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Mysterious Muslim Charter School Hires Broward Democrat Chairman As Lobbyist
http://dailybroward.com/mysterious-muslim-charter-school-hires-broward-democrat-chairman-as-lobbyist/
Published on May 13, 2013 by Red Broward
A proposed Broward charter school with ties to Fethullah Gulen, the
mysterious Islamic cleric, hired Broward Democrat Chairman Mitchell
Ceasar as its lobbyist before the Broward County School Board. Known
as `Gulen Schools', followers of Gulen have built thousands of charter
schools all over the world. Last May, CBS News 60 Minutes television
program documented the growing Gulen school movement in the United
States. 60 Minutes said Gulen, living in seclusion in the Poconos
mountains, appears only via video webcasts. Gulen, a Turkish citizen,
was accused of treason by calling for an Islamic coup of the Turkish
government. The report mentioned classified emails released by
Wikileaks which disclosed some in the Turkish government see Gulen as
a `political leader such as Iran's Ayatollah Khomeini.'
The 60 Minutes report covered accusations that Gulen schools abuse
U.S. immigration laws by bringing in thousands of Turkish citizens to
teach math and science at the charter schools. An official with a
Texas charter school group called the claim `not sure' saying Turkish
citizens are brought over because of a lack of `qualified' American
teachers. But 60 Minutes found that visa applications for Gulen
teachers listed them as `English teachers.' Oops! Some American
teachers claim Gulen teachers are forced to give a portion of their
salaries back to the Gulen movement.
Paging the Broward Teachers Union!
Dating back to 2007, Gulen followers, under the name of Riverside
Science Inc., have been trying to open a charter school in Broward
County. Their first try, Riverside Science Academy, failed after
school officials were unable to secure a lease. Just before the start
of the 2012-13 school year, the group's second try, `Broward Math And
Science School', was denied the right to open a Margate campus. CBS 4
News reported, `The district said each school failed to submit
documentation of certain provisions they had to meet before the July
20th deadline. The schools in question were given several reminders of
the deadline and notified that `Failure to provide the required
documents within the specific timeframe terminated the charter
agreement.''
So like any other business seeking government influence, Riverside
Science Inc. decided they needed a lobbyist. According to Broward
Schools lobbyist records, the group hired Mitchell Ceasar in December
2012.
Caesar, a Plantation attorney, is also the chairman of the Broward
Democrat Executive Committee.
Sure, local Republicans and Tea Party groups will be quick to blast
Caesar for helping the controversial Gulen followers. However, even
liberals may find fault with the Gulen schools.
The New York Times reported on State of Georgia audits which found
Gulen charter schools funneled money and contracts to other Gulen
followers. `The audit, released Tuesday by the Fulton County Schools
near Atlanta, found the schools made purchases like T-shirts, teacher
training and video production services from organizations with
connections to school officials or Gulen followers. Those included
more than $500,000 in contracts since January 2010 with the Grace
Institute, a foundation whose board has included school leaders. In
some cases the awards skirted bidding requirements, the audit said.'
Why is Mitch Caesar so eager to help followers of a shadowy Muslim
cleric funnel taxpayer dollars to Turkey and who knows where? Broward
school dollars should be spent in Broward, not in the Poconos
mountains or Turkey.
http://dailybroward.com/mysterious-muslim-charter-school-hires-broward-democrat-chairman-as-lobbyist/
Published on May 13, 2013 by Red Broward
A proposed Broward charter school with ties to Fethullah Gulen, the
mysterious Islamic cleric, hired Broward Democrat Chairman Mitchell
Ceasar as its lobbyist before the Broward County School Board. Known
as `Gulen Schools', followers of Gulen have built thousands of charter
schools all over the world. Last May, CBS News 60 Minutes television
program documented the growing Gulen school movement in the United
States. 60 Minutes said Gulen, living in seclusion in the Poconos
mountains, appears only via video webcasts. Gulen, a Turkish citizen,
was accused of treason by calling for an Islamic coup of the Turkish
government. The report mentioned classified emails released by
Wikileaks which disclosed some in the Turkish government see Gulen as
a `political leader such as Iran's Ayatollah Khomeini.'
The 60 Minutes report covered accusations that Gulen schools abuse
U.S. immigration laws by bringing in thousands of Turkish citizens to
teach math and science at the charter schools. An official with a
Texas charter school group called the claim `not sure' saying Turkish
citizens are brought over because of a lack of `qualified' American
teachers. But 60 Minutes found that visa applications for Gulen
teachers listed them as `English teachers.' Oops! Some American
teachers claim Gulen teachers are forced to give a portion of their
salaries back to the Gulen movement.
Paging the Broward Teachers Union!
Dating back to 2007, Gulen followers, under the name of Riverside
Science Inc., have been trying to open a charter school in Broward
County. Their first try, Riverside Science Academy, failed after
school officials were unable to secure a lease. Just before the start
of the 2012-13 school year, the group's second try, `Broward Math And
Science School', was denied the right to open a Margate campus. CBS 4
News reported, `The district said each school failed to submit
documentation of certain provisions they had to meet before the July
20th deadline. The schools in question were given several reminders of
the deadline and notified that `Failure to provide the required
documents within the specific timeframe terminated the charter
agreement.''
So like any other business seeking government influence, Riverside
Science Inc. decided they needed a lobbyist. According to Broward
Schools lobbyist records, the group hired Mitchell Ceasar in December
2012.
Caesar, a Plantation attorney, is also the chairman of the Broward
Democrat Executive Committee.
Sure, local Republicans and Tea Party groups will be quick to blast
Caesar for helping the controversial Gulen followers. However, even
liberals may find fault with the Gulen schools.
The New York Times reported on State of Georgia audits which found
Gulen charter schools funneled money and contracts to other Gulen
followers. `The audit, released Tuesday by the Fulton County Schools
near Atlanta, found the schools made purchases like T-shirts, teacher
training and video production services from organizations with
connections to school officials or Gulen followers. Those included
more than $500,000 in contracts since January 2010 with the Grace
Institute, a foundation whose board has included school leaders. In
some cases the awards skirted bidding requirements, the audit said.'
Why is Mitch Caesar so eager to help followers of a shadowy Muslim
cleric funnel taxpayer dollars to Turkey and who knows where? Broward
school dollars should be spent in Broward, not in the Poconos
mountains or Turkey.