The Gulenist Hijrah (Migration)
Page created April 16, 2011 last updated Sep 28, 2013
by C.A.S.I.L.I.P.S. - Citizens Against Special Interest Lobbying in Public Schools CASILIPS on Twitter, Slideshare
Gulenists present themselves to the public as normal immigrants who individually chose to work in the United States because of their interest in opportunities for a teaching or educational administrative career. In reality, they do not choose to come here - they are sent here, by higher-level members of the Movement.
In charter school applications, and in news articles about the charter schools they are trying to found, Gulenists repeatedly use key marketing phrases such as "We're falling behind in math and science" to suggest their efforts arise from a burning desire to improve American education. Their use of the word "We" implies that they have adopted the United States as their new homeland. This is deliberately misleading. Many of them will move on, either to careers in the US that are not in K-12 education, or to Gulen schools in other countries, or back to Turkey. Their time here in our public education system has a role in their lives that seems most analogous to a low-paid internship that many young Americans endure for the sake of future success (while officially, the Gulenists' salaries may be well above market, after himmet contributions are made to the Movement under pressure, they are not). Once their period of service is over, they have access to career opportunities through their connections with the Gulen Movement. Another major advantage to many of them of working in the Gulen charter schools is that they draw a full-time salary, often with a lighter-than-normal work load, while simultaneously earning a higher degree, a luxury that few Americans could ever have. Teaching at the K-12 level is not their real profession and, it seems in many cases, not their passion either. The constant turnover of teachers and administrators and the lack of K-12 classroom experience of many new arrivals contribute to the disorganization often observed in Gulen charter schools.
In a one-sided piece promoting and defending Gulen charter schools, a Huffington Post commenter (who is also a student at George Mason University, an institution that received a 4 million dollar grant from Turkish interests) referred to "targeted discrimination aimed at the Turkish American community," and went on to say that "Turkish-Americans are the latest to feel the heat." In what sense can the individuals in the following list be called "Turkish Americans"?
Some examples of Gulenists who returned to Turkey (or went on to Canada, Saudi Arabia, etc) after their involvement with publicly-funded charter schools in the U.S.:
Isa Afacan
- WAS Political Science, History Teacher at T.E.A.C.H. (now renamed Fulton Science Academy High School) charter school, Alpharetta, GA
- NOW Professor at (Gulenist) Zirve University, Turkey (current as of Sep 2013)
Yavuz Agan
- WAS Board Treasurer, Concept Schools, 2006
- NOW at (Gulenist) Fatih University, Turkey (current as of March 2012)
Gulseren Karagoz Akar
- WAS Founder, Young Scholars of Central Pennsylvania charter school
- NOW faculty member at Bogazici University in Turkey (current as of June 2011)
Vural "Al" Aksakalli
- WAS Founder, Chesapeake Science Point Charter School, would-be founder of Carroll Creek Public Charter School, both in Maryland
- NOW Faculty member at Istanbul Sehir University in Turkey (current as of April 2013)
Buket Aktas
- WAS Board Member, Magnolia Science Academy
- NOW at (Gulenist) Fatih University in Turkey (current as of June 2011)
Vedat Aktas
- WAS Financial Officer, Accountant, Cosmos Foundation (operating Harmony Public Schools charter school chain in Texas)
- NOW Financial Controller at RE Grup, Turkey (corporation in textile industry, affiliated with Gulenist TUSKON business association) (current as of Sep 2013)
Yucel Altunbasak
- WAS Founder, Fulton Science Academy Middle School
- NOW President, TUBITAK, nominally the Turkish equivalent of the NSF (National Science Foundation) although apparently dominated by creationists (current as of Aug 2013)
Yusef Selcuk Ateskan
- WAS Board Member at Dialog Foundation, involved with Magnolia Science Academy chain
- NOW at Izmir University in Turkey (current as of June 2011)
Necati Mehmet Aydin
- WAS Board member, Stars Education Services, Inc (Stars Middle School FL)
- NOW at Department of Economics, King Saud University, Saudi Arabia (current as of Mar 2012)
Yavuz Bayam
- WAS Principal of Pacific Technology School, Orangevale CA
- NOW at (Gulenist) Gediz University, Izmir, Turkey (current as of Jan 2012)
Ahmet Baytak
- WAS at Young Scholars of Central Pennsylvania charter school
- NOW at Harrun University, Turkey (current as of June 2011)
Fatih Camci
- WAS Network Administrator, Horizon Science Academy 2000-2001
- NOW Senior Research Fellow, Cranfield University UK (current as of Mar 2012)
Bulent Cetinkaya
- WAS Founder, Syracuse Academy of Science Charter School
- NOW Faculty, Middle East Technical University, Turkey (current as of Mar 2012)
Elvan Ceyhan
- WAS Board Member, Sky Foundation (charter holder of Dove Science Academy); Founder of Dove Science Academy
- NOW Faculty of Koc University, Turkey (current as of Mar 2012)
Ahmet "Matt" Dastan
- WAS Assistant Principal, Stars Middle School; Science Teacher, Fulton Science Academy
- THEN at BAKIAD (Gulenist) and Oxford Vision (Gulenist)
- NOW Interational Marketing Manager at Kaynak Publishing Group (Gulenist) in Turkey (current as of Aug 2013)
Erdogan Dogdu
- WAS Vice President, Fulton Science Academy Middle School, Inc
- NOW Assistant Professor, TOBB University of Economics and Technology, Ankara, Turkey (current as of June 2011)
Gurkan Ekicikol, a.k.a. Zach Davis
- WAS Assistant Principal, Teacher, Fulton Science Academy
- NOW Director of International Student Office at Gediz University (Gulenist) in Turkey (current as of Aug 2013)
Feyzullah Egriboyun
- WAS petitioner for unsuccessful Bergen Hope Charter School in New Jersey in 2002, New Century Charter Public School in New Jersey in 2005
- NOW member of Finance Faculty at Sabanci University, Turkey (current as of Jun 2011)
Bulent Gumus
- WAS Board Member, School of Science and Technology; Riverwalk Education, Texas
- NOW faculty member, (Gulenist) Bursa Orhan Gazi University, Turkey (current as of Dec 2012)
Bekir S Gur
- WAS Founder, Board Secretary, Beehive Science and Technology Academy, Utah
- NOW Faculty Member, Karabuk University, Turkey (current as of Jun 2011)
Huseyin "Joseph" Hurmali
- WAS founding director, Magnolia Science Academy, California
- NOW Secretary General of Abant Platform, widely known as part of Gulen Movement (current as of Sep 2011)
Elif Karabacak
- WAS Science/Biology Teacher, Horizon Science Academy/ Concept charter schools, OH
- NOW English Teacher, Fatih College, Turkey (Gulenist institution) (current as of Sep 2013)
Yuksel Keskin
- WAS Turkish teacher, Sonoran Science Academy, Arizona (while getting univ. degree)
- NOW teacher at (Gulenist) Fatih University Preparatory School, Turkey (current as of Jan 2012)
Zekeriya "Zack" Kiyma
- WAS Principal at Beehive Science and Technology Academy in Utah
- NOW at TUBITAK, nominally the Turkish equivalent of the NSF (National Science Foundation) although apparently dominated by creationists (current as of Jun 2011)
Burhanettin Kuruscu
- WAS Board Member of Cosmos Foundation, charter holder of Harmony Public Schools, Texas
- NOW Associate Professor, Economics, University of Toronto, Canada (current as of Jan 2012)
- CV shows citizenship as "Turkish"
Mustafa Namli
- WAS Dean, Assistant Director at Horizon Science Academy Cleveland High School; Teacher, Horizon Science Academy - Columbus
- NOW Director, International Relations Office, (Gulenist) Gediz University
Gokhan Ozgur
- WAS Board Member of Discovery Education Services, charter holder of Orlando Science Middle/High School
- NOW on faculty of (Gulenist) Meliksah University, Turkey (current as of Feb 2011)
Kadir A Peker
- WAS Founding board member, Pioneer Charter School of Science, Massachusetts
- NOW Assistant Professor, Bilkent University (current as of Jan 2012)
Ozan Suerkan
- WAS teacher at Beehive Science and Technology Academy in Utah and Paragon Science Academy in Arizona
- NOW living in Turkey (current as of June 2011)
Bulent Tarman
- WAS Founder, CEO, Principal, Member, Board of Trustees, Young Scholars of Central Pennsylvania Charter School
- NOW Assistant Professor, Selcuk University, Turkey (current as of June 2011)
Serdar Tunaboylu, a.k.a. Niyazi Serdar Tunaboylu
- WAS Founding Board Member, Fulton Science Academy Middle School
- NOW Professor at (Gulenist) Mevlana University, Turkey
(current as of Sep 2013)
Abdullah Tulek
- WAS Board Member, Beehive Science and Technology Academy, Utah
- NOW working in Turkey (current as of June 2011)
Irfan Turk
- WAS Principal, Harmony Science Academy, San Antonio,Texas
- NOW PhD student at (Gulenist) Fatih University, Turkey (current as of July 2012)
Riza Ulker
- WAS founder, Young Scholars of Pennsylvania Charter School; Principal, Truebright Science Academy; would-be founder, Allentown Science Academy; would-be founder, Camden Charter School of Achievement; founder, Snowdrop Science Academy (private Gulen school)
- NOW on faculty of (Gulenist) Zirve University, Turkey (current as of Dec 2012)
Suleyman Ulusoy
- WAS Board member, Chesapeake Lighthouse Foundation, governing 3 charter schools in Maryland
- NOW on faculty at (Gulenist) Zirve University, Turkey (current as of April 2013)
Ismail Unlusoy
- WAS Startup Coordinator at (proposed) Thomas Edison EnergySmart Charter School NJ; Director, CEO Buffalo Academy of Science Charter School NY; Math Teacher, Vice Principal (Manager of School Operations) at Paterson Charter School For Science and Technology NJ; Math Teacher, Department Chair at Syracuse Academy of Science Charter School NY; Co-founder and Startup Specialist at Concept Schools; Teacher, Department Chair, Assistant Principal at Horizon Science Academy OH
- NOW Deputy Secretary General at Abant Platform of the Journalists and Writers Foundation, Turkey, widely known as Gulenist organization (current as of Mar 2012)
Cetin Urtis
- WAS Board member, Daisy Education Corporation, operating Sonoran Science Academy charter school in Arizona
- NOW on faculty of TOBB University, Turkey (current as of Sep 2013)
Zhandos Utegulov
- WAS founder of Horizon Science Academy - Dayton and Lotus School for Excellence, Colorado
- NOW faculty member of Nazarbayev University, Kazakhstan (current as of Aug 2012)
Tugrul Yanik
- WAS president of Rose Education Center in Oregon and tried to found a charter school called Rose Science Academy
- NOW at (Gulenist) Fatih University in Turkey (current as of Jun 2011)
Abdullah Yavas
- WAS Founder, Young Scholars of Central Pennsylvania charter school
- THEN appointed to position at Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey in 2008
- NOW Founding President of (Gulenist) International Antalya University, Turkey (current as of Jan 2012)
Mustafa Yavuz
- WAS "Educational consultant" Harmony Science Academy schools, Dove Science Academy schools
- NOW Faculty, University of Waterloo, Canada
Mehmet Yorukoglu
- WAS a petitioner for two unsuccessful Horizon Math and Science Academy charter school applications in Illinois with Yuksel Alp Aslandogan, Ibrahim Duyar and Yasar Bora in 2000
- NOW at Sabanci University in Turkey (current as of Jun 2011)
Ismail Ozgur Zembat
- WAS Founder, Young Scholars of Central Pennsylvania charter school
- NOW Professor at United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, Abu Dhabi, after returning to Turkey and working as faculty member at Hacettepe University for 3 years (current as of Jun 2011)
As noted on another page, the idea of "Hijrah" or Migration is a cornerstone of the Gulen Movement's plan for its teachers. Some examples of Gulenist Hijrah, where the Gulenists passed through our charter school system and even helped found schools, are shown below.
Higher resolution image files can be downloaded below:
volkan_cicek_-_copy.tif | |
File Size: | 160 kb |
File Type: | tif |
murtaza_ozdemir_-_copy.tif | |
File Size: | 124 kb |
File Type: | tif |
mustafa_guvercin_-_copy.tif | |
File Size: | 180 kb |
File Type: | tif |
murat_biyik_-_copy.tif | |
File Size: | 100 kb |
File Type: | tif |
ibrahim_sel_-_copy.tif | |
File Size: | 124 kb |
File Type: | tif |
suleyman_bahceci_-_copy.tif | |
File Size: | 116 kb |
File Type: | tif |