LISA Academy: Evidence of Affiliation with Gulen Movement

 
December 6, 2010; last updated April 13, 2011
by C.A.S.I.L.I.P.S. - Citizens Against Special Interest Lobbying in Public Schools

LISA Academy, or Little Scholars of Arkansas Academy, is a publicly-funded charter school with two branches (LISA and LISA-North) in the Little Rock area.

  • LISA's student handbook contains material identical to that from Harmony Science Academy (Gulen charter school)
  • On Jan 7, 2008, Raindrop Turkish House (Raindrop Turkevi), a Gulenist organizaion, gave a dinner for LISA academy teachers
  • On April 17, 2009, a fundraiser was held by Raindrop Turkish House, a Gulenist organization, for LISA Academy 
  • The LISA Academy slide show for the school-sponsored Turkey trip shows the Harmony Public Schools logo
  • LISA students participate in the Turkish Olympiads, which are run by the Gulen Movement

Further connections are shown by the multiple affiliations of the following individuals (note that both present and past affiliations are listed.)


Cuneyt Akdemir
  • Principal, Vice Principal, LISA Academy
  • Dove Science Academy, computer teacher (Dove is a Gulen charter school)

Ilker Akkus a.k.a. Nuri ilker Akkus
  • LISA Academy
  • Institute Interfaith Dialog (Gulenist organization)

Murat Atakov a.k.a. Murad Atakov
  • LISA Academy
  • Memphis School of Excellence (Gulen charter school)

Kemal Aydin
  • LISA Academy
  • participant in events at Raindrop Turkevi Little Rock
  • Gulenist Interfaith Turkey trip

Arzu Canli
  • Wife of Suat Canli, LISA Academy
  • Leads Turkish folk dance group at the Raindrop Turkish House, a Gulenist organization

Serhan Dagtas
  • Founder (with Ibrahim Duyar) of LISA Academy
  • Wife Ayse Selma Duyar wrote article for Fountain Magazine (a publication of the Gulen Movement; Fethullah Gulen writes the lead article of each issue)

Ibrahim Duyar
  • Founder (with Serhan Dagtas) of LISA Academy
  • Former Board President, LISA Academy
  • CEO, Wisconsin Career Academy (Gulen charter school)

Birol Furat
  • LISA Academy
  • Turkish Cultural Center of Queens (Gulenist organization)
  • Dove Science Academy, Principal (2003)   (Gulen charter school)
  • Judge, Turkish Olympics (competition run by Gulen Movement)
  • General Director of Turkish Cultural Centers in NYC (Gulenist organization)

Ali Gumus
  • LISA Academy teacher
  • Principal, Memphis School of Excellence (Gulen charter school)

Ahmet Gunduz 
  • LISA Academy
  • Harmony Science Academy (Gulen charter school chain)

Mithat Karabulut
  • Assistant Principal, LISA Academy
  • Involved in LISA Turkey trip (Gulenist)
  • School of Science and Technology Corpus Christi (Gulen charter school)
  • involved in Raindrop Turkish House (Gulenist organization)

Tansel Karabacak
  • LISA Academy
  • Author, Fountain Magazine (a premier publication of the Gulen Movement; Fethullah Gulen writes the lead article of each issue)
  • Involved with UALR Islam and Sufism group (Gulenist organization)

Sinan Kockara (sometimes misspelled Kochara)
  • LISA Academy
  • participant at Raindrop Turkish House (Raindrop Turkevi) Little Rock
  • ISWEEEP representative from Arkansas (ISWEEEP is run by the Gulen Movement)

Mutlu Mete
  • LISA Academy
  • Raindrop Turkish House (Raindrop Turkevi) Little Rock participant

Omer Ozmeral
  • LISA Superintendent
  • School of Science and Technology (Gulen charter school)
  • Harmony schools (chain of Gulen charter schools in Texas)

Bilgehan Yasar
  • LISA Academy
  • Principal, Brookside-Frontier School (Gulen charter school in Missouri)
  • Harmony Science Academy (chain of Gulen charter schools in Texas)
  • gave 5 star review to Jill Carroll's book on Fethullah Gulen on amazon.com (Carroll's book, Dialogue of Civilizations, has been used extensively to promote and legitimize Gulen and his Movement)