Magnolia Science Academy: Evidence of affiliation with the Gulen Movement
February 5, 2011 last updated Oct 19, 2012
by C.A.S.I.L.I.P.S. - Citizens Against Special Interest Lobbying in Public Schools
Magnolia Science Academy is a chain of publicly-funded charter schools in California run by MERF (Magnolia Education and Research Foundation), which was formerly Dialog Cultural, Scientific and Educational Foundation (often abbreviated as "Dialog Foundation") in Reseda, California.
Attempted replications have included the two branches of Pacific Technology Schools, as well as the failed attempts of Orange Science Academy and Sequoia Science Academy (two proposed charter schools in California) and Pioneer Technology Charter School in Oregon.
On November 16, 2007, the Committee on Charter Schools of the Board of Education, Portland Public School District 1J, Multnomah County, Oregon, held a hearing on the proposed Pioneer Technology Public Charter School. Several key individuals from Magnolia were present, and the school was openly presented as being modeled after the Magnolia Science Academy schools in California. One of the most revealing lines of the meeting minutes was (our boldface): "There was discussion of the replication of the program throughout the US."
In an unsuccessful application for a new branch of the Lotus School for Excellence, Magnolia was said to be part of a "coalition" of charter schools including Coral Academy of Science, Lotus School for Excellence, and Sonoran Science Academy. Data on the Magnolia schools were used to support the application, a further indication that all these schools follow the same model. This statement of a "coalition" also appeared in the charter application for Magnolia Science Academy Santa Clara: "Spreading the Education Program: Magnolia Foundation formed a coalition with the best math, science charter schools of Arizona and Nevada (Sonoran Science Academy and Coral Academy of Science, respectively) and institutionalized its education program. Accord Institute for Education Research (a non-profit founded in 2007) conducts research and improves the joint education program of these best science schools of their states. Accord Institute is currently serving schools in California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah and Colorado."
The Magnolia schools have purchased services from the Accord Institute for Education Research and Apex Educational Services (e.g. for MagnoXP, Magnolia's online information system, which later became CoolSIS), both of which are or were at one time housed in the same building as the Pacifica Institute (a Gulenist dialog organization) in Irvine California.
Kismet Investment Properties, Inc., a commercial real estate corporation, has been involved in real estate lease deals for Magnolia charter schools, and is/was located near Accord, Pacifica and Apex in Irvine, California. In a June 7, 2011 letter included in a June 2011 meeting minutes document of the Santa Clara County Office of Education, Al Ataizi, writing on behalf of Kismet, says "We have been representing Magnolia since 2005."
There is substantial overlap in membership between Magnolia, Accord, Apex, Kismet, the Pacifica Institute and other Gulenist entities as can be seen below.
In March 2012, a Turkish newspaper ran an article on Huseyin Hurmali (a.k.a. "Joseph" Hurmali) the founding director of the first Magnolia Science Academy who was involved in many subsequent charter school applications, including the failed application for the Pioneer school in Oregon. The article shows a photo montage of Hurmali along with Fethullah Gulen, and mentions Hurmali's involvement in Magnolia Science Academy, the Anatolian Cultures and Food Festival (a Gulenist event that many Magnolia Public Schools students are taken to on school-sponsored field trips), the West America Turkic Council (Gulenist) and the Abant Platform (Gulenist). Hurmali had recently taken over as Secretary General of the latter. In the article, Hurmali is quoted as saying "O yıllarda Hoca Efendi İzmir'deydi ve tanışma imkanım oldu." (In those years, the Hoca Efendi was in Izmir and I had the opportunity to meet him.) Note that "Hoca Efendi" is a term that Gulen's followers use to refer to him; it is clear from the numerous mentions of Gulen in the article that the reference is to him. Hurmali is further quoted: "1999'da Hoca Efendi ABD'ye gidince, ben de gitmeyi düşündüm" (In 1999 the Hoca Efendi went to the United States, and I thought of going) strongly suggesting that he followed Gulen to America. The interviewer (a reporter from Turkey's well-known high-circulation newspaper "Aksam" or "Evening") then asked Hurmali "ABD'de veya yurtdışında Gülen okullarının açılması süreci nasıl gelişti?" (In the US or abroad how has the process of opening Gulen schools developed?).
See also a translation of a Turkish newspaper article connecting Magnolia Science Academy to Fethullah Gulen.
Further connections with the Gulen Movement are shown by the multiple affiliations (both past and present) of the following individuals:
Erdinc Acar
- Magnolia Science Academy
- Coral Academy of Science (Gulen charter school in Nevada)
Suat Acar
- Principal, Magnolia Science Academy 2
- Principal, Sonoran Science Academy Ahwatukee
- Principal at Sonoran Science Academy Phoenix
- Teacher, Sonoran Science Academy Tucson
- Vice Principal, Doga Okullari (Gulen school chain in Turkey)
- Department Head, Berk Dershaneleri (Gulen tutoring center in Turkey)
- Teacher, Ufuk Sema Egitim Kurumlari (Gulen educational organization in Turkey)
Buket Aktas (now returned to Turkey)
- Board member, Magnolia Science Academy
- ESL teacher, Safiye Sultan Lisesi (Gulenist high school in Turkey)
- ESL teacher, Fatih University (Gulenist institution)
Murat “Brad” Akbas
-
Petitioner, Pioneer Technology School, Oregon (proposed Gulen charter)
-
CEO - Accord Institute (Gulenist)
- Turkish Language Institute, Inc. (organization that runs the Turkish Language and Performing Arts Contest in Phoenix, which is one of the branches of the Turkish Language Olympics, a Gulenist competition active worldwide)
- Gave 5-star review of Jill Carroll’s book Dialogue of Civilizations at Academic Superstore online bookstore
- Bought home from Ahmet G Idil
Aibek Amanov
- IT Manager, Computer science teacher, Magnolia Science Academy CA
- IT Manager, Computer science teacher, Beehive Science & Technology Academy (Gulen charter school in Utah)
- IT Project Manager, Oxford Vision (Gulenist company that recruits English teachers for Gulen schools around the world)
- Atyrau Kazakh-Turkish High School (private Gulen school in Kazakhstan)
Mehmet Argin
- CEO, Magnolia Public Schools
- Sonoran Science Academy/Daisy Education (chain of Gulen charter schools in Arizona)
Al Ataizi a.k.a. Alp Ataizi
- Kismet Investment Properties
- Apex Educational Services, MagnoXP
- Wife Nichole Ataizi works for Magnolia schools, is board member of MERF
- Pacifica Institute
- Likes Ebru TV on Facebook
Ahmet "Matt" Avsaroglu
- Westwood Production, Inc. (company that does web design for Magnolia schools)
- Business and Facility Manager, Willow Education
- Renewal petition, Bay Area Technology School
- Commented in favor of Bay Area Technology School in 2007 online newspaper article of Contra Costa Times
- Spoke on behalf of Bay Area Technology School at 2008 California State Finance Authority meeting
- Wife Sumeyra Avsaroglu, a.k.a. Sumeyra Avsar (see below)
Sumeyra Avsaroglu, a.k.a. Sumeyra Avsar
- Magnolia Foundation
- Magnolia Science Academy 3
- Advanced Science and Math Program (Accord Institute)
- Commented in favor of Bay Area Technology School in 2007 online newspaper article of Contra Costa Times
Suat Utku Ay
- Magnolia Science Academy board member
- Dialog Cultural, Scientific and Educational Foundation, Reseda, California
-
Board of Directors, Accord Institute for Educational Research
- Author, Fountain Magazine
Suleyman Bahceci
- CEO, Accord Institute for 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
- CEO, Board member, Accord Institute (Gulenist)
- Guest Lecturer, Accord Institute for Education Research
- Graduate of Yamanlar College (private Gulen school in Turkey)
- Follows/followed Alptekin Kavi (see Lotus School page) on Twitter
Yavuz Bayam (now returned to Turkey)
- Board of Directors, Magnolia Science Academy 5, 6, 7
- Magnolia Educational and Research Foundation, Secretary
- Board member, Dialog Cultural, Scientific and Educational Foundation
- Principal, Pacific Technology School Orangevale
- In Nov 2009 newspaper article, says he “hails from India”
-
Guide on Marty Stortz’s Gulenist Turkey trip
-
In briefings of the Charter Schools Division of the Los Angeles School Board in connection with applications for Magnolia Science Academy 5, 6 and 7, board member Bayam is described only as a “visiting Scholar at UC Davis”
Murat Biyik (sometimes misspelled Morat Biyik)
- Principal, Magnolia Science Academy 5
- Sonoran Science Academy
- Beehive Science and Techonology Academy
- Personal loan of $61,000 to Beehive Science and Techonology Academy
Suleyman Bulut
- Board member, Dialog Cultural and Scientific Educational Foundation
-
Apex Educational Services (Gulenist business)
Adnan Doyuran
- Momentum Middle School (now Magnolia Science Academy San Diego)
-
Lotus School for Excellence (Gulen charter school in Colorado)
- Orange Science Academy (proposed Gulen charter school in California)
- Sequoia Science Academy (proposed Gulen charter school in California)
Bahtiyar Erdogan
- CEO, Kismet Investment Property
-
Vice President, California Turkish American Chamber of Commerce (Gulenist)
- Interfaith Dialog Center, New Jersey (Gulenist)
-
E & M Light Construction Limited Company, along with
Mehmet F Taskan, who has been involved with Gulen charter schools and charter holder companies in Florida
Erdem Ersoz
- Magnolia Science Academy
- Pacific Technology School
Engin Eryilmaz
- Magnolia Science Academy
- Isik College, Australia (Gulenist school)
Nuh Gedik
- Board of Directors, Magnolia Science Academy 6
- Magnolia Educational and Research Foundation
- Board of Directors, Dialog Cultural, Scientific and Educational Foundation
-
Author of 2 articles in Fountain Magazine (Gulenist publication; Fethullah Gulen writes lead article of each issue)
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Guest speaker, Accord Institute AMSP summer camp
- Trustee, Board Member, Pioneer Charter School of Science
Andy Gokce
- Petitioner, Magnolia Science Academy—Santa Clara Charter School
-
Petitioner, Pioneer Technology Charter School, Portland (proposed Gulen charter school)
Hakan Golbasi
- Spoke at 2009 Santa Clara Board of Education meeting as "parent" in favor of Magnolia Science Academy – Santa Clara
- Gave 5-star review on amazon.com to Jill Carroll’s book on Fethullah Gulen, “Dialogue of Civilizations”
Ali Gurel
- Accord Institute math coach
- Petitioner, Orange Science Academy, proposed Gulen charter school in CA
Varol Gurler
- Magnolia Science Academy Reseda
- Sonoran Science Academy, Arizona
- Lotus School for Excellence, Colorado
Alper Halbutogullari
- Spoke at 2009 Santa Clara Board of Education meeting as "parent" in favor of Magnolia Science Academy – Santa Clara
-
Accord Institute for Education Research (Gulenist)
- 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.)
Huseyin "Joseph" Hurmali
- Secretary-General of the Abant Platform, Turkey (widely known as part of Gulen Movement; organized by Journalists and Writers Foundation, which has Fethullah Gulen as honorary chairman)
- West American Turkic Council (one of 6 regional umbrella organizations constituting the Turkic American Alliance, the Gulen Movement's umbrella organization in the U.S.)
- Board President - Magnolia Educational and Research Foundation
- Bought home from Ahmet G Idil
Ahmet G Idil
- Magnolia Science Academy
- Agent for Kismet Investment Property, Inc. (Gulenist company)
- Tughra Books (Gulenist publisher of many books by Fethullah Gulen or other members of the Gulen Movement)
Davut Karabay, a.k.a. Davud Karabay
- Treasurer, Financial Advisor, Rose Education Center, charter company for Pioneer Technology School, proposed Gulen charter school in Oregon
- Development Team, Pioneer Technology Charter School, as per application
-
Acacia Foundation (Gulenist organization in state of Washington)
- Connected to Ali Ozmez on Facebook; Ozmez' wife Senay Ozmez was affiliated with Daisy Education Corporation in Arizona
Ismail Hakki Karaman, a.k.a. Hakki Karaman
- Magnolia Science Academy 3
- Pacific Technology School (Gulen charter school in California)
- Doga Private Schools (chain of Gulen schools in Turkey)
- Magnolia Educational and Research Foundation
- Principal, Syracuse Academy of Science (Gulen charter school in New York)
Fatih Karatas
- Magnolia Science Academy 1 Reseda
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Principal, Sonoran Science Academy (Gulen charter school in Arizona)
Nazmi M Kaynak a.k.a. Mustafa Nazmi Kaynak
-
Magnolia Science Academy
-
Pacific Technology School (Gulen charter school in California)
Mustafa Keskin
-
Magnolia Science Academy
-
Rose Education Center, charter holder company for Pioneer Technology School (proposed Gulen charter school in Oregon)
Selcuk "Steven" Keskinturk
- Pacific Technology School Santa Ana
-
Vice Prinicpal, Teacher, Bay Area Technology School
Ozgur Koca
-
Pacifica Institute (Gulenist)
- Magnolia Science Academy, Reseda
Ertugrul Kostereli, a.k.a. Ertugrul Kosterelli
- Petitioner, Pioneer Technology School (proposed Gulen charter school in Portland, Oregon)
-
Rose Education Center (charter holder company for proposed Pioneer school)
-
Foundation for Intercultural Dialog, Arizona (Gulenist)
-
Advertised Anatolian Cultures and Food Festival (Gulenist event) as “must-see
event” on TASCA's Facebook page
- Gave talk entitled "Gulen Movement" at Interfaith Council of Greater Portland, 2008
Adem Kutlug
-
Agent for Kismet Investment Property, Inc.
- Secretary, Tolerance Foundation (Gulenist organization), which shares/shared the same address as Pacifica Institute
Metin Oguzmert
- Magnolia Education and Research Foundation
-
Magnolia Science Academy
-
Spoke about Whirling Dervishes event in Syracuse, NY newspaper article; Gulenists actively promote such events nationwide, as the Whirling Dervishes have religious significance for them
- Received $5000 award in 2003, along with Bulent Cetinkaya and Huseyin Polat for "Science Academy Schools" template business plan in Entrepreneurship Competition organized by Whitman School of Business
at Syracuse University. Note that by 2003, a number of Gulen "science academy" schools had already been in existence for several years.
Omer Oralkan
- Lead petitioner, Magnolia Science Academy-Santa Clara
- Technology advisor, Bay Area Technology School (Gulen charter school)
-
Pacifica Institute (Gulenist)
Fevzi Oten
-
Kismet Investment Properties, Inc.
-
Tolerance Foundation (Gulenist)
- Brother of Remzi Oten
Remzi “Ramsey” Oten
-
Dialog Cultural, Scientific and Educational Foundation(original charter holder of Magnolia Science Academy schools)
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California Turkish American Chamber of Commerce (Gulenist)
-
TUSKON (Gulenist trade organization)
- Brother of Fevzi Oten
Fethiye Ozis
- Magnolia Science Academy
- Pacifica Institute (Gulenist)
- Wife of Ismail Ozis
Ismail “Ike” Ozis
- Magnolia Science Academy 6 Palms
- Magnolia Science Academy Bell
- Pacifica Institute (Gulenist)
- Husband of Fethiye Ozis
Orhan Ozis
- Apex Educational Services (Gulenist company associated with Magnolia Science Academy)
- Likes CATA Chamber (Gulenist organization) on Facebook
- Likes Anatolian Cultures and Food Festival (Gulenist event) on Facebook
Irfan Polat
- Principal, Magnolia Science Academy 2
- Board Member, Bay Area Technology School (Gulen charter school in Oakland, CA)
Timur “Tim” Saka
- Principal, Magnolia Science Academy Santa Clara
- Magnolia Science Academy Reseda
-
Beehive Science and Technology Academy (Gulen charter school)
-
Lotus School for Excellence (Gulen charter school in Colorado)
Ridvan Sahan
- Spoke at 2009 Santa Clara Board of Education meeting as "parent" in favor of Magnolia Science Academy – Santa Clara
-
Pacifica Institute (Gulenist)
Ertan Salik
- President, Magnolia Science Academy
- Dialog Cultural, Scientific and Educational Foundation
-
Accord Institute for Education Research
- Author, Fountain Magazine (Gulenist publication; Fethullah Gulen writes lead article of each issue)
- Petitioner, Orange Science Academy (proposed Gulen charter school in CA)
-
President, Vice President, Dialog Cultural, Scientific & Educational Foundation
Fatih Sarigoz
- Magnolia Science Academy
- President, Silicon Valley branch of the Pacifica
Institute (Gulenist)
-
Lehigh Mosaica Foundation (Gulenist)
- Wife Serap Sarigoz likes Bay Area Cultural Connections (Gulenist) on Facebook
- Follows/followed Alptekin Kavi (see Lotus School page) on Twitter
- Spoke at 2009 Santa Clara Board of Education meeting as "engineer" in favor of Magnolia Science Academy – Santa Clara
Osman Sen
-
Magnolia Science Academy
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Board member, Accord Institute for Education Research
Saken Sherkhanov
-
Vice President, Magnolia Education and Research Foundation
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Author, Fountain Magazine (Gulenist publication; Fethullah Gulen writes lead article of each issue)
-
Facebook friend of Fatih Karatas
- Petitioner, Orange Science Academy, Gulen charter school proposed in 2006
Dean Sumer
-
Founding Board Member, Magnolia Science Academy
-
Board Member, Dialog Cultural, Scientific and Educational Foundation (Gulenist organization, later renamed Magnolia Education and Research Foundation)
Duygu Ustun
- Pacific Technology School
- Magnolia Science Academy
- Board member, Magnolia Education and Research Foundation
- CATA Chamber, California Turkish-American Chamber of Commerce (Gulenist)
Tugrul Yanik a.k.a. Yanik Tygryl
- Rose Education Center, Oregon (charter holder company for Pioneer Technology School, proposed replication of Magnolia Science Academy in Oregon)
- Fatih University (Gulenist institution)
- Author, Fountain Magazine (Gulenist publication; Fethullah Gulen writes lead article of each issue)
Joseph Vural
- Kismet Investment Property, Inc.
- Commented online on Anatolian Cultures and Food Festival
Bayram Yenikaya
- Board member, Magnolia Education and Research Foundation
- Spoke as "proposed mathematics tutor" in favor of Magnolia Science Academy Santa Clara charter school petition at 2009 Board of Education meeting
- Wrote chapter for book Islamic Perspectives on Science: Knowledge and Responsibility, published by The Light (Gulenist publisher)
- Willow Education Charter Development Team (in charge of Bay Area Technology School, Gulen charter school in Oakland CA)
- Bay Area Technology School charter renewal petition
- Guest Lecturer, Accord Institute for Education Research
- Yamanlar College (Gulenist institution)
David Yilmaz
- Principal, Dean of Academics, Math/Science/Computer Teacher, Magnolia Science Academy San Diego
- Math/Science/Computer Teacher, Magnolia Science Academy 1 Reseda
- Petitioner, Pioneer Technology School (proposed Gulen charter school in Oregon)
- Chief Academic Officer, Magnolia Public Schools
Erhan “Ed” Yilmaz
- Magnolia Science Academy
- Richmond Science Academy (proposed Gulen charter school in Virginia)
Tevfik Yucek
- Mentioned in 2009 Santa Clara Board of Education meeting as "parent" speaking in favor of Magnolia Science Academy – Santa Clara application
- New Springs, Inc. - Florida company that is charter holder of Gulen charter school