Paterson Charter School of Science and Technology - Evidence of Affiliation with Gulen Movement


Page created July 2010  Last updated August 31, 2013
by C.A.S.I.L.I.P.S. - Citizens Against Special Interest Lobbying in Public Schools

Paterson Charter School of Science and Technology is a publicly-funded charter school located in Paterson, New Jersey.  The fact that Paterson Charter School is a Gulen school is admitted on Fethullah Gulen's official website; see this page.

Evidence of the connection is also given by the multiple affiliations, both past and present, of the following individuals:

Goktug Akkus
  • Paterson Charter School of Science and Technology
  • Teacher, Brooklyn Amity School (private Gulen school in NY)

Sukan Alkin
  • Principal, Pioneer Academy of Science  (private Gulen school in NJ)
  • Instructional Technology Coordinator, Paterson Charter School for Science and Technology
  • Principal, Nile Academy  (private Gulen school in Toronto, Canada)
  • Principal at Damla College  (private Gulen school in Australia)
  • Principal at Sule College  (private Gulen school in Australia)

Erdem Alpay
  • Board of Trustees, Paterson Charter School of Science and Technology
  • Candela Network  (Gulenist corporation)
  • NYC Turquoise IT Group  (Gulenist)
  • IT Project Manager, Bank Asia (a.k.a. Bank Asya, Gulenist bank)

Veli S. Altas
  • Teacher, Paterson Charter School of Science and Technology
  • Business Administrator, Central Jersey College Prep Charter School  (Gulen charter school in NJ)
  • Bergen Arts and Science Charter School  (Gulen charter school in NJ)

Yucel Ari
  • Board of Trustees, Paterson Charter School of Science and Technology
  • Coach, Pioneer Academy of Science, 2004
  • Participated in Interfaith Dialog Center, NJ event
Note: Pioneer Academy of Science is a private Gulen school in New Jersey.   The Interfaith Dialog Center in New Jersey is a Gulenist organization that has been renamed the Peace Islands Institute; Fethullah Gulen is its Honorary President and features prominently on its website. 

Kemal Aydin  a.k.a. Ken Aydin
  • Founder of Paterson Charter School of Science and Technology
  • Board of Trustees, Paterson Charter School of Science and Technology
  • Lead person, proposed New Century Charter Public School, Morris County NJ
Note: The New Century Charter Public School was a proposed Gulen charter school; the application was apparently unsuccessful.

Emrah Ayhan
  • Board of Trustees, Paterson Charter School of Science and Technology
  • Co-founder, Math teacher, Horizon Science Academy Toledo  (Gulen charter school in OH)
  • President, Board of Directors, Horizon Science Academy Toledo  (Gulen charter school in OH)
  • Director, Math teacher, Horizon Science Academy Denison  (Gulen charter school in OH)
  • Board Member, Chicago Math and Science Academy  (Gulen charter school in IL)
  • Co-Founder of Breeze, Inc
Note:  Breeze is a for-profit Gulenist corporation that leases school buildings to Concept Schools in Ohio, including Horizon Science Academy.  Concept Schools is a Gulenist organization running a number of publicly-funded Gulen charter schools in Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Tennessee and Wisconsin.


Mustafa Aytas
  • Teacher, Paterson Charter School of Science and Technology
  • Participated in panel discussion, Turkish Cultural Center NY  (Gulenist organization)

Harun Celik
  • Paterson Charter School of Science and Technology  2003-08
  • Bergen Arts and Science Charter School  (Gulen charter school in NJ)  2008-09
  • Director, Hampden Charter School of Science  (Gulen charter school in MA) 2009-present

Serkan Costur
  • Director of Activities/Math Teacher, Paterson Charter School of Science and Technology
  • Bergen Arts and Science Charter School  (Gulen charter school in NJ)

Halil Demir
  • Club advisor, Paterson Charter School of Science and Technology
  • Principal, Pioneer Academy of Science South Jersey (private Gulen school in Cherry Hill, New Jersey that closed down in 2010; its sister school Pioneer Academy of Science is still in operation)

Isik ("Isaac") Durmus
  • Science Department Head, Paterson Charter School of Science and Technology  2009-10
  • Reimbursed by Paterson Charter School of Science and Technology for attending ISWEEEP  (science fair in Houston TX run by Gulen Movement)
  • Vice Principal, Pioneer Academy of Science  (private Gulen school in NJ)

Mursel Gunes
  • Assistant Dean of Students, Paterson Charter School of Science and Technology
  • Board Member, Wellspring Cultural and Educational Foundation, CT  (Gulenist organization running Putnam Science Academy, a private Gulen school in CT)
  • Physics Teacher, Putnam Science Academy
  • Admissions Director, Pioneer Academy of Science (private Gulen school in NJ)

Ali Riza Gurcanli, a.k.a. Riza Gurcanli; Aliriza Gurcanli
  • Lead Person, Board of Trustees, Paterson Charter School of Science and Technology
  • Pioneer Charter School of Science  (Gulen charter school in MA)
  • Feza Foundation, Australia  (Gulenist organization)
  • Principal, Sule College, New South Wales, Australia  (private Gulen school)

Hurisa Guvercin
  • ESL and Special education teacher, Paterson Charter School of Science and Technology
  • Author of two articles in Fountain Magazine
  • Teacher, Harmony Science Academy Dallas  (Gulen charter school in TX)
  • Interfaith Dialog Center Women Association NJ  (Gulenist organization)
Note: Fountain Magazine is a major publication of the Gulen Movement; Fethullah Gulen writes the lead article for each issue. 

Rukiye Koc
  • Advisor, cooking club, Paterson Charter School of Science and Technology
  • Wife of Levent Koc, Director of Interfaith Dialog Center, New Jersey
  • “Likes” Ant Bookstore on Facebook
Note: The Interfaith Dialog Center in New Jersey is a Gulenist organization; Fethullah Gulen is its honorary president and features prominently on its website.  Ant Bookstore is a Gulenist business.  "Ant" means vow or oath in Turkish.

Furkan "Frank" Kosar
  • Director, Paterson Charter School of Science and Technology 2004-06
  • Principal, Brooklyn Amity School, 2009 (private Gulen school in NY)
  • Principal, Pioneer Academy of Science, 2010
  • Lead Applicant, City Academy of Science, 2009  (proposed Gulen charter school in NY that never materialized)
  • President, Council of Turkic American Associations  (umbrella organization for Gulen Movement in northeastern US; one of 6 main subdivisions of Turkic American Alliance)
Note: This August 11, 2009 news article in the Times Ledger shows that Furkan Kosar was the lead applicant for the proposed City Academy of Science Charter School at the same time he was principal of Brooklyn Amity School.  Brooklyn Amity School has been listed as a member of the Turkic American Alliance, the umbrella organization for the Gulen Movement in the US.  This is yet another definitive piece of evidence of the connection of Gulen charter schools to the Gulen Movement.

Omer Kutlu
  • MAFTAA  (Gulenist organization in Washington DC)
  • Paterson Charter School of Science and Technology
  • Zaman USA  (Gulenist publication)

Suleyman Mamaloglu
  • Paterson Charter School of Science and Technology physics teacher
  • Science Fair Coordinator, Bergen Arts and Science Charter School  (Gulen charter school in NJ)

Burcin Ogrenir
  • Paterson Charter School of Science and Technology teacher
  • Co-Founder, Young Scholars of Central Pennsylvania charter school  (Gulen charter school in PA)
  • Participated in Interfaith Dialog Center event   (Gulenist organization)
  • “Likes” Pioneer Academy of Science on Facebook  (private Gulen school in NJ)

Fatih Oncul
  • Director, Snowdrop Education Services; founder of Snowdrop Science Academy 
  • Volunteered to organize public seminars through Interfaith Dialog Center, New Jersey
  • Advisor for Pioneer Academy of Science (private Gulen school in NJ)
  • Volunteered for Bosphorous Education Corporation
Note: Snowdrop Science Academy was a private Gulen school in Pennsylvania, which has ceased operations.  Bosphorous Education Corporation/Center is a tutoring and ESL business run by the Gulen Movement.

Gulzade Oral
  • Paterson Charter School of Science and Technology teacher
  • “Likes” Ant Bookstore on Facebook
Note: Ant Bookstore is a Gulenist business. 

Murtaza “Taz” Ozdemir
  • Technology and Assessment Coordinator, Paterson Charter School of Science and Technology
  • Member of team that developed Student Database System (SDS) at Paterson Charter School of Science and Technology
  • Teacher, Pribadi Indonesian-Turkish Boarding School, Indonesia
  • Teacher, Horizon Science Academy, Cleveland, Ohio  (Gulen charter school)
  • Math teacher, Wisconsin Career Academy  (Gulen charter school)
  • “Likes” Pioneer Academy of Science on Facebook
  •  “Likes” Ebru TV on Facebook
Note: Pribadi Indonesian-Turkish Boarding School is a private Gulen school in Indonesoa.  Pioneer Academy of Science is a private Gulen school in New Jersey.  Ebru TV is a major media outlet of the Gulen Movement. 

Tunc Ozlu
  • Board of Trustees, Paterson Charter School of Science and Technology
  • Event Sponsor at Interfaith Dialog Center, NJ  (Gulenist organization)

Yasir Taskin
  • Science Dept head, Paterson Charter School of Science and Technology
  • Chemistry teacher, Pioneer Academy of Science  (private Gulen school in NJ)
  • “Likes” Ebru TV on Facebook
  • “Likes” Pioneer Academy of Science on Facebook
Note: Ebru TV is a major media outlet of the Gulen Movement. 

Candemir "John" Toklu
  • President, Board of Trustees, Paterson Charter School of Science and Technology
  • Lead applicant, Thomas Edison EnergySmart Charter School, NJ (proposed Gulen charter school approved in 2011; opening reportedly delayed until fall 2012)
  • Princeton Area Director, Interfaith Dialog Center, New Jersey (Gulenist organization now renamed Peace Islands Institute)

Ismail Unlusoy
  • Deputy Secretary General at Abant Platform of the Journalists and Writers Foundation, Turkey, widely known as Gulenist organization
  • Startup Coordinator at Thomas Edison EnergySmart Charter School  (proposed Gulen charter school in NJ; scheduled to open fall 2012)
  • Director, CEO Buffalo Academy of Science Charter School  (Gulen charter school in NY)
  • Math Teacher, Vice Principal (Manager of School Operations) at Paterson Charter School For Science and Technology  (Gulen charter school in NY)
  • Math Teacher, Department Chair at Syracuse Academy of Science Charter School (Gulen charter school in NY)
  • Co-founder and Startup Specialist at Concept Schools  (management organization currently overseeing 27 Gulen charter schools in the Midwest; see Gulen Movement organizational chart on this page)
  • Teacher, Department Chair, Assistant Principal at Horizon Science Academy  (Gulen charter school in OH)
  • Math Teacher, Department Chair, Tuvan-Turkish Lyceum (a.k.a. Kızıl Tuva Türk Lisesi)  (Gulen school in Russia that was closed down by Russian authorities)

Olcay Yavuz
  • School Counselor, , Paterson Charter School of Science and Technology
  • Participated in panel discussion, Turkish Cultural Center NY  (Gulenist organization)

Ahmet Zengin
  • Teacher, Paterson Charter School of Science and Technology
  •  “Likes” Pioneer Academy of Science (private Gulen school in NJ) on Facebook
  • Facebook Friend of Interfaith Dialog Center NJ  (Gulenist)


Further connections to the Gulen Movement

  • Paterson Charter School of Science and Technology students have participated in field trips to the Turkish Cultural Center of New York and the Turkish Cultural Center of New Jersey, both Gulenist non-profit organizations.
  • Paterson Charter School  of Science and Technology students have participated in a field trip to Central Jersey College Prep, a publicly-funded Gulen charter school
  • Paterson Charter School of Science and Technology subsidized the travel expenses of staff members to attend ISWEEEP, a science fair in Houston, Texas run by the Gulen Movement.
  • Paterson Charter School of Science and Technology has contracted for services with Apple Education Services of Clifton NJ, a Gulenist business.
  • Paterson Charter School of Science and Technology has contracted for services with Dogan Painting, a company whose website shows client recommendations from Zaman newspaper, Bergen Arts and Science Charter School, and Pioneer Academy of Science, all of which are affiliated with the Gulen Movement.