Gulen published his article on Financial Times, I was expecting a response from the infamous Islamophobes or those who happen to be in close connection with them. My prediction came true with the latter. Stephen Schwartz, who always seems to attack the mainstream Muslims in the U.S., published a incendiary and biased article in response to that of Mr. Gulen. Mr. Schwartz was mostly busy with attacking Mr. Gulen than criticizing the content of Mr. Gulen's article. He even brought that fallacious Gulen Charter Schools concept to the table again. Anyway, a timely and nice response came from Dr. Scott Alexander.
Thursday
Federal Government Helps so-called Gulen Charter Schools!
By Goose Network Blog
I read the news (seems a bit late, though) that Harmony Public Schools will receive almost 30 million dollars from the federal government as part of the race-to-the-top program. That should be a well-deserved accomplishment considering that Harmony Public Schools became a nationwide brand after they were featured at 60 Minutes.
I read the news (seems a bit late, though) that Harmony Public Schools will receive almost 30 million dollars from the federal government as part of the race-to-the-top program. That should be a well-deserved accomplishment considering that Harmony Public Schools became a nationwide brand after they were featured at 60 Minutes.
Monday
Harmony Public Schools to Receive $30M Federal Fund
From Goose Network
I read the news (seems a bit late, though) that Harmony Public Schools will receive almost 30 million dollars from the federal government as part of the race-to-the-top program. That should be a well-deserved accomplishment considering that Harmony Public Schools became a nationwide brand after they were featured at 60 Minutes.
I read the news (seems a bit late, though) that Harmony Public Schools will receive almost 30 million dollars from the federal government as part of the race-to-the-top program. That should be a well-deserved accomplishment considering that Harmony Public Schools became a nationwide brand after they were featured at 60 Minutes.
Friday
Gulen Charter Schools Have Hidden Agenda!
The caricature originally appeared on Get the Fact. Noticed that the Goose Network also picked up the story :)
Tuesday
60 Minutes, Fethullah Gulen and Gulen Charter Schools
60 Minutes created some buzz and a number of comments were made over the topic. One interesting observation came from Dr. Kurt and here is the part of his comments about Fethullah Gulen and the newly-coined phenom Gulen Charter Schools:
Hot-Topic Question at Yahoo Answers
The hot-topic of Gulen Charter Schools was asked as a question at Yahoo. I added the links here in this page.
Question was simple and the answer also looks brilliant:
Fethullah Gulen Forum
Taken from Dr. Kurt.
Dr. Koc's recent book about Fethullah Gulen has opened my eyes about Dr. Dogan Koc. While doing some research about Dr. Koc's other possible articles, I came up with "Fethullah Gulen Forum",
a website where you can find a number of articles about the Gulen
Movement, including the ones from Dr. Koc. Here is what the website
tells about itself:
MerryLynn Gerstenschlager of TEF Provides Inaccurate Information
A friend of mine told me about the Texas House Public Education Committee convened on February 17th. When asked what it was all about, he said "Just watch. Laughing guaranteed!"
Friday
Gulen Charter Schools: More from Islamophobia Report
Center for American Progress summarizes how ultra-nationalists are organized and funded. This draws a clear picture of actions of bloggers who attack so-called Gulen charter schools. A few years ago, the concept of Gulen Charter Schools was virtually unknown, but today, when you say Gulen Charter Schools, you could remember the fraudulent attackers of those schools.
Tuesday
Donna Garner Pants on Fire
In her rare appearances in the media, Donna Garner is touted as pants-on-fire type of personality. This is one example I found on PolitiFact website.
Gulen Charter School Facts: Oda TV of Turkey is Behind Anti-Charter Groups in US
On September 9, a high court in Istanbul, Turkey, has accepted an indictment of 14 suspects, including some journalists who are accused of being members of Ergenekon, a clandestine criminal network accused of plotting to overthrow the government.
Monday
Cheating Allegations on a Teacher and Gulen Charter Schools
A teacher has been accused of TAKS cheating. HISD Superintendent Terry Grier recommended to let her go, but the result of the board meeting was different. Trustees voted 3-3 after closed-door discussions last week about the teacher, Erica Carmouche, who has denied wrongdoing. The tie vote — possible because three trustees were absent — means Carmouche keeps her job.
Anyway, I really wonder when people accused Harmony Science Academy, KIPP and YES Prep Schools of cheating, they tend to forget one thing: cheating is a malpractice that will somehow be heard by everyone sooner or later. Some charter school opponents accuse Harmony Schools of cheating (let alone labeling them as Gulen Charter Schools) and blindly assert that the whole campus went to the "cheating spree"! That is ridiculous. How in the world people expect us to believe such a lie? People are already standing tall against those accusers with their same old labels of Gulen charter schools.
Anyway, I really wonder when people accused Harmony Science Academy, KIPP and YES Prep Schools of cheating, they tend to forget one thing: cheating is a malpractice that will somehow be heard by everyone sooner or later. Some charter school opponents accuse Harmony Schools of cheating (let alone labeling them as Gulen Charter Schools) and blindly assert that the whole campus went to the "cheating spree"! That is ridiculous. How in the world people expect us to believe such a lie? People are already standing tall against those accusers with their same old labels of Gulen charter schools.
One more thing: Carmouche has worked for the Houston Independent School District since 2000, all at Lockhart. She worked last year as a reading coach, and her salary was $51,241. She received a performance bonus of $1,450 based on TAKS scores at her school in 2010. Bonuses for this year have not been distributed yet. Those at "so-called" Gulen charter schools and other charter schools do not receive TAKS bonuses.
Maybe this will tell you something.
Donna Garner: A True Sciolist - 4
This will be the last article (for now) on Donna Garner. I have been getting nice feedback on previous articles and I am glad that a number of websites quote from my article.
I designed these articles in Claim&Answer format so that I could reveal Garner's wrong points and fallacies easily. Honestly, I found a number of points that prove why Garner is wrong, but I did not want to deal with each and every fallacious argument, because there were so many!
I will continue to write on these people like Donna Garner, since there are plenty of them who unscrupulously attack on some charter schools and putting them foolish labels such as "Gulen Charter Schools". Most of those attackers are not aware of the fact that the claims and allegations they made are entirely "null and void". Talking to the parents and students, I gathered invaluable data on these so-called Gulen Charter Schools and parents aptly state that there is no religious agenda at those schools. This issue deserves another article; therefore, I leave the floor open for subsequent articles.
I will answer two more claims:
Claim: Waco Harmony Science Academy students, in a celebration in Indian Springs Park, trampled the United States flag (taken from Garner's talk on City on a Hill radio show, dated April 27, 2011).
Answer: When I first heard this claim, I was really surprised, because it was a serious claim that should be taken in due care. Since Garner resides in Waco, she makes the story more convincing. But the "truth has a bad habit of revealing itself one day."
Donna Garner had a couple of mistakes here: first of all, instead of putting such a bold claim and puzzling everyone in the radio show, she should have asked Waco Harmony Science Academy administrators/students/parents if such an incident took place.
I did what Donna Garner forgot to do. I found Waco school's phone number and asked Mr. Kose (Principal) if there was such a thing. He told me that that festival or celebration took place last year, yet Garner presented the incident as if it happened yesterday. On the other hand, there was no such an incident as Garner alleged. Rather, the students carried American flag on their head let alone trampling it.
Principal's explanation seemed logical to me, because if such a vehement event had occured, the public would have heard about it after several angry parents or any other spectators had reported this incident finally hitting the local papers' headlines. Since we heard nothing about it, then we conceive that Garner is doing nothing but manipulation and distortion of events.
Claim: "Gulen Charter Schools" are trying to bring sharia laws to the United States (taken from Garner's same talk on City on a Hill radio show, dated April 27, 2011)..
Answer: Actually, this claim is the reason why some people never take Donna Garner and similar people seriously, because they do not present any solid claim that could make us say "A-ha". On hearing such an allegation, one would only laugh at that and appreciate the sense of humor those people possess.
In the same vein, Peggy Littleton said something similar in nature a few months ago: "I believe — and this is just my own personal opinion, without any factual data to back it up — one of the only reasons the Obama administration is willing to stand in the face of teachers' unions ... by making states adopt charter school rules ... I think that he's doing that because of these Gulen schools. The Gulen schools are the Muslim schools in our country ... telling the kids of the United States of America, 'Hate Americans' and the whole rest..."
There are so many fallacious presuppositions that one really wonders if it is really possible to give a proper answer to that. It is like trying to operate on someone who has had a tragic accident. We are not sure if we can save the patient after all.
As for Garner, she is just whistling in the dark, having no idea of what she is really talking about. Such a claim deserves a sarcastic tone such as "Oh, really? The I must tell the White House, the Army and all other government entities that America is facing the danger of adopting sharia law (!) Oh, wait a minute, this would be useless, since our President is already Muslim!"
Is this what you want Ms. Garner? As a scholar, I do not think that sarcasm would do good to you, but in the face of such ridiculous allegations, one cannot help but produce sarcasm.
Enough said. I guess the best way is to direct our attention to parents and students who are essential part of those schools and at the end of the day what matters will be what those people say and think rather than the baseless allegations of unscrupulous attackers like Donna Garner or Peggy Littleton.
Of course without the absurd label of Gulen Charter Schools...
I designed these articles in Claim&Answer format so that I could reveal Garner's wrong points and fallacies easily. Honestly, I found a number of points that prove why Garner is wrong, but I did not want to deal with each and every fallacious argument, because there were so many!
I will continue to write on these people like Donna Garner, since there are plenty of them who unscrupulously attack on some charter schools and putting them foolish labels such as "Gulen Charter Schools". Most of those attackers are not aware of the fact that the claims and allegations they made are entirely "null and void". Talking to the parents and students, I gathered invaluable data on these so-called Gulen Charter Schools and parents aptly state that there is no religious agenda at those schools. This issue deserves another article; therefore, I leave the floor open for subsequent articles.
I will answer two more claims:
Claim: Waco Harmony Science Academy students, in a celebration in Indian Springs Park, trampled the United States flag (taken from Garner's talk on City on a Hill radio show, dated April 27, 2011).
Answer: When I first heard this claim, I was really surprised, because it was a serious claim that should be taken in due care. Since Garner resides in Waco, she makes the story more convincing. But the "truth has a bad habit of revealing itself one day."
Donna Garner had a couple of mistakes here: first of all, instead of putting such a bold claim and puzzling everyone in the radio show, she should have asked Waco Harmony Science Academy administrators/students/parents if such an incident took place.
I did what Donna Garner forgot to do. I found Waco school's phone number and asked Mr. Kose (Principal) if there was such a thing. He told me that that festival or celebration took place last year, yet Garner presented the incident as if it happened yesterday. On the other hand, there was no such an incident as Garner alleged. Rather, the students carried American flag on their head let alone trampling it.
Principal's explanation seemed logical to me, because if such a vehement event had occured, the public would have heard about it after several angry parents or any other spectators had reported this incident finally hitting the local papers' headlines. Since we heard nothing about it, then we conceive that Garner is doing nothing but manipulation and distortion of events.
Claim: "Gulen Charter Schools" are trying to bring sharia laws to the United States (taken from Garner's same talk on City on a Hill radio show, dated April 27, 2011)..
Answer: Actually, this claim is the reason why some people never take Donna Garner and similar people seriously, because they do not present any solid claim that could make us say "A-ha". On hearing such an allegation, one would only laugh at that and appreciate the sense of humor those people possess.
In the same vein, Peggy Littleton said something similar in nature a few months ago: "I believe — and this is just my own personal opinion, without any factual data to back it up — one of the only reasons the Obama administration is willing to stand in the face of teachers' unions ... by making states adopt charter school rules ... I think that he's doing that because of these Gulen schools. The Gulen schools are the Muslim schools in our country ... telling the kids of the United States of America, 'Hate Americans' and the whole rest..."
There are so many fallacious presuppositions that one really wonders if it is really possible to give a proper answer to that. It is like trying to operate on someone who has had a tragic accident. We are not sure if we can save the patient after all.
As for Garner, she is just whistling in the dark, having no idea of what she is really talking about. Such a claim deserves a sarcastic tone such as "Oh, really? The I must tell the White House, the Army and all other government entities that America is facing the danger of adopting sharia law (!) Oh, wait a minute, this would be useless, since our President is already Muslim!"
Is this what you want Ms. Garner? As a scholar, I do not think that sarcasm would do good to you, but in the face of such ridiculous allegations, one cannot help but produce sarcasm.
Enough said. I guess the best way is to direct our attention to parents and students who are essential part of those schools and at the end of the day what matters will be what those people say and think rather than the baseless allegations of unscrupulous attackers like Donna Garner or Peggy Littleton.
Of course without the absurd label of Gulen Charter Schools...
Donna Garner: A True Sciolist - 3
I continue with the third part of Donna Garner's funny accusations and stories.
Claim: The Gulenists had already taken over the Turkish National Police by giving applicants the answers to the exams. If this is standard protocol in Turkey by the Gulenists, I have to ask whether there is any outside monitoring of test security when the Gulen Charter Schools in the United States administer the state-mandated tests (TAKS in Texas) and the SAT/ACT. If not, can we trust the Gulen Charter Schools’ (a.k.a., Harmony Schools in Texas) test results to be credible?
Answer: Since Garner's presupposition is based on a false acceptance, the rest of the questions automatically qualifies for nothing but absurdity. First of all, the first claim is just fabrication with no official court decision or something similar. It is just an absurd claim asserted by the very same underground paramilitary organization (which is called Ergenekon in Turkey) who does any sort of dirty job including taking country's prime minister to the scaffold and dropping bombs in order to create chaos in the country. Ergenekon is a large topic and there are even scholarly articles about it, but as a first step you can start reading from a semi-scholarly article .n Wikipedia. Maybe I can provide more articles in the future about this terrorist organization.
Today I saw a joke on the web about Gulenists with a sarcastic tone. This joke actually summarizes the mindset of those who create havoc in Turkey.
"Reliable sources tell MNN that Gulenists are behind the arrest of Rebekah Brooks, a very prominent British investigative journalist, in a bid to silence the last remaining pockets of opposition both to the governing party and to the movement that now dominates the military, the police, the judiciary, the ministry of interior, the ministry of foreign affairs, the ministry of forestry, the ministry of feeding cattles etc. The arrest implies that the threat is now on our shores.
Sources tell MNN, Brooks was preparing a book on the sinister activities of Gulenists within the British state structures who have relentlessly tried to infiltrate every and each state agency. The police who carried the investigation, the prosecutor who ordered the arrest and the judge who decided for her detention are all believed to be from the movement. It is strongly believed that Gulenist policemen within Scotland Yard have fabricated evidence to get Brooks, a very brave and prominent investigative journalist, arrested. The arrest comes after the detention of two very prominent Turkish reporters in Turkey, where the movement has her power house, back in March. The arrest of Brooks vindicates the concerns that Gulenists are now not only a threat for Turkey but for the globe and even for mankind."
The same vein of the same mentality extends to the United States in order to deceive naive people like Donna Garner and some others so that they could invent new concepts such as Gulen Charter Schools.
As for the alleged cheating in TAKS, this is another vehement claim that puts a number of people and organizations into its target ranging from TEA (Texas Education Agency) and Harmony Schools to countless students, teachers and administrators. Harmony Schools officials say that during the TAKS Tests their schools are strictly supervised and observed by TEA officials. There is no single incident of cheating at Harmony Schools. Ms. Garner establishes imaginary relationships among irrelevant people and organizations. Even if the first claim were to be true, this again would prove nothing about Harmony Schools.
My answer shows that Ms. Garner invents something out of the blue and sensible people (like me) try to correct her inventions (!)
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