Magnolia Science Academy is without a doubt a Gulen Managed charter school
The Gulen Movement is fantastic at advertising, PR, and bestwowing fake honors on their students, politicians, local media and academia. The Parents4Magnolia blog is NOT American parents it is members of the Gulen Movement in damage control mode. Magnolia Science Academy, Pacific Technology School and Bay Area Technology is the name of their California schools. They are under several Gulen NGOs: Pacifica Institute, Willow Education, Magnolia Educaiton Foundation, Accord Institute, Bay Area Cultural Connection. Hizmet aka Gulen Movement will shamelessly act like satisifed American parents or students. They will lie, cajole, manipulate, bribe, blackmail, threaten, intimidate to get their way which is to expand the Gulen charter schools. If this doesn't work they play victim and cry "islamophobia". Beware of the Gulen propagandists and Gulen owned media outlets. DISCLAIMER: if you find some videos are disabled this is the work of the Gulen censorship which has filed fake copyright infringement complaints to Utube
2 years before Bob Blumenfeld's facilitating redevelopment land and funds to Magnolia Science Academy #1 (MSA #1) Reseda - RESEDA TOWN CENTER this will be over $10 million in value.
Blumenfeld is boasting about his partnership with Mustafa Sahin and Magnolia Science Academy.
As a reminder this School was DENIED renewal by LAUSD in October 2016 and was accepted by 1 vote to be managed by the LA county office of education. This was after the County Superintendent and staff both recommended denial to the board (who is selected not elected) they remain under their watchful eye.
Magnolia's past CEO Caprice Young is married to Mark Dierking who we identified as part of the SV planning commission which has access to redevelopment land and funds. Mark Dierking you are a shameful person as your wife is, hopefully soon you both are investigated for fraud of federal money.
How can it be a "Renewal" when SAUSD is not the entity overseeing it? This is actually a "ReAuthorization"
changing the name and changing the Tax ID number and asking for another authorizer. What is prompting Magnolia Science Academy in Santa Ana to seek authorization from SAUSD - Maybe the audit and other issues at the state of California finally caught up with them. There has been 2 closures of the Magnolia "affiliates" a school in Santa Clara and a School in Orangevale, CA The name change request is Magnolia Public Charter School - WHAT ARE THEY TRYING TO HIDE?
Additionally a HUGE investigation on their school in Oakland, CA Bay Tech Charter School under their Willow Education has landed under the microscope. Principal Hayri fled the USA taking $450,000 and their audit is showing that they used the school credit card to charge $30,000 of Apple products to give as gifts / incentives. They are very connected even thought they lie and say they are not -
Here is the article in Oakland News that mentions Magnolia Schools as their affiliate with "Accord Institute" 3rd paragraph from bottom
In Fact, their first application back in 2001 at LAUSD was under their stable name of Dialogue Cultural Scientific & Educational Foundation, they then changed it to MERF (Magnolia Educational Research Foundation) here is the name change at the state articles of Incorporation in 2008, note the names of the two men on the sigature are both back in Turkey, the only remaining original founding board member in California is Remzi Oten who lives in the Anaheim Hills and son Joseph (Yosepf) Oten goes to Magnolia Science Academy in Santa Ana
Remzi Oten and many of the other Gulenists in Calfiornia that operate Pacifica Institute (lobbying) Dialogue front And CATA their Turkish American Chamber of Commerce- know the recently arrested leader of the Gulen Movement USA money laundering operations Kemal Oksuz just arrested via Interpol in Armenia, world wide we know of 7 of the money laundering operations have been investigated, in jail or had their bank accounts frozen & fake businesses seized. Many more are under investigation worldwide
Magnolia (MERF- Magnolia Educational Research Foundation) must anticipate that the State is not going to renew for them, otherwise they would stay put. They are on PROBATION That $17 million that Alfredo talks about in his video testimony at SAUSD getting from the state was applied under their Pacific Technology School (prior name) in Costa Mesa, and they received that money at the same time Magnolia Science Academy had a statewide audit 2014-2015 Here is the audit https://www.slideshare.net/GulenCemaat/audit-of-gulen-operated-magnolia-science-academy ; Its unclear if the State understood they were a part of the Magnolia Science Academy under audit and if their name change from Pacific Technology School to Magnolia Science Academy had taken place when they received the $17 million
Alfredo is new to his position as Superintendent / CEO, he resumed the position July 1, 2018 when everyone's "poison ivy" Dr. Caprice Young stepped down from her $250K role, Magnolia has a huge gap in what they pay their administrators and what they pay their credentialed teachers. Alfredo started as a teacher at their Bell, CA location, became Principal then was moved into the administrative role of Chief External Officer when the CCSA people and Dr. Caprice Young struck a back room deal with LAUSD to keep the schools open. Alfredo's position was basically the liaison to the Hispanic community, holding meetings in the community - speaking on Spanish radio and TV. Developing Firenza de Padres and other support groups. They tell the usual stories of 100% graduation, and the uniforms, as well as classes for the parents in how to use the phone app and check their childrens grades. He is a good butler for the Gulen Movement and paid well, He left in 2017 to take a position with CCSA in the same capacity when he left he was being paid $130,000 a year, I was informed he is making $180,000 as the new Superintendent / CEO. A deal for the Gulen Movement, since Alfredo has no advanced degree beyond an undergraduate and it's unclear if he has a teaching credential. He is the 6th superintendent/CEO of Magnolia Science Academy since 2001 (17 years) He is the first Hispanic which is smart since the school has about 80% Hispanic enrollment.
Also They changed the board before it was all Turkish Muslim Men, now there is 2 hispanic women 1 black woman, 1 jewish rabbi and 5 Turkish Muslim Men (9 total) who retain the voting control pg 7 of 990 tax returns you can also view the hyper inflated salaries of the administration The departing Oswaldo Dias was making $194,712 as CFO https://www.slideshare.net/GulenCemaat/magnolia-science-academy-2016-tax-returns-990
in an effort to make the school appear more diverse when Caprice came in she fired a lot of the Turkish Males, I understand they had no teaching credentials a few are in litigation with Magnolia Science Academy for wrongful termination there are a few lawsuits pending according to their board minutes so SAUSD will want to get down to the bottom of the pending lawsuits and how it may effect the district. One lawsuit was settled this past April 12, 2018 "Metin Demir vs. Magnolia Science Academy. As they usually do throughout the USA they work hard to settle so the case doesn't reach jury trial here is some info on Metin's case I understand he did receive over $150K plus back pay for being wrongfully terminated without Magnolia having to admit guilt
Here is another lawsuit just receiving the green light in Supreme court of NY for Ersun Konkur State of New York vs. Utica Science Academy, Turkish Cultural Center and Highway Education
There are several of these EOE lawsuits throughout the USA some are American teachers but lately it's been Turkish Male Teachers who are fed up paying Tuzuk money, being abused and lied to. Some are tired of dedicating their lives to Hocaefendi Muhammed Fethullah Gulen who lives on $40 million estate - The NAACP has Resolution 16 regarding the Gulen Movement and demands accountability - and investigations in California and in the USA, specifically names Magnolia Science Academy as part of Resolution16
they kept the Turkish Teachers away from speaking and from these hearings as much as possible preferring to hide behind Hispanic Parents and American Teachers as much as possible
Varol Gurler who is the principal Magnolia Science Academy - K-6th grade he is a die hard gulenists moving all over the USA teaching for Gulen Schools :
Lastly this is sinking down quickly just this past week there was a shooting on the estate entrance of the Willow Retreat aka Golden Generation Worship and Retreat Center. Erdogan has vowed to close down Gulen Terrorism on American soil if need be. Don't know where this is going but they have a financial situation as the money is being frozen you will see more and more of them liquidating their assets and property they have acquired. Its better to error on the side of caution, school shootings are not exactly a novel idea in America
Alfredo Rubalcava has never worked at any other school besides the Gulen operated Magnolia Science Academies. He started at Magnolia #8 (Bell) a high Hispanic school as a teacher, he shortly worked his way to principal. Alfredo was successful in marketing and manipulating to Hispanic families on spanish radio and creating Firenza de Madre. Alfredo is a perro for the Gulen Movement and will be told what to do and how to do it for a good salary.
Eventually Alfredo worked his way to CEO (Chief External Officer) aka bridging the enrollment of spanish families/students. His last salary with Magnolia MERF was $132,00 yer., August 2017 Alfredo took a position with CCSA (California Charter School Association) as a community liaison . July 1, 2018 announcement of Alfredo replacing Caprice Young the liar, will Alfredo make the same salary as Dr. Caprice Young? ($247,000) The answer is not likely but he will get a bump up to about $180K and should take it as no other school will ever hire this pendejo perro who willingly lies for the Gulen Movement. Hope the salary is good Alfredo as when this is all over you will never make that kind of money again. You are owned by the Gulen Crime Cartel.
Magnolia Science Academy is not the first Gulen Operated school in the USA that has tapped into local Redevelopment Funds and promised part of the classrooms to be part of the Community rec rooms for events. How does a school that has been denied renewal by LAUSD and barely accepted by the LACOE. Their applications for funding are filled with lies, inconsistencies and marketing hype.
(after recommendation of denial by staff, and County Superintendent) voted in by a "selected board" get redevelopment funds. More Later but the answer is it has to do with Caprice Young's husband Mr. Mark Dierking. These are not high performing schools all Gulen Schools Claim to be "blue Ribbon" and "US News and World Report Schools"
Magnolia Science Academy #5 application to LACOE is on this link it's very
long but the relevant areas start pg 22 for the Statement of facts of denial from LAUSD and the
application to LACOE starts at pg 36
MAGNOLIA SCIENCE ACADEMY #5 asked for an extension at their December 19, 2017
January 23, 2018 is the date set for the renewal hearing. The school has been recommended for denial but as last time the county school board can override the decision of their staff.
Where did Magnolia get the funds for the 3 new building projects?
#1 - RESEDA repairs to Gymnasium and other buildings
SANTA ANA - New Gymnasium
SAN DIEGO - New campus
In Magnolia's minutes they mention not able to get funding but they voted in intra-company loan (basically loaning money to themselves) or did they get money from Texas
It was the COUNTY of Santa Clara BOE that held Caprice Young and Magnolia Schools accountable. Eventually the Magnolia Science Academy in Santa Clara closed they failed to meet many standards including a location. Better the county overseeing than the State.
"The county’s Board of Education, which is now the authorizer of these charter schools, acted against the recommendation of the L.A. County Superintendent of Schools and her staff as well as LAUSD on Tuesday."
"“Overturning the superintendent and staff is not something that I take lightly, but here we had a situation where the admittedly serious fiscal problems were under resolution under (Magnolia Public Schools’ CEO and Superintendent) Caprice Young,”
"County staff recommended denying the petitions for a series of reasons, including “potential civil liability for the county board” as a result of Magnolia Public Schools’ “clear pattern of poor fiscal management” and a “pattern of failing to respond in a timely manner to its (previous) authorizer,” which was LAUSD."
"not all student subgroups at the schools have shown increases in academic achievement over the past two years, according to the L.A. County Office of Education staff. County staff also noted at Tuesday’s meeting that enrollment has been declining at the three schools and called the attrition rate of African-American students at the Magnolia Science Academy 3 in Carson “alarming.”
3 Magnolia charter schools facing closure ‘vindicated’ after winning appeal
A sign at the Magnolia Science Academy 2 campus in Van Nuys on Thursday, December 22, 2016. (Photo by Dean Musgrove, Los AngelesDaily News/SCNG)
A man rides his bicycle past Magnolia Science Academy 1in Reseda on Thursday, December 22, 2016. (Photo by Dean Musgrove, Los AngelesDaily News/SCNG)
Three Magnolia Public Schools, including two in the San Fernando Valley, were spared from potential closure after a county board voted this week to renew their charter school petitions on appeal.
The Los Angeles County Board of Education voted 4-1 Tuesday to renew the charters of Magnolia Science Academies 1, 2 and 3, located respectively in Reseda, the Lake Balboa area and Carson through June 2022. Two months ago, the Los Angeles Unified School District’s Board of Education denied their renewal. The three college preparatory schools, which are part of a network of 10 public charter schools in Southern California that emphasize math and science, serve about 1,400 sixth- through 12th-grade students in economically disadvantaged communities.
The county’s Board of Education, which is now the authorizer of these charter schools, acted against the recommendation of the L.A. County Superintendent of Schools and her staff as well as LAUSD on Tuesday.
“Overturning the superintendent and staff is not something that I take lightly, but here we had a situation where the admittedly serious fiscal problems were under resolution under (Magnolia Public Schools’ CEO and Superintendent) Caprice Young,” said Doug Boyd, president of the county board who voted in favor of renewal, on Thursday. “Since she got here in January 2015, we’ve seen major improvement in every single area questioned or the problem has been completely resolved.”
Boyd said he was impressed by the “very strong” academic performance of the schools’ students, including high graduation and college-readiness rates.
County staff recommended denying the petitions for a series of reasons, including “potential civil liability for the county board” as a result of Magnolia Public Schools’ “clear pattern of poor fiscal management” and a “pattern of failing to respond in a timely manner to its (previous) authorizer,” which was LAUSD.
In addition, not all student subgroups at the schools have shown increases in academic achievement over the past two years, according to the L.A. County Office of Education staff. County staff also noted at Tuesday’s meeting that enrollment has been declining at the three schools and called the attrition rate of African-American students at the Magnolia Science Academy 3 in Carson “alarming.”
In October, LAUSD’s Charter Schools Division cited the Magnolia schools’ “failure to timely respond” to document requests from LAUSD’s Office of Inspector General, which has been investigating Magnolia Public Schools since September 2014, and the Fiscal Crisis Management Assistance Team, an external state agency that provides financial oversight. District staffers said that Magnolia Public Schools’ “repeated failure” to respond in a reasonable time frame to information requests “limited the district’s ability to fully oversee the fiscal and business operations” of the nonprofit.
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Had the L.A. County Board of Education rejected renewal of the schools this week, the nonprofit charter school group could have appealed the decision to the state. The state appeal would have been its last recourse to avoid closure other than pursuing litigation, Young said.
“We were given a real opportunity to refute the misstatements and to add in the facts that were in our favor that had been left out, such as the fact that we have a near 100 percent graduation rate and our students graduate college ready,” Young said Thursday.
Each of the three schools has at least a 98 percent graduation rate and among the students who do graduate, more than 80 percent meet University of California and Cal State University eligibility requirements, according to the national nonprofit GreatSchools.org.
Young, a former LAUSD school board president, called the concerns of the county’s Office of Education and LAUSD staff “unfounded” but said the group will “continue to provide information to any oversight bodies and overseers that they request.”
The governing board of Magnolia Public Schools currently has three vacancies that it hopes to fill with community members, Young said.
The affected Magnolia schools in Reseda and Van Nuys were in the top 3 percent of all high schools in the nation, according to an April issue of U.S. News & World Report. The Magnolia school in the Lake Balboa area was also identified at the time as the top-ranked charter high school within LAUSD boundaries.
The government of Turkey has alleged that Magnolia Public Schools has inappropriate ties to a Turkish national Fethullah Gulen, who has been charged in absentia there for allegedly trying to destabilize the Turkish government. Young, who called Turkey’s allegation a “frivolous political vendetta” that has nothing to do with the local students, said the L.A. County Office of Education staff and its board “were smart enough” to realize that was not a real issue.
“We feel vindicated and just happy to be able to educate our kids,” Young said of Tuesday’s decision. “The county recognized that we’re doing a great job in collaboration with our families.”
Thank you MSA 3 Family! The holiday season is a little more bright with our recent news of the Los Angeles County Office of Education voting 4 to 1 to renew our school for five more years! 2017-2022 is solid and we say thank you for al of the parent, student, faculty/staff and the community. A big shout out to Carson City Council Juwane Hilton for speaking on our behalf! We are asking him to serve on our MPS Board! More details tomorrow but please visit our website for the updated academic calendar for the spring semester!
Magnolia Science Academy 3 1254 E. Helmick St. Carson, CA 90746 USA THE SCHOOL THAT HAS AN "Alarming" attrition rate of African American students. http://us13.campaign-archive1.com/?u=0d77908cc700f77c0469ede0d&id=943704748a
A little-known county board overruled its own staff and the powerful Los Angeles Unified School District this week to allow three embattled charter schools to remain open.
The reprieve represents a full turnabout for Magnolia Public Schools, which faced the shutdown of its campuses after L.A. Unified moved against them in October.
Evidence of affiliation with Gulen Movement and financial conflicts of interest
The Accord Institute provides management/educational services to several member (charter) schools in western states, in return for a per-student fee. Apex Educational Services is a provider of IT and security surveillance system services to Gulen charter schools. Accord and Apex have close ties.
Accord member schools (all publicly-funded Gulen charter schools):
The Accord logo appears on the websites of the member schools. The website of at least one Magnolia Science Academy school describes Accord as “our partner.”
Some failed Gulen charter schools applications have included Accord membership as part of their educational and administrative plan; this includes the proposed Pioneer Technology Public Charter School in Oregon, and two proposed replications of Lotus School for Excellence in Colorado.
Reasons why the close ties between Accord, Apex, Gulen charter schools, and the Gulen Movement are a concern: (1) The connection of the charter schools with the Gulen Movement has been publicly denied by school administrators. (2) Significant overlap in board membership between management organizations and charter schools is widely considered inadvisable, and was a subject of stiff criticism in the report Authorized Abuse on Ohio charter schools. Accord is a de facto management organization. (3) There is a broad consensus that charter schools should not do business with entities with which they have close ties, as it creates a conflict of interest. It is very difficult to ensure that charter schools are not paying inflated prices or buying services they do not need when the school administrators have a financial interest in the corporations selling the services. This holds even if the companies in question have legal non-profit status, as individuals can still personally benefit from their association with a non-profit corporation.
Gulenist strategic ambiguity: Accord’s website gives its name as the “Accord Institute for Education Research;” however, on tax documents it appears as “Accord Institute of Education Research.” (These small discrepancies can make it harder to track an organization.)
On October 22, 2010, an Arizona news article What does $364K in tax money buy these charter schools? discussed the Accord membership fees, apparently $160 per student annually, and raised the question of whether the services provided in exchange for them justify the expense.
Accord runs the AMSP (advanced math) program, the MathMatters competition, and the Gauss League competition. Only its member Gulen charter schools participate in these events.
Accord has hired employees using H-1B visas, a characteristic of Gulenist organizations.
The Magnolia Schools Quarterly Newsletter of Fall 2009 states that “Magnolia Foundation has partnered with the Accord Institute and APEX Educational Services in this project. The final outcome is a brand new software that we present to Magnolia Schools: Cool School Information System (CoolSIS).” This document explains that CoolSIS replaces MagnoXP: “Magnolia started to develop its own School Information System in 2002 and named it MagnoXP.” Strangely, the Apex website shows both MagnoXP and CoolSIS as Apex products and makes no mention of Magnolia.
In summer 2008, Accord held a workshop for teachers and administrators at Gulen charter schools. The workshop program shows that attendees were all Gulenist and either of Turkish or Central Asian origin/ethnicity, and only one attendee was female. This was a subject of criticism, and in response, Accord held another workshop in summer 2010 that included non-Gulenist teachers (and some women) from Gulen charter schools.
Baris Aksakal was employed at Apex; his description of his work experience shows how Apex’s business is centered around Gulen charter schools: “Carried out on-site installation, configuration and wiring of Windows 2000/2003 servers, workstations, IP cameras, NBX phones, 3com switches and routers to over 20 charter schools. ….Provided technical support to school administration on using the system and creating accounts.”
Grants and Grant applications
The following grants and grant applications indicate a close link between Accord, Apex and Gulen charter schools in the west:
California State Fiscal Stabilization Fund – Education Fund Sub-Award Number 08-25008-C986-01 Sub-award recipient: Magnolia Science Academy 4 Amount: $25,214 Date: 04/17/2009 Sub-recipient vendors: Accord Institute and MERF; Apex Educational California State Fiscal Stabilization Fund – Education Fund Sub-Award Number 08-25008-C987-01 Sub-award recipient: Magnolia Science Academy 5 Amount: $26,552 Date: 04/17/2009 Sub-recipient vendors: Accord Institute and MERF; Apex Educational
US Department of Education i3 grant application Daisy Education Corporation (DEC) College-bound STEM Education Model Funding requested: $6,372,274 Budget partner: Accord Institute for Education Research (Official) $450,000 (Note that Daisy Education Corporation is the charter holder of the Sonoran Science Academy chain and Paragon Science Academy.)
Shared street addresses showing close ties
The close connection between Accord, Apex and the Gulen Movement is further shown by the following street addresses used by multiple Gulenist entities:
906 Veneto Drive Irvine CA
Accord Institute of Education Research
Turkish Language Institute Inc (Gulenist organization; its website produced by Westwood Production, a Gulenist business)
1415 Warner Ave Tustin CA
Accord Institute of Education Research
Kismet Investment Properties, Inc (Gulenist business that has had real estate deals with the Magnolia Gulen charter schools in California)
13950 Milton Ave Westminster CA 92683
Accord Institute of Education Research
Magnolia Foundation (charter holder of Magnolia Science Academy chain; Pacific Technology Schools)
17851 Sky Park Circle Irvine CA 92614
Site of Accord Institute 2008 summer conference (building floor plan showed sections labeled “Pacifica,” “Apex” and “Accord,” indicating all three organizations had office space in this building)
Tolerance Foundation (Gulenist dialog organization)
Global Cultural Connections (Gulenist dialog organization)
Pacifica Institute (Gulenist dialog organization)
17911 Sky Park Circle Irvine CA 92614
Apex Educational Services
Kismet Investment Properties
Organic ties through individuals
In addition, the connection of Accord and Apex to the Gulen Movement is evidenced by the multiple affiliations, both past and present, of the following individuals:
Al Ataizi a.k.a. Alp Ataizi
Apex Educational Services, MagnoXP school information system
Wife Nichole Ataizi works for Magnolia schools, is board member of MERF
Pacifica Institute
Likes Ebru TV on Facebook
Suat Utku Ay, a.k.a. S Utku Ay
Board of Directors, Accord Institute of Educational Research
Magnolia Science Academy board member
Dialog Cultural, Scientific and Educational Foundation, Reseda, California
Author, Fountain Magazine
Murat “Brad” Akbas
Accord Institute of Educational Research
Turkish Language Institute Inc (Gulenist)
Teacher, Gulen school in Mongolia (at that time, run by Ufuk company)
Wrote 5-star online review of Jill Carroll’s “Dialogue of Civilizations,” which gave a very favorable depiction of Fethullah Gulen
Suleyman Bahceci
Board member, guest lecturer, Accord Institute of Education Research
CEO Magnolia schools, Magnolia Education and Research Foundation
Treasurer, Willow Education Foundation (charter holder of Bay Area Technology School, a Gulen charter school)
Personal loan of $30000 to Beehive Science and Technology Academy (Gulen charter school) while working at the Accord Institute
Graduate of Yamanlar College (private Gulen school in Turkey)
Follows/followed Alptekin Kavi (see Lotus School page) on Twitter
Ibrahim Bayraktar
Accord Institute of Education Research
Teacher, Sarajevo College and Bihac College in Bosnia-Herzegovina (private Gulen schools)
Sonoran Science Academy (Gulen charter school)
Suleyman Bulut
Apex Educational Services
Attended conference, Accord Institute of Education Research
Pacific Technology School (Gulen charter school)
Dialog Foundation (charter holder of Magnolia Science Academy schools; later renamed MERF, the Magnolia Education and Research Foundation)
Yasin Cetindil (misspelled Yasin Cetindilin on Accord tax documents)
Accord Institute of Education Research, AMSP coordinator
Taught at Yamanlar College (private Gulen high school in Turkey)
Volkan Ersoy
Apex Educational Services
Participated in conference, Accord Institute of Education Research
MagnoXP school information system
West America Turkic Council (Gulenist organization, member of Gulenist Turkic American Alliance)
Abdullah Ficici
Accord Institute of Education Research
Putnam Science Academy (private Gulen school)
Brooklyn Amity School (private Gulen school)
Intercultural Dialogue Association of University of South Alabama (Gulenist)
Mobile International Festival (Gulenist event)
Gulenist Turkey trip guide to residents of Mobile, Alabama
Teacher, PakTurk school (private Gulen school in Pakistan)
Teacher, Gulen school, Turkey
Fatih Gelgi
Accord Institute of Education Research
Apex Educational Services
Dialog Foundation, Reseda CA (charter holder of Magnolia Science Academy schools; later changed named to MERF – Magnolia Education & Research Foundation)
Magnolia Science Academy
Foundation for Inter-Cultural Dialogue, Arizona (Gulenist)
Volunteer mentor, Sonoran Science Academy Phoenix (Gulen charter school)
Mustafa Gunaydin
“Completed training with Accord Institute for Education Research on Business Management and QuickBooks” according to his biographical sketch. Note that nothing on the Accord website or on its tax documents indicates that it provides training in accounting.
Business Manager, Coral Academy of Science
Ali Gurel
Math coach, Accord Institute of Education Research
Petitioner, Orange Science Academy (proposed Gulen charter school in CA)
Alper Halbutogullari
Accord Institute of Education Research (A-Star program)
Spoke at 2009 Santa Clara Board of Education meeting as “parent” in favor of Magnolia Science Academy – Santa Clara
Wife Meryem Halbutogullari participates in events such as Noah’s Pudding at Pacifica Institute (Gulenist); affiliated with Bay Area Cultural Connections (Gulenist)
Math Counts coach for Silicon Valley Academy, a private school. (Not a Gulen school, but has some resemblence to Gulen school template. Originally a charter school, converted to private in 2002 after authorities found it was illegally teaching religion.)
Ahmet G Idil
Real estate agent who sold Accord Institute property to Brad Akbas
Broker-Accounting at Kismet Investment Properties
Marketing-Accounting Manager at Tughra Books (Gulenist publishing company)
Business Manager at Magnolia Science Academy/MERF
Manager at Bosphorous Education Corporation (Gulenist company)
Bunyamin “Ben” Karaduman
Moderator of session on “Accord’s school model” at 2008 summer conference
Director, Coral Academy of Science
Executive Director, WEDUF – Washington Education Foundation, which has the “Pinnacle school model,” with the same 4 pillars as the Accord school model (see Organic Ties page)
Petitioner, First State Math and Science Academy (proposed Gulen charter school in Delaware)
Mehmet Kaysi
Accord Institute of Education Research
While located in Irvine, California, registrant of MATEMATIKOLIMPIYATI.ORG domain, the website of International Mathematics Olympiads inTurkey (a competition that he himself won a medal in in 2004)
Izmir Ozel Yamanlar Fen Lisesi (a.k.a. Yamanlar College, private Gulen high school in Turkey)
Adem “Adam” Oksuz
Ex-Director, Accord Institute of Education Research
Superintendent, Daisy Education Corporation (His Linked In profile, as well as webpages relating to Daisy and Sonoran Science Academy, have been inconsistent and ambiguous about his exact position and duration of employment with Daisy/Sonoran. Some of the information, including his job title, has been changed over time.)
Principal, Sonoran Science Academy
Oksuz’ signature appears on a power of attorney form attached to Accord’s 2007 IRS Form 990, yet in 2007 the Form 990 for Daisy Education Corporation says “books are in the care of Adam Oksuz.” This is further proof of very close financial ties between Accord and Daisy.
Ertan Salik
Accord Institute of Education Research
Board President, Dialog Foundation (charter holder of Magnolia Science Academy schools; later changed named to MERF – Magnolia Education & Research Foundation)
Physics and English Teacher, Termez City High School, Uzbekistan (Gulen school)
School Board President, Magnolia Science Academy, Reseda, CA
Petitioner, Orange Science Academy Charter School (proposed Gulen charter school in CA)
Osman Sen
Accord Institute of Education Research
Magnolia Science Academy (Gulen charter school)
Faruk Taban
Accord Institute of Education Research
MAFTAA, Mid-Atlantic Federation of Turkic American Associations (Gulenist)
Organizer of inaugural ATAF (Assembly of Turkic American Federations, later renamed Turkic American Alliance) Gala in Washington DC (see this page for explanation of how this umbrella organization for many other Gulenist organizations in the US is unambiguously connected to the Gulen Movement)
Final note: documentation supporting all the above connections has been saved.
Aside all futile attempts by expensive mouthpiece lawyer from Minny, Young & Corr, and a last ditch attempt to use ethnic and religion as a reason for denial the proof is in the fiscal management and overstatement of SBAC scores. 2 years ago Magnolia was pushing API scores but the new and improved testing...something pushed by the gaggle of boards that CEO Caprice Young serves on (profits disguised as non-profits) like Fordham Institute <---which is nothing but a group of profiteers that want educational reform aka privatization of public schools.
Hey its called "ACCOUNTABILITY" Asswipe Jerry Simmons, Magnolia Science Academy has lied about finances and about achievements for 14 years. Caprice Young may be delusional and believes she can play to the media with her expensive Larson Communications. Caprice can bark all day long that Magnolia answered all the CDE, OIG and FCMT inquiries but the proof is in the documentation, Caprice & Co., was spared the testimony of 4 more departments because the real 1,000 lb gorilla in the room was the fact that Magnolia Science Academy is and has been a troubled organization from the get go. Frankly, Caprice Young is a horrible speaker and lacks the training in education to actually know what she is speaking about. Another overpaid profiteer that should clean up her act and stop lying to media not everyone is for sale like she is. Magnolia Science Academies are not the vehicle for CCSA to grow the charter movement in California no matter how much Lira the Gulen Movement pays to California Charter School Association. Criminal crime cartels that smear, vilify and damage candidates that are perceived as pro public education will not be tolerated by the American people.
CCSA tactics are the same as the Gulen Movement no wonder they share the same address and are cozy roommates at 250 E. First St., Los Angeles, CA. Hey Attorney General you reading? Nothing like collusion and co- mingling of profit with non-profit funds not to mention all that generous government money bonds, grants, title I-V - DO WE SMELL ANOTHER FBI RAID on Gulen operated charter schools?
http://abc7.com/education/5-lausd-schools-lose-charter-status/1562886/
DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES (KABC) --
Five schools have lost their charter status after the Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education voted to deny their renewals Tuesday night. The five schools include Magnolia Science Academy 1, Magnolia Science Academy 2, Magnolia Science Academy 3, Celerity Dyad and Celerity Troika.
The board could have revoked El Camino Real Charter High School's authority to operate, but decided to stay the action, as long as the school agrees to the district's terms. The Los Angeles Daily News reported El Camino Real Charter High School's Executive Director David Fehte would resign under a tentative agreement that stops the charter revocation process started by LAUSD. Under the agreement, Fehte would step down effective Oct. 26, according to The Los Angeles Daily News. A review by the district found several problems with the high schools including alleged inappropriate spending, claims of importing foreign teachers and having possible conflicts of interest with corporations. Tuesday's board meeting drew a large crowd of parents and teachers in downtown Los Angeles. "I believe it's all about LAUSD trying to regain control of all the charters because our kids excel. We have great donors. We raise a lot of money as parents and as a community for our children," El Camino Real Charter High School parent Erin Sanchez said. LAUSD has the highest number of independently operated charters in the U.S. school system.
The L.A. school board’s vote was 6 to 0 against a five-year renewal for three schools operated by locally based Magnolia Educational and Research Foundation. Board member George McKenna abstained.
Magnolia came under widespread scrutiny after the Turkish government accused it and other U.S.-based charters with Turkish governing boards of helping foment a failed July coup in Turkey. The schools’ leaders denied any involvement.
A more direct concern for L.A. Unified was Magnolia’s importing of Turkish nationals and their families for teaching and other staff positions. That past practice is the subject of an ongoing investigation by the district’s inspector general.
Magnolia operates 10 campuses, including eight in L.A. Unified; the ones up for renewal were Magnolia Science Academy 1 in Reseda, Magnolia Science Academy 2 in Van Nuys and Magnolia Science Academy 3 in Carson.
DON'T BE TOO CONFIDENT CAPRICE YOUNG....There are no favors left for you at the County and State. You have no clout or credibility, without an expensive publicist you are nothing but a fraud.
SAN FERNANDO VALLEY, CA -- A leader of two independent charter schools in the San Fernando Valley said in remarks published Friday that she's "very confident" they can avoid shutdowns by appealing their denied renewal petitions to the county and possibly the state.
The Los Angeles Unified school board Tuesday refused to renew three Magnolia schools serving 1,400 sixth- through 12th-grade students, including Magnolia Science Academy campuses in Reseda and Van Nuys, as recommended by district staff.
"I feel angry and frustrated and concerned, but I'm also very optimistic because I think we're going to be successful at making our case at the county level or the state level. We've done that before,” Caprice Young, CEO of Magnolia Public Schools and a former president of the LAUSD school board, told the Los Angeles Daily News.
The district cited the Magnolia schools' failure to timely respond" to document requests from LAUSD’s Office of Inspector General, which has been investigating Magnolia Public Schools for more than two years, and the Fiscal Crisis Management Assistance Team, an external state agency that provides financial oversight.
LAUSD board member Scott M. Schmerelson, who voted against the renewal, said Magnolia appears to have a great educational program but called it "the most secretive school" he has seen, the Daily News reported.
