Harmony Science Academy, Cosmos Foundation: Evidence of Affiliation with the Gulen Movement


December 20, 2010   last updated June 18, 2011
by C.A.S.I.L.I.P.S. - Citizens Against Special Interest Lobbying in Public Schools

The publicly-funded Harmony Public Schools are spread across Texas and include branches named Harmony Science Academy, Harmony School of Innovation, Harmony School of Excellence, Harmony School of Nature and Harmony School of Advancement.  All are run by the Cosmos Foundation.

(Some information on academic aspects of these schools can be found here and here.)

In a PBS article dated Jan 21, 2011, Professor William Martin of Rice University is quoted as saying "I think the Harmony schools are an outstanding example of what the Gulen followers have been able to accomplish in particular with respect to education."

A re-enrollment form for Harmony Science Academy - Grand Prairie has meta-data showing the document title "Horizon Science Academy re-enrollment form."

A document pertaining to NJ ASK practice test scheduling for Bergen Arts and Science Charter School (Gulen charter school), downloadable from the school site, has metadata showing document title "Harmony Science Academy Dallas," and author "teski," which probably refers to Tevfik Eski of Harmony.

Harmony School of Excellence in Houston has an identical mission statement to Gulen schools in Bosnia and Herzegovina (the former Yugoslavia), as well as Abramson Science and Technology School in Louisiana.

The newsletter of the Raindrop Turkish House, a Gulenist organization, states that at an opening ceremony for the Turquoise Center in Houston, a building housing Gulenist organizations, "a group of American students from the Harmony School of Innovation performed Turkish folk dances in traditional costume."

Students from Harmony and Cosmos Foundation schools participate in the Turkish Language Olympiads, and ISWEEEP, both Gulenist competitions.

Additional connections are shown by individuals with multiple affiliations (both past and present) across Gulen schools and organizations:

Yusuf Akpinar
  • Harmony Science Academy
  • Brooklyn Amity School, New York  (private Gulen school)

Kudbettin Aksoy
  • Harmony Science Academy
  • Texas Gulf Institute
  • Ace Test Prep, Gulenist company mentioned in HSA Lubbock Technology Plan, associated with Texas Gulf Institute
  • Received acknowledgment "We would like to thank Kudbettin Aksoy for his help and for providing valuable criticism in preparing the manuscript" in the book "Muslim citizens of the globalized world : contributions of the Gulen movement" edited by Robert A. Hunt and Yuksel A. Aslandogan
  • School of Art Denton & School of Art Houston  (proposed Gulen charter schools in Texas; New Dimension Educational Foundation was proposed charter holder)

Resul Aksoy
  • Cosmos Foundation
  • Turquoise Council of Americans and Eurasians   (Gulenist organization)

Yalcin Akyildiz, a.k.a. Yalcin White
  • Harmony Public Schools, South Cluster Superintendent  
  • Principal, Dove Science Academy Oklahoma City  (Gulen charter school)
  • Wrote a "Professional Investigation in Brief" at the University of Texas Tyler in conjunction with their Principal Certification Program entitled "Role of Home Visits in Student Achievement and Behavior;" report uses Harmony Public Schools data and concludes that home visits are very effective for academics and student behavior (note that home visits are a signature feature of all Gulen schools, a point that Gulenists push heavily in charter applications and in school publicity)

Yuksel Alp Aslandogan  (according to several websites such as Intelius, alias Yuksel A. Conger)
  • Spokesman for the Gulen Movement in a Jan 21, 2011 PBS article that clearly makes a connection between the Gulen Movement and Harmony Public Schools
  • Founder of Wisconsin Career Academy (Gulen charter school) with Harun H. Solak, Zekeriya Baskal, Ahmet H. Aydilek and Melen M. Dogan
  • Petitioner, Horizon Math and Science Charter School at Oak Park and Des Plaines (proposed Gulen charter schools in Illinois, 2000)
  • President, North American College  (Gulenist institution)
  • Director Texas Gulf Foundation  (Gulenist)
  • School Director, Texas Gulf Institute  (Gulenist)
  • Fielded questions in Q&A session on Gulen Movement at Center for Strategic and International Studies, June 17, 2009
  • Vice president of the Institute of Interfaith Dialog   (Gulenist)
  • Speaker, 2007 Gulen Conference in London
  • Bought property at 4444 N Classen Blvd, Oklahoma City OK from Sky Foundation on Aug 27, 2010 for $1,025,000.  Sky Foundation is charter holder for Dove Science Academy.  Sold property exactly 4 months later on Dec 27, 2010 to Rain Drop Foundation (Gulenist) for $650,000.  The Rain Drop Foundation runs the Raindrop Turkish House.
  • Wife Dilara Cavus (Aslandogan) is Harmony teacher

Ferhat Avsar
  • Math teacher, Harmony Science Academy Houston 
  • Math teacher, Chesapeake Science Point  (Gulen charter school)

Fatih Ay
  • Principal, Harmony Science Academy - El Paso
  • Principal, Harmony Science Academy - Dallas
  • Superintendent, Dallas area Harmony Public Schools
  • Defendant in Couch v Harmony federal civil rights lawsuit
  • Secretary, Rain Drop Foundation  (Gulenist organization)

Nihat Bayhan
  • Harmony Science Academy Fort Worth
  • CEO, Pelican Education Foundation (charter holder of Abramson and Kenilworth, Gulen charter schools in Louisiana)
  • Gulenist interfaith "Abraham Walk" organized by Institute of Interfaith Dialog in 2006

Veli Baysal
  • Co-leader of Brian Talbott's 2007 Turkey trip along with Ozgur Ozer and Soner Tarim  (Brian Talbott is with the Association of Educational Service Agencies); described in writeup of this trip as "associate" of Soner Tarim, the Superintendent of Harmony schools
  • Board Member, Houston Istanbul Sister City Association (Gulenist organization)
  • Rain Drop Foundation (Gulenist organization)
  • Participant at Raindrop Turkish House (Gulenist organization)
  • Author of article for Today’s Zaman (Gulenist newspaper)

Erdal Caglar
  • Harmony Science Academy North Austin
  • Wrote 5-star review of Jill Carroll's book "A Dialogue of Civilizations" on amazon.com

Yasar Cakir
  • Principal, Harmony School of Innovation Dallas
  • Raindrop Cultural Center [Turkish House], Oklahoma City OK   (Gulenist)

Kaan Camuz
  • Harmony Science Academy - Austin
  • Dove Science Academy, Oklahoma    (Gulen charter school)
  • Petitioner for Dove School of Excellence – Springdale, a proposed Gulen charter school in Arkansas

Dilara Cavus, a.k.a. Dilara Aslandogan, Dilara Cavus Aslandogan
  • Wife of Yuksel Alp Aslandogan
  • Teacher, Harmony School of Advancement, Harmony School of Science, Houston
  • Party to sale of property at 4444 Classen Blvd, Oklahoma City OK to Rain Drop Foundation (Gulenist)

Oner Ulvi Celepcikay
  • Cosmos Foundation
  • Board president, Harmony Science Academy
  • Faculty, Texas Gulf Institute  (Gulenist)

Yasin Ceran
  • Harmony Science Academy Dallas
  • Author, Fountain Magazine  (Gulenist publication; Fethullah Gulen writes lead article of each issue)

Ahmet Cetinkaya
  • Harmony Science Academy Beaumont, Principal
  • Albuquerque School of Excellence, New Mexico   (Gulen charter school) 

Coskun Cetinkaya
  • Cosmos Foundation
  • Frontier School of Innovation, Missouri  (Gulen charter school)
  • Institute of Interfaith Dialog   (Gulenist organization)
  • Vice President for Academic Affairs, North American College  (Gulenist)
  • Placement and Externship Coordinator, Texas Gulf Institute (Gulenist)

Volkan Cicek
  • Harmony Science Academy
  • Teacher, Vice President, Dove Science Academy, Oklahoma  (Gulen charter school)
  • Institute of Interfaith Dialog (Gulenist organization)
  • Ishik University, Erbil, Iraq   (Gulenist institution)

Edip “Eddie” Ercetin
  • Harmony Science Academy - Houston
  • Raindrop Turkish House  (Gulenist organization)
  • Wrote 5 star review of Jill Carroll’s book "A Dialogue of Civilizations" on amazon.com  (The Gulen Movement asked Carroll to write this book; it gives a very flattering portrayal of Fethullah Gulen.)

Annamuratberdiyev Gulberdiyev  a.k.a. Murat Gulberdiyev
  • Teacher, Harmony Science Academy Lubbock
  • Graduate, International Black Sea University  (Gulen institution in Tbilisi, Georgia)

Kazim Z. Gumus 
  • Harmony Science Academy Austin science teacher
  • Interim board member, Mokapu STEM School (proposed Gulen charter school in Hawaii)

Ilker Gure
  • Dean of Students, Dove Science Academy
  • Assistant Superintendent, Cosmos Foundation  (Gulenist)

Mustafa Guvercin
  • Teacher, Harmony Science Academy, Houston
  • Assistant Superintendent, Harmony Science Academy, Houston
  • Teacher, Principal, CEO, Dove Science Academy, Oklahoma City
  • CEO, Abramson Science and Technology Charter School, Louisiana
  • Teacher, Gulen school in Mongolia under Ufuk ("Horizon") Educational Foundation

Nihat Guvercin
  • Cosmos Foundation
  • Harmony Science Academy Dallas
  • Bergen Arts and Science Charter School, New Jersey   (Gulen charter school)
  • Lead petitioner, Passaic Arts and Science Charter School, NJ  (proposed Gulen charter school)

Ismet Sukru Isik
  • Harmony Science Academy
  • Rain Drop Foundation   (Gulenist)
  • Frontier School of Innovation, Missouri   (Gulen charter school)
  • Superintendent, Brookside Frontier Math and Science School - BFMASS   (Gulen charter school)
  • Loaned 70000 to Millenium Education Foundation (charter holder of BFMASS)

Yusuf Kandir
  • Harmony School of Nature and Athletics
  • Brookside Frontier Math and Science School  (Gulen charter school)
  • Dove Science Academy  (Gulen charter school)

Osman Kazan
  • Harmony Science Academy
  • Raindrop Turkish House   (Gulenist)
  • New Dimension Educational Foundation  (Gulenist)
  • School of Art Denton & School of Art Houston  (proposed Gulen charter schools in Texas; New Dimension Educational Foundation was proposed charter holder)

Cengizhan Keskin
  • Cosmos Foundation
  • Institute of Interfaith Dialog  (Gulenist organization)

Turan Kilic
  • Cosmos Foundation
  • ISWEEEP advisory board  (Gulenist competition)
  • Institute of Interfaith Dialog  (Gulenist)

Burnahettin Kuruscu
  • Harmony Science Academy
  • Raindrop Turkish House   (Gulenist organization)

Kemal "Mark" Namver
  • Cosmos Foundation, Harmony Public Schools
  • School of Science and Technology (SST)  (Gulen charter school)
  • Riverwalk Education Foundation (former charter holder of SST schools)
  • Albuquerque School of Excellence  (Gulen charter school)
  • Advisory Board Member, ISWEEEP   (Gulenist competition)

Fatih Oner
  • Harmony Science Academy – Ft Worth
  • Turkish Cultural Center Queens    (Gulenist organization)
Mehmet Okumus
  • Harmony Science Academy
  • Cosmos Foundation
  • Board President of Raindrop Foundation  (Gulenist)
  • Chairperson of Texas Turkish American Chamber of Commerce  (Gulenist)
  • Turkish Olympiads   (competition run by the Gulen Movement)
  • Turkic Fest - Houston 2010  (Gulenist)

Mekan Ovezmyradov
  • Wrote 5 star review of Jiill Carroll’s book "A Dialogue of Civilizations."
  • Teacher, Harmony Science Academy

Ozgur Ozer
  • Spoke as representative of Harmony School of Science charter schools to State Board of Education during application process, 2007
  • Spoke as representative of New Dimension Math and Science School charter school to State Board of Education during application process, 2010
  • Described as "associate" of Soner Tarim in writeup on Brian Talbott's 2007 Turkey trip; co-leader of this trip along with Soner Tarim and Veli Baysal
  • Wrote 5 star review of Jiill Carroll’s book "A Dialogue of Civilizations."  (The Gulen Movement asked Carroll to write this book; it gives a very flattering portrayal of Fethullah Gulen.)
  • Director of Education, Texas Gulf Institute  (Gulenist)
  • Author, Fountain Magazine (premier publication of the Gulen Movement in the US; Fethullah Gulen writes the lead article of each issue)
  • North American College  (Gulenist)

Alpaslan Sahin
  • Harmony Science Academy Bryan College Station
  • Institute of Interfaith Dialog  (Gulenist)
  • Southern Lighthouse Foundation   (Gulenist organization)

Hasan Sazci
  • Principal, Harmony Science Academy Odessa
  • Teacher, Harmony Science Academy Dallas
  • Principal, Assistant Principal, Abramson Science and Technology School, Louisiana  (Gulen charter school)

Ibrahim Sel
  • Cosmos Foundation
  • Author, Fountain Magazine   (premier publication of the Gulen Movement in the US; Fethullah Gulen writes the lead article of each issue)
  • Founding principal, Sule College, Australian  (private Gulen school with motto "The Golden Generation," well-known as a Gulenist catchphrase)
  • Dove Science Academy Oklahoma City

Soner Tarim
  • Superintendent, Harmony Charter Schools
  • Cosmos Foundation (Gulenist)
  • Leader of Gulenist Turkey trip of Brian Talbott: "With Dr. Tarim and his associates Veli Baysal (director of public relations, Raindrop Foundation, Houston, Texas) and Ozgur Ozer (principal, Harmony Elementary, Houston, Texas), we experienced the beauty of Turkey."
  • ISWEEEP board  (Gulenist)
 
Muharrem Tunc, a.k.a. Muharrem Ali Tunc
  • Harmony Science Academy Dallas
  • Board Secretary, Frontier School of Innovation
  • President, Intercultural & Interfaith Dialogue Student Association, University of Kansas  (Gulenist)
  • Wrote article on "A Dialogue of Civilizations" Book Signing Day with Dr. Jill Carroll  (This book was commissioned by the Gulen Movement and portrays Gulen very favorably.)
  • Lists Jill Carroll under "Activities and Interests" on Facebook

Hakan Yagci
  • Harmony Science Academy, Grand Prairie
  • Principal, Harmony School of Nature & Athletics
  • Dove Science Academy, Oklahoma   (Gulen charter school)

Cafer "Jeff" T. Yavuz
  • ISWEEEP (organized by the Cosmos Foundation)
  • Guest speaker at an AMSP camp organized by the Accord Institute  (Gulenist organization affiliated with several Gulen charter schools in the western US)
  • Wrote 5 star review of Jiill Carroll’s book "A Dialogue of Civilizations."  (The Gulen Movement asked Carroll to write this book; it gives a very flattering portrayal of Fethullah Gulen.)
  • Pacifica Institute  (Gulenist)
  • Coordinator of Gulen Conference in Los Angeles
  • Secretary, Representative, Institute of Interfaith Dialog, Houston  (Gulenist)
  • Speaker at interfaith dinner, Institute of Interfaith Dialog, Little Rock Arkansas
  • Lists Muhammed Cetin of the Institute of Interfaith Dialog as a non-academic reference   (Cetin is a major figure in the Gulen movement)
  • Studied at Yamanlar Lisesi    (Gulenist high school)
  • Wrote two articles for Fountain Magazine  (premier publication of the Gulen Movement in the US; Fethullah Gulen writes the lead article of each issue)

Ilker Yilmaz
  • Harmony Science Academy – Odessa Principal
  • LISA Academy, Arkansas   (Gulen charter school)
  • Frontier School of Innovation, Missouri   (Gulen charter school)

Kerim Yuksel
  • Harmony Science Academy
  • Raindrop Turkish House  (Gulenist)

Zekeriya Yuksel
  • Harmony Science Academy - San Antonio
  • Dove Science Academy    (Gulen charter school)