Triad Math and Science Academy:
Evidence of affiliation with Gulen Movement


Page created April 13, 2011; last updated August 11, 2013
by C.A.S.I.L.I.P.S. - Citizens Against Special Interest Lobbying in Public Schools

Triad (tmsacharter.org) is a publicly-funded charter school in Greensboro, North Carolina.  Its sister school is Triangle Math and Science Academy (tmsacademy.org) in Cary.

In May 2010, Triad hosted a Turkish Festival.  As with other Gulen charter schools, Triad students participate in the Turkish Olympiads, which are run by the Gulen Movement.

On Jan 25, 2012, a local paper (Indy Week) ran a story (link) about the connections of both the Triad and the (at that time) proposed new Triangle school to the Gulen Movement.  On Feb 21, 2012, another Indy Week story (link) about Triad/Triangle covered the arrest of board member and Triangle founder Kenan Gundogdu for missing a traffic court date; this follows a pattern of Gulenists receiving an unusual number of traffic citations across the US.

Further connections with the Gulen Movement are shown by the multiple affiliations, both past and present, of the following individuals.

Ali Celen a.k.a. M. Ali Celen, Mehmet Ali Celen
  • Triad Math and Science Academy
  • Guide on Gulenist Turkey trip for residents of Mobile, Alabama
  • Participated in interfaith event with Abdullah Ficici (see Accord Institute page)

Davut Bozkurt
  • Teacher, Triad Math and Science Academy
  • Vice Principal, Pinnacle Academy  (private Gulen school in Virginia)

Arif Dagli
  • Triad Math and Science Academy, North Carolina 
  • Founding & Interim Principal, Board Member, Stars Middle School  (Gulen charter school in Florida)
  • Cape Fear STEM School founder   (proposed Gulen charter school in North Carolina)
  • FSU Tolerance and Dialogue Group   (Gulenist organization)
  • Magnolia Foundation of Florida    (Gulenist organization)

Diane M. Gunesgor
  • Board member and Secretary of Triad Math and Science Academy
  • Board member, Wake Math and Science Academy (proposed Gulen charter school)
  • Board member, IT Academy of Triangle  (proposed Gulen charter school)

Bugra Kanmaz
  • Math Teacher, Triad Math and Science Academy
  • Math Teacher, Pinnacle Academy  (private Gulen school)

Suzan Mertyurek a.k.a. Susan Mertyurek, Suzan Mutlu-Mertyurek, Suzan Mutlu
  • Triad Math and Science Academy
  • Secretary, Iris Education Foundation (charter holder of proposed Knoxville Charter Academy)
  • Knoxville Charter Academy  (proposed Gulen charter school)
  • Knoxville Turkish Cultural Center  (Gulenist)
  • Secretary, Board of Trustees, Virginia International University  (Gulenist)
  • Author, Fountain Magazine  (Gulenist publication; Fethullah Gulen writes lead article of each issue)

Hakan Orak
  • Principal, Triad Math and Science Academy
  • Fulton Science Academy  (Gulen charter school)

Adil Soyuer
  • Business Manager, Triad Math and Science Academy
  • Director of Economic Relations at Turkish American Chamber of Commerce of the Southeast (Gulenist)
  • Orlando Culture and Dialog Center, Inc d.b.a. Nile Foundation  (Gulenist)

Alper Tekten
  • Assistant Principal, Triad Math and Science Academy
  • Board Member, Wake Math and Science Academy  (proposed Gulen charter school)
  • Board Member, Piedmont IT Academy  (proposed Gulen charter school)
  • Math teacher, Fulton Science Academy  (Gulen charter school)
  • “Volunteer” Teaching and Administrative Intern, Fulton Science Academy  “During this time, he assisted the governing board of the school with the renewal process of the charter which was approved for another five years. During his internship, he helped and consulted several other charter school applications in Georgia, Florida, Tennessee South Carolina, and North Carolina including Triad Math and Science Academy. He also helped two charter schools in Florida to be established and recruit students.”  (quote from Wake Math and Scienc Academy application) “Taught math classes and received training in academics and discipline parts of administration.”  (quote from Piedmont IT Academy application)
  • Charter School Application and Establishment Consultant “Consulted several charter schools during their application process and start up in GA, FL, TN, SC, DE, and NC” (quote from Piedmont IT Academy application)

(Note: It is worth noting that Mr. Tekten is described as an "intern" being trained in teaching and administration at the same time that he was acting as a "consultant" to assist with writing charter applications and founding new schools.  To be simultaneously an intern-in-training and a consultant is a highly unusual arrangement.)


Ali Tombak

  • Founder, Triad Math and Science Academy
  • Author, Fountain Magazine  (Main publication of the Gulen Movement in US; Fethullah Gulen writes the lead article of each issue)
  • Wrote online recommendation of Virginia International University for learning English (VIU is a Gulenist institution)