Pioneer Academy of Science - Evidence of affiliation with the Gulen Movement
Pioneer Academy of Science is a private Gulen school in New Jersey. While it is not a publicly-funded charter school, it is mentioned here because of its ties to several of the Gulen charter schools.
The following quote is from Ilhan Kaya's PhD thesis entitled "Shifting Turkish American Identity Formations in the United States," Florida State University, 2003:
"Both the Brooklyn Amity School and the Pioneer Academy of Science were founded by a religious group that focuses on education. The schools are part of a large movement that opened hundreds of schools in Turkey and Central Asia. The movement is headed by Fethullah Gulen and focuses on education, modernity, and working within the legal system of each country without sacrificing Islamic precepts."
Osman Oztoprak, CEO and Principal of Pioneer Academy of Science, is/was Chairman of the Turkish Cultural Center of New York, a Gulenist non-profit organization.
Pioneer Academy of Science is mentioned here and here on Fethullah Gulen's website. (Invariably, only Gulen schools are mentioned on this site.)
Pioneer Academy of Science students participated in the Turkish Language Olympics, which are run by the Gulen Movement. "Laila Raslan from Pioneer Academy of Science was second in the Turkish language song category. (….)
In the second language Turkish poem category Laila Raslan from Pioneer Academy of Science came in first, from the same school Natasa Awari was second. (…) In the native language Turkish poem category …. Hafsa Turkyolu from Pioneer Academy of Science was the third."
The Gulenist media outlet Ebru News has featured Pioneer Academy of Science in several reports, including this one about exchange students from Taiwan. The Taiwanese students were from the Kivam Junior High School in Taiwan, another school run by the Gulen Movement (note for example how the school website mentions students' participation in the Turkish Language Olympiad).
Ebru News: "The 'Pioneer Academy of Science,' also known as the "Turkish College" in Clifton, New Jersey ….."
Youtube user "GulenMovement" has uploaded several videos, here, here, and here, featuring the Pioneer Academy of Science. One contains the text: "The Pioneer Academy of Science set the backdrop for the 'Moral Values Presentation Competition'...a competition that recognized 31 out of 60 students in primary, secondary and high school. The member of the organization committee of the competition Dr Levent Koc said….."
Levent Koc is director of the Interfaith Dialog Center, a Gulenist non-profit.
Youtube user “MFethullahGulen” has uploaded a video of Pioneer Academy of Science. In the description, the school is referred to as Türk Koleji (Turkish College).
Youtube user “diyalogsitesicom” (Gulenist) has uploaded a video of Pioneer Academy of Science In the description, the school is referred to as “Amerikan Türk lisesi” (American Turkish high school ).
The school webpage has the EBRU TV logo at the bottom; this is a Gulenist media outlet.A news article on the New Jersey news website nj.com about Levent Koc, director of the Interfaith Dialog Center (a Gulenist non-profit) states that Koc’s children attend “private Turkish school, the Pioneer Academy of Science in their hometown of Clifton.”
Fatih Oncul helped Pioneer Academy of Science prepare for the Future City competition. He was director of Snowdrop Education Services and was involved in developing Snowdrop Science Academy, a private Gulen school that appears to have ceased operations. He worked as a volunteer at the Interfaith Dialog Center (a Gulenist non-profit), organizing seminars for the public. Oncul also has ties to Paterson Charter School of Science and Technology, and Fulton Science Academy, both of which are publicly-funded Gulen charter schools.
The school website shows that students from Pioneer Academy of Science went to Mozambique along with the “Helping Hands Association” (this is actually Helping Hands Relief Foundation, a Gulenist charity).
