Just wanted to post the Chicago Educational Facilities Master Plan, because it's hard to find and probably subject to random changes. This is the long range plan the district was required by statute to come up with--- I haven't had time to look through it for mention of the new north side selective enrollment school. As I recall, the district went to the legislature for an extension on the plan, and the extension was granted. So, I'm sure they needed the extra time to get the details of the new high school into the plan.
My guess is that the plan is probably written in such a way that any interpretation could be made of it. It really is quite a thing to find this plan online. Try it yourself and see if you agree. (It may take a moment to load.) My original intent was to look through it for the origins of the new selective enrollment high school, and if those details were missing, then that would confirm for me yet again that the mayor just makes sh*t up as he goes along.
It's hard to know when CPS updates this thing; I've seen different edit dates on different versions. In my mind, a plan is, you know, sort of fixed, and then when changes are proposed to the plan, those changes happen through a process, and everyone's aware of the process, etc. However, it appears to me that this plan possibly just changes whenever.
So maybe it's more like record of spontaneous decisions than it is a plan? Who knows. We need an elected school board.
There's also this monster document, which possibly changes all the time, too.
Friday, April 25, 2014
Thursday, April 24, 2014
Two Excellent Events To Attend
Thursday Night (4/24): Promoting Progressive, Democratic Education in an Era of Standardization with Ayla Gavins and Anne Ruggiero. Depaul Student Center, 6-9 PM . (See flyer above.)
Saturday Morning (4-26): A Quality Education For Every Child: How Do We Get There? With Pasi Sahlberg. Chopin Theater, 10:00 AM- Noon.
Saturday Morning (4-26): A Quality Education For Every Child: How Do We Get There? With Pasi Sahlberg. Chopin Theater, 10:00 AM- Noon.
In a completely unrelated matter, I just spied this on Twitter.
Talk about an award you should politely reject! It may very well be that the person running the Niles Public Library social media account doesn't know that the IPI is a horrendously partisan outfit known for distortion and false outrage, so it's hard to be mad. But it's my opinion that we're living in an age where people need to be very, very cautious about accepting awards from groups they don't know very well. I think a good awards policy for public entities would be to reject any award from groups whose funders are not publicly listed, or whose board is not democratically elected by members. And I would also advise schools to politely reject awards from the CPS Board of Education, reject their Tier designations, and any other bits of false praise that are actually being used unfairly as a cudgel against another community somewhere else in the city.
Sunday, April 20, 2014
More Thoughts on Religion (and Politics) in the Gulen-Linked Charter Schools
I've got a couple minutes here, so let me review what I've heard about the Gulen-linked charter school language arts festival that was held in Rosemont on April 12.
Actually, surprisingly little. Here's the coverage in the English language Gulenist media outlet, Today's Zaman, which has the date wrong. I won't even quote from it, so read the whole thing. Looks like a young lady named Biviana Benitez from Horizon McKinley Park* won first place; I don't have video of that yet (the video server on the Turkish press site isn't working tonight.. I have no doubt she's very talented, and she chose a popular song from an artist I like.
I will note that in the Zaman story, we learn that Elaine Nekritz was at the event. Rep. Nekritz took a 2008 trip to Turkey compliments of the the Gulen Movement, and you know how hard it is to say no to people who've been so generous and hospitable.
Also present at the Rosemont event were Representative Michelle Mussman, whom I know nothing about but who I suspect will soon be receiving some kind of award from the Niagara Foundation; and Idris Bal, a former member of the Turkish Parliament, who has evidently joined with the Gulenists in their war against the prime minister. In the Turkish Gulenist press, we learn that DuPage County Sheriff John Zaruba was present. (Read the page in the Chrome browser; it will automatically translate it for you.) Perhaps they've given up on cultivating Tom Dart. It looks to me like they possibly read aloud the weird Susannah Mendoza praise-to-Fethullah Gulen resolution from 2011.
I wonder if they managed to put together a photo op or even a little parley between Idris Bal and Elaine Nekritz, Michelle Mussman, and Sheriff Zaruba to buttress their efforts against the elected government back home. Incidentally, there's no mention of the actual Turkish Consul of Chicago attending, or anyone from the consulate.
Also in the Turkish article, we see that the sponsors were sure to mention that they received letters of support from Tammy Duckworth, Robin Kelly, and Pat Quinn. If you've been reading these posts, you'll understand how important to the Movement to project an image of its influence with elected leaders. Here are some other people who were evidently there.
Possibly that's the mayor of Rosemont there on the lower right? Possibly Alderman Mary O'Connor above him? Not sure about the gentleman on the left.
I'm sure they'll put together a better video in the coming days, but as you can see, for now I'm relying on what I've seen on Twitter. Take for example, this tweet, about a young man performing at the event. The tweet appears to be from this individual, who I believe is the daughter or close relative of one of Fethullah Gulen's closest advisors (also here), and who is certainly not the first young person linked to the Movement to intern in an elected official's office (Jan Schakowsky's).
In the not quite functional video on this page, the young man is singing at 2:08 at the Rosemont event; however, there are a couple of better videos of him in rehearsal, (possibly posted by his teacher?) which show clearly the performance he was honing for the show. He's a talented young man; you should take a look.
He's certainly got the moves, and a talent for language, but let's look at the lyrics, and then check out what he's singing in translation.
Remember how in a previous post about religion in the Gulen-linked schools, I talked about revivalism? I talked about how you might not pick up on the connotations of words and symbols unless you were familiar with the language, the iconography, etc. Well, what is this young man singing about? Do roses have any connotations for you? They do for some. How about tulips? How about martyrs?-- there's a word we don't often hear kids singing in public schools in the US. Is it within the realm of reason to assert that this song is a religious song? What are the other words in the song that evoke religion? How about the other songs? I've only examined this one.
Run the song past a Turk and see what you get. Their language is ancient-- the connotations of their words go back to the time before America was invaded by Europeans. As for me, I'm pretty sure that this young man in the video has no idea about any of these things; he's just trying to remember a song and doing a good job of it. As for the adults running the show, I'm pretty sure they're happier about this song at a deeper level. It all fits in very well with the descriptions of crackling political and religious nationalism that are exemplified by the Turkish Olympiad, a topic we've talked about at length. I know this is just one young man singing just one song, but when you look at the ultimate goal, the Turkish Olympiad, and all of the kids from all over the universe of Gulen-linked schools, you see a theme.
Meanwhile, back at the ranch, it looks like the Gulen Movement is on the ropes in Azerbaijan, what with the vindictive, victorious Erdoğan flying hither and yon, getting his political allies ready to shut down or take over the Gulen schools throughout their range. It appears that when the Gulenists released the illegal wiretaps in Turkey, they played their last hand and lost.
Bayrum Balci makes a good point in the same article:
Last but not least, Erdoğan’s determination to eradicate the Gülen movement in Turkey and abroad could create a climate of suspicion everywhere where Gülenists have developed activities. Consequently, genuinely innocent people who have been working for them for years, sympathizing with their ideas or not, could suffer and be endangered as a result of the ongoing witch hunt.
I see what he's saying. In any movement as large and dispersed as the Gulen Movement, there are bound to be true believers, samaritans, and generally well-meaning members in the outer circle, and these members may comprise the majority of the movement. And they might very well be blind to the machinations, the wheelings and dealings, and the true feelings and motivations of the inner circle. It's just that for me, it's clear that the inner circle is in Pennsylvania, and it extends to Ohio and Chicagoland, and I think the people inside the inner circle are closely connected to some very sketchy behavior back in the old country.
I don't have feelings of alarm or panic about the relationship between our nation's largest charter school chain and a transnational social/religious/political movement. I think it's inappropriate, this relationship, and also that it doesn't "culturally compute," as Joshua Hendrick might say, in a land where the governance of public schools is typically open and democratic and clearly separate from opaque, secretive religious movements. There are risks, clearly, because of the tense showdown between the Movement and Erdoğan, which Erdoğan is clearly willing to extend outside the Turkish borders. However, even in Concept, which appears to have been very, very sophisticated in the way it has hidden its relationships to the very top of the Gulen Movement, I believe that the Movement-linked people mean well. And the American teachers? They have no idea about any of it.
Charter accountability, sunlight, oversight.... these things will be good for everyone involved. It's time for the Legislature to wake up.
*Horizon McKinley Park is one of the two Gulen-linked charter schools that were inserted into Chicago by the Illinois State Charter Commission over the objections of the Chicago Board of Education. They're on the march. Like the other schools in the chain, they're wasting no time in cultivating political relationships, although I'm not sure they're going to do the same video series as Chicago Math and Science Academy. If they do, I'm predicting you'll see a video testimonial from State Senator Tony Munoz, or that he'll be getting an award soon.
New to the topic? Please see some of my previous posts.
Actually, surprisingly little. Here's the coverage in the English language Gulenist media outlet, Today's Zaman, which has the date wrong. I won't even quote from it, so read the whole thing. Looks like a young lady named Biviana Benitez from Horizon McKinley Park* won first place; I don't have video of that yet (the video server on the Turkish press site isn't working tonight.. I have no doubt she's very talented, and she chose a popular song from an artist I like.
I will note that in the Zaman story, we learn that Elaine Nekritz was at the event. Rep. Nekritz took a 2008 trip to Turkey compliments of the the Gulen Movement, and you know how hard it is to say no to people who've been so generous and hospitable.
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| Source |
I wonder if they managed to put together a photo op or even a little parley between Idris Bal and Elaine Nekritz, Michelle Mussman, and Sheriff Zaruba to buttress their efforts against the elected government back home. Incidentally, there's no mention of the actual Turkish Consul of Chicago attending, or anyone from the consulate.
Also in the Turkish article, we see that the sponsors were sure to mention that they received letters of support from Tammy Duckworth, Robin Kelly, and Pat Quinn. If you've been reading these posts, you'll understand how important to the Movement to project an image of its influence with elected leaders. Here are some other people who were evidently there.
Possibly that's the mayor of Rosemont there on the lower right? Possibly Alderman Mary O'Connor above him? Not sure about the gentleman on the left.
I'm sure they'll put together a better video in the coming days, but as you can see, for now I'm relying on what I've seen on Twitter. Take for example, this tweet, about a young man performing at the event. The tweet appears to be from this individual, who I believe is the daughter or close relative of one of Fethullah Gulen's closest advisors (also here), and who is certainly not the first young person linked to the Movement to intern in an elected official's office (Jan Schakowsky's).
In the not quite functional video on this page, the young man is singing at 2:08 at the Rosemont event; however, there are a couple of better videos of him in rehearsal, (possibly posted by his teacher?) which show clearly the performance he was honing for the show. He's a talented young man; you should take a look.
He's certainly got the moves, and a talent for language, but let's look at the lyrics, and then check out what he's singing in translation.
Remember how in a previous post about religion in the Gulen-linked schools, I talked about revivalism? I talked about how you might not pick up on the connotations of words and symbols unless you were familiar with the language, the iconography, etc. Well, what is this young man singing about? Do roses have any connotations for you? They do for some. How about tulips? How about martyrs?-- there's a word we don't often hear kids singing in public schools in the US. Is it within the realm of reason to assert that this song is a religious song? What are the other words in the song that evoke religion? How about the other songs? I've only examined this one.
Run the song past a Turk and see what you get. Their language is ancient-- the connotations of their words go back to the time before America was invaded by Europeans. As for me, I'm pretty sure that this young man in the video has no idea about any of these things; he's just trying to remember a song and doing a good job of it. As for the adults running the show, I'm pretty sure they're happier about this song at a deeper level. It all fits in very well with the descriptions of crackling political and religious nationalism that are exemplified by the Turkish Olympiad, a topic we've talked about at length. I know this is just one young man singing just one song, but when you look at the ultimate goal, the Turkish Olympiad, and all of the kids from all over the universe of Gulen-linked schools, you see a theme.
Meanwhile, back at the ranch, it looks like the Gulen Movement is on the ropes in Azerbaijan, what with the vindictive, victorious Erdoğan flying hither and yon, getting his political allies ready to shut down or take over the Gulen schools throughout their range. It appears that when the Gulenists released the illegal wiretaps in Turkey, they played their last hand and lost.
Bayrum Balci makes a good point in the same article:
Last but not least, Erdoğan’s determination to eradicate the Gülen movement in Turkey and abroad could create a climate of suspicion everywhere where Gülenists have developed activities. Consequently, genuinely innocent people who have been working for them for years, sympathizing with their ideas or not, could suffer and be endangered as a result of the ongoing witch hunt.
I see what he's saying. In any movement as large and dispersed as the Gulen Movement, there are bound to be true believers, samaritans, and generally well-meaning members in the outer circle, and these members may comprise the majority of the movement. And they might very well be blind to the machinations, the wheelings and dealings, and the true feelings and motivations of the inner circle. It's just that for me, it's clear that the inner circle is in Pennsylvania, and it extends to Ohio and Chicagoland, and I think the people inside the inner circle are closely connected to some very sketchy behavior back in the old country.
I don't have feelings of alarm or panic about the relationship between our nation's largest charter school chain and a transnational social/religious/political movement. I think it's inappropriate, this relationship, and also that it doesn't "culturally compute," as Joshua Hendrick might say, in a land where the governance of public schools is typically open and democratic and clearly separate from opaque, secretive religious movements. There are risks, clearly, because of the tense showdown between the Movement and Erdoğan, which Erdoğan is clearly willing to extend outside the Turkish borders. However, even in Concept, which appears to have been very, very sophisticated in the way it has hidden its relationships to the very top of the Gulen Movement, I believe that the Movement-linked people mean well. And the American teachers? They have no idea about any of it.
Charter accountability, sunlight, oversight.... these things will be good for everyone involved. It's time for the Legislature to wake up.
*Horizon McKinley Park is one of the two Gulen-linked charter schools that were inserted into Chicago by the Illinois State Charter Commission over the objections of the Chicago Board of Education. They're on the march. Like the other schools in the chain, they're wasting no time in cultivating political relationships, although I'm not sure they're going to do the same video series as Chicago Math and Science Academy. If they do, I'm predicting you'll see a video testimonial from State Senator Tony Munoz, or that he'll be getting an award soon.
New to the topic? Please see some of my previous posts.
Taking a Good, Long Look at the Concept Charter Schools
Chicago Charter Schools and the Turkish Elections
Religion and the Gulen Schools
The Gulen Money Train
Chicago Charter Schools and the Turkish Elections
Religion and the Gulen Schools
The Gulen Money Train
Gulen 101: Session One, With Sharon Higgins.
The Tribune And The Gulen Movement
When Does This Gulen Mess In Illinois Become A Scandal?
Eyes Wide Shut In Illinois
About That BBC Gulen Interview
Think About This For A Moment
The Tribune Is So Full Of It
About That Unauthorized Invitation
How Does It All Start?
The Movement, As Seen By Our Own Foreign Service
Fellowship Joins With The Movement
The Grooming Of Illinois Policymakers: Susana Mendoza
What Is Going On In These Schools?
The Phone Call That Won't Be Happening Any Time Soon
What This Gulen Mess Is Really All About
The Tribune And The Gulen Movement
When Does This Gulen Mess In Illinois Become A Scandal?
Eyes Wide Shut In Illinois
About That BBC Gulen Interview
Think About This For A Moment
The Tribune Is So Full Of It
About That Unauthorized Invitation
How Does It All Start?
The Movement, As Seen By Our Own Foreign Service
Fellowship Joins With The Movement
The Grooming Of Illinois Policymakers: Susana Mendoza
What Is Going On In These Schools?
The Phone Call That Won't Be Happening Any Time Soon
What This Gulen Mess Is Really All About
Friday, April 18, 2014
From The Vault: Absolutely Closing The Achievement Gap
No time to write, so I'm pulling stuff from the vault.
This one is a little clip of Arne Duncan talking to someone from Edutopia back in the day.
Absolutely closing the achievement gap. Absolutely.
Except later on in time, the University of Chicago figured out that the achievement gap was actually worse, as the award-winning Linda Lutton wrote about in 2011.
I actually hate when people talk about "closing the achievement gap" because for me it's a red flag. It almost always signals that person talking is focused on the wrong things, and that somewhere down the line, the toughest kids who need the most and get the least are going to be dispersed from their neighborhood school and lost.
Red flags, red lights, red alerts. My blogging has developed a theme.
This one is a little clip of Arne Duncan talking to someone from Edutopia back in the day.
Absolutely closing the achievement gap. Absolutely.
Except later on in time, the University of Chicago figured out that the achievement gap was actually worse, as the award-winning Linda Lutton wrote about in 2011.
I actually hate when people talk about "closing the achievement gap" because for me it's a red flag. It almost always signals that person talking is focused on the wrong things, and that somewhere down the line, the toughest kids who need the most and get the least are going to be dispersed from their neighborhood school and lost.
Red flags, red lights, red alerts. My blogging has developed a theme.
Wednesday, April 16, 2014
Red Light On Redistricting...
Evening all, I'm trying to post an update on the Gulen-linked charter school language arts competition that took place on the 11th--- but it's going to have to wait. Busy season here.
Meanwhile, I was just sort of meandering through the campaign contributions for Yes For Independent Maps, which I haven't paid any attention to until now. Evidently there's a deep-pocketed campaign to replace our current opaque gerrymandering system with a different one, an appointed committee.
Do I have to tell you how I feel about appointed committees? Look at the state charter school commission. Talk about a group of people that should have to face voters.
Anyway, I admit to being a bit lazy here; I haven't even read the ballot initiative-- I've only read this Sun-Times article, but when I look at the number of financiers, money managers, scions of wealthy families, tycoons, and right-wing associations shoveling money at the effort, I call foul. Flip through the names for yourself. There's just no way this thing about anything other than deregulation, privatization, and the general looting of the country. Billionaires, hedge fund people, and the various members of the Steans family don't throw money at things unless it's somehow going to end public education in the long run or create more wealth for the people who've figured out how to game the financial system.
I know there are some groups with good reputations pushing for this thing. I see Common Cause is on board. Admittedly I'm a hermit, but the only time I ever sat with a large group of Common Cause people was when they sat silently while Alderman Joe Moore refused to act on three alderman's petition for ward-wide ballots regarding an elected school board. He simply buried the item on a pretense (it was an hour late or some such crap). The committee meeting came to a halt-- people were appalled, but the Common Cause folks, I regret to say, didn't join in the protest. They were hoping to get a symbolic resolution passed; I can't even remember the issue, but it really wasn't directly related to the actual jurisdiction of the City Council. The exact sort of thing Alderman Moore specializes in.
I write all this to point out that while reasonable people can disagree, I sometimes get the feeling that people aren't reading the fine print. They aren't looking at who's funding what, and who's agenda is being served. Go ahead and look at the contributors and then list for me all the wonderful causes they've fought for. I'll wait.
Can redistricting be improved? Yes. But let's think of a way that brings actual sunshine into it. When we think of that way, I can pretty much guarantee you that Wall Street isn't going to be funding the effort.
Meanwhile I'm declaring a Red Light on this ballot initiative. Red Lights are like Red Alerts, except quieter.
Meanwhile, I was just sort of meandering through the campaign contributions for Yes For Independent Maps, which I haven't paid any attention to until now. Evidently there's a deep-pocketed campaign to replace our current opaque gerrymandering system with a different one, an appointed committee.
Do I have to tell you how I feel about appointed committees? Look at the state charter school commission. Talk about a group of people that should have to face voters.
Anyway, I admit to being a bit lazy here; I haven't even read the ballot initiative-- I've only read this Sun-Times article, but when I look at the number of financiers, money managers, scions of wealthy families, tycoons, and right-wing associations shoveling money at the effort, I call foul. Flip through the names for yourself. There's just no way this thing about anything other than deregulation, privatization, and the general looting of the country. Billionaires, hedge fund people, and the various members of the Steans family don't throw money at things unless it's somehow going to end public education in the long run or create more wealth for the people who've figured out how to game the financial system.
I know there are some groups with good reputations pushing for this thing. I see Common Cause is on board. Admittedly I'm a hermit, but the only time I ever sat with a large group of Common Cause people was when they sat silently while Alderman Joe Moore refused to act on three alderman's petition for ward-wide ballots regarding an elected school board. He simply buried the item on a pretense (it was an hour late or some such crap). The committee meeting came to a halt-- people were appalled, but the Common Cause folks, I regret to say, didn't join in the protest. They were hoping to get a symbolic resolution passed; I can't even remember the issue, but it really wasn't directly related to the actual jurisdiction of the City Council. The exact sort of thing Alderman Moore specializes in.
I write all this to point out that while reasonable people can disagree, I sometimes get the feeling that people aren't reading the fine print. They aren't looking at who's funding what, and who's agenda is being served. Go ahead and look at the contributors and then list for me all the wonderful causes they've fought for. I'll wait.
Can redistricting be improved? Yes. But let's think of a way that brings actual sunshine into it. When we think of that way, I can pretty much guarantee you that Wall Street isn't going to be funding the effort.
Meanwhile I'm declaring a Red Light on this ballot initiative. Red Lights are like Red Alerts, except quieter.
Wednesday, April 9, 2014
Taking A Good, Long Look At The Concept Charter Schools
Here's the video from Monday night's webinar: Gulen 101, Session Two, With Sharon Higgins. It was a comprehensive look at the local interconnectivity between the various nodes of the Gulen Movement and Concept Schools, the group that runs three publicly funded charter schools in Chicago and many more across the region. [For an interesting update on this topic, check out Sharon Higgins' post about the webinar.]
For the life of me I do not know how the state charter commission could so blithely discount the evidence. Remember this? I hope they kept written records of their research because it seems likely that we'll be requesting their reports soon. Basic research, basic due diligence, basic critical thinking skills--- these are the only things required to figure out that there are multiple connections between this transnational social/political/religious movement and the three charter schools in Chicago, that these connections are purposely blurred to keep people uninformed, and that this phenomenon is consistent with the established patterns of behavior of the Gulen Movement worldwide.
The financial contributions to Congressman Danny Davis, which Sharon talks about at the end of the webinar, are really quite something. We've already contacted ISBE for more information. Congressman Davis is no stranger to international men of mystery; you will recall that he was present at the ceremony in which Sun Myung Moon proclaimed himself the Messiah, and then of course there was the Tamil Tigers episode. I like Danny Davis; I think it's very likely that he simply doesn't always look very hard at the people trying to cultivate influence with him, and in Illinois, that can be said of many, many people.
Nevertheless, we'll be checking to see if the congressman involved himself with the successful Concept appeal to the state charter school commission. It seems fitting that these schools-- which are connected to a secretive social movement, should be inserted into Chicago through an obscure, appointed committee that most citizens aren't even aware of. If they received assistance through the efforts of a politician they've cultivated, that would just be icing on the cake.
Nobody is using alarming rhetoric in this webinar, nor have I used any alarming rhetoric in the many posts I've written on the topic. What we're doing is pointing out in a clearest terms a phenomenon that plainly exists, that needs public discussion, sunlight, and a response from whoever it is that's blocking the charter bills in the Senate Education Committee, bills which expire on Friday. Again, here are the people on that committee:
There is more than one senator on this committee who'd rather not see any action on eliminating the state charter commission. If it you've called your senator and she hasn't told you explicitly that she's for it, then she's against it. They want to block it-- it's bothersome legislation in the minds of some very deep-pocketed people.
However, for the public interest, the charter bills before the Senate Education Committee are excellent and necessary. (UPDATE 9:00PM Looks like HB 4237 is on life support over in the House; hopefully someone will think of a way to let voters have a say in the types of public schools built in public school districts, and not let this decision rest in the hands of an appointed board of charter "enthusiasts" who have never faced voters. I believe the bill I support HB 6005, is still alive and ready for a vote.)*
Finally, just to reiterate, the theme of the webinar is that there is an undeniable relationship and interconnectivity between the Gulen Movement and the largest charter school network in the United States, which includes the Concept schools in the midwest; that the Movement is an active political partisan in an unfolding foreign drama, that it is secretive by nature and clearly religious, and connected to a specific theology. The reports in the world press of the complex nature of the Gulen Movement in Turkey and around the globe are various and in a multitude of credible cases, disturbing. What needs to be hashed out in the United States is whether all of these things are okay with us. They certainly are unprecedented in the arena of American public education. Are our schools now supposed to be a funding/outreach arm for every foreign organization? Or just this one.
While it's unprecedented, it isn't surprising. The opaque-by-design nature of the charter school sector, the resistance to any kind of minimal oversight, the ease with which the charter sector can thrive in an environment in which public education is excoriated by a constant drumbeat of misinformation--- from the Secretary of Education on down--- these things are the perfect atmosphere for hidden agendas.
It all needs sunlight and basic regulation--- the whole sector, not just the Gulen-linked schools. But in these particular schools, we also need to look at the idea of how important it is that people tell the truth when they're in a position of public trust. We cherish freedom of association here; we also cherish freedom of religion and speech, and all of these things must be protected, even and especially for the followers of Fethullah Gulen. But this confusing, disturbing situation we see in this webinar--- it's caused by secrecy and disinformation. I get the reasons; it's just that I don't think it's right. Not here, not in the private governance of public schools.
New to the topic? Check out some of my other posts.
*Linda Chapa La Via had a tough day in the House, but she said something important at the end of the day: “I apologize, but the frustrating thing is we’re here for the children—not an association, not a hidden agenda—we’re here for the children of the state of Illinois,” she said. “And what’s frustrating is we have outside powers putting things in people’s heads that aren’t 100 percent true.” She's talking about Christian Mitchell's head, which appears to be full of talking points, while his wallet, on the other hand, is full of Stand for Children money, which is outside money.
I have developed more respect for Linda Chapa La Via than really anyone else in the House, and I've had huge disagreements with her in the past.
For the life of me I do not know how the state charter commission could so blithely discount the evidence. Remember this? I hope they kept written records of their research because it seems likely that we'll be requesting their reports soon. Basic research, basic due diligence, basic critical thinking skills--- these are the only things required to figure out that there are multiple connections between this transnational social/political/religious movement and the three charter schools in Chicago, that these connections are purposely blurred to keep people uninformed, and that this phenomenon is consistent with the established patterns of behavior of the Gulen Movement worldwide.
The financial contributions to Congressman Danny Davis, which Sharon talks about at the end of the webinar, are really quite something. We've already contacted ISBE for more information. Congressman Davis is no stranger to international men of mystery; you will recall that he was present at the ceremony in which Sun Myung Moon proclaimed himself the Messiah, and then of course there was the Tamil Tigers episode. I like Danny Davis; I think it's very likely that he simply doesn't always look very hard at the people trying to cultivate influence with him, and in Illinois, that can be said of many, many people.
Nevertheless, we'll be checking to see if the congressman involved himself with the successful Concept appeal to the state charter school commission. It seems fitting that these schools-- which are connected to a secretive social movement, should be inserted into Chicago through an obscure, appointed committee that most citizens aren't even aware of. If they received assistance through the efforts of a politician they've cultivated, that would just be icing on the cake.
Nobody is using alarming rhetoric in this webinar, nor have I used any alarming rhetoric in the many posts I've written on the topic. What we're doing is pointing out in a clearest terms a phenomenon that plainly exists, that needs public discussion, sunlight, and a response from whoever it is that's blocking the charter bills in the Senate Education Committee, bills which expire on Friday. Again, here are the people on that committee:
There is more than one senator on this committee who'd rather not see any action on eliminating the state charter commission. If it you've called your senator and she hasn't told you explicitly that she's for it, then she's against it. They want to block it-- it's bothersome legislation in the minds of some very deep-pocketed people.
However, for the public interest, the charter bills before the Senate Education Committee are excellent and necessary. (UPDATE 9:00PM Looks like HB 4237 is on life support over in the House; hopefully someone will think of a way to let voters have a say in the types of public schools built in public school districts, and not let this decision rest in the hands of an appointed board of charter "enthusiasts" who have never faced voters. I believe the bill I support HB 6005, is still alive and ready for a vote.)*
Finally, just to reiterate, the theme of the webinar is that there is an undeniable relationship and interconnectivity between the Gulen Movement and the largest charter school network in the United States, which includes the Concept schools in the midwest; that the Movement is an active political partisan in an unfolding foreign drama, that it is secretive by nature and clearly religious, and connected to a specific theology. The reports in the world press of the complex nature of the Gulen Movement in Turkey and around the globe are various and in a multitude of credible cases, disturbing. What needs to be hashed out in the United States is whether all of these things are okay with us. They certainly are unprecedented in the arena of American public education. Are our schools now supposed to be a funding/outreach arm for every foreign organization? Or just this one.
While it's unprecedented, it isn't surprising. The opaque-by-design nature of the charter school sector, the resistance to any kind of minimal oversight, the ease with which the charter sector can thrive in an environment in which public education is excoriated by a constant drumbeat of misinformation--- from the Secretary of Education on down--- these things are the perfect atmosphere for hidden agendas.
It all needs sunlight and basic regulation--- the whole sector, not just the Gulen-linked schools. But in these particular schools, we also need to look at the idea of how important it is that people tell the truth when they're in a position of public trust. We cherish freedom of association here; we also cherish freedom of religion and speech, and all of these things must be protected, even and especially for the followers of Fethullah Gulen. But this confusing, disturbing situation we see in this webinar--- it's caused by secrecy and disinformation. I get the reasons; it's just that I don't think it's right. Not here, not in the private governance of public schools.
New to the topic? Check out some of my other posts.
Chicago Charter Schools and the Turkish Elections
Religion and the Gulen Schools
The Gulen Money Train
Religion and the Gulen Schools
The Gulen Money Train
Gulen 101: Session One, With Sharon Higgins.
The Tribune And The Gulen Movement
When Does This Gulen Mess In Illinois Become A Scandal?
Eyes Wide Shut In Illinois
About That BBC Gulen Interview
Think About This For A Moment
The Tribune Is So Full Of It
About That Unauthorized Invitation
How Does It All Start?
The Movement, As Seen By Our Own Foreign Service
Fellowship Joins With The Movement
The Grooming Of Illinois Policymakers: Susana Mendoza
What Is Going On In These Schools?
The Phone Call That Won't Be Happening Any Time Soon
What This Gulen Mess Is Really All About
The Tribune And The Gulen Movement
When Does This Gulen Mess In Illinois Become A Scandal?
Eyes Wide Shut In Illinois
About That BBC Gulen Interview
Think About This For A Moment
The Tribune Is So Full Of It
About That Unauthorized Invitation
How Does It All Start?
The Movement, As Seen By Our Own Foreign Service
Fellowship Joins With The Movement
The Grooming Of Illinois Policymakers: Susana Mendoza
What Is Going On In These Schools?
The Phone Call That Won't Be Happening Any Time Soon
What This Gulen Mess Is Really All About
*Linda Chapa La Via had a tough day in the House, but she said something important at the end of the day: “I apologize, but the frustrating thing is we’re here for the children—not an association, not a hidden agenda—we’re here for the children of the state of Illinois,” she said. “And what’s frustrating is we have outside powers putting things in people’s heads that aren’t 100 percent true.” She's talking about Christian Mitchell's head, which appears to be full of talking points, while his wallet, on the other hand, is full of Stand for Children money, which is outside money.
I have developed more respect for Linda Chapa La Via than really anyone else in the House, and I've had huge disagreements with her in the past.
Sunday, April 6, 2014
LSC Elections! Vote!
This, from Kyle Hillman:
Vote in your LSC election starting tomorrow! Monday-Tuesday
Chicago Election for Local School Councils starts tomorrow.
Goto: http://www.cps.edu/schools/
Select search by address.
Enter in YOUR address.
It will tell you which neighborhood schools you can vote at. You can vote in both your local elementary LSC election (Monday) and your high school (Tuesday).
6am - 7pm
Also if you have a student at another public school you can also vote there.
You must be 18, bring two forms of IDs - one of which must show your address (your drivers license for example). You do not need to be registered to vote - or even eligible to vote in a US election.
IDs accepted : https://scontent-a-ord.xx.
And this, from me:
To repeat: Elementary elections are Monday; high school elections are Tuesday.
RPNPS doesn't endorse candidates; we just encourage people to get involved. I myself will be voting in the elections at Kilmer Elementary and Sullivan High School.
Like I say, we don't endorse, but I myself will be voting for Dave Horstein and Myrel Cooke at Kilmer. If I were voting at New Field, I would definitely vote for Matthew Muir, who has helped me figure out a couple of things about how legislation works, and who is a knowledgeable, capable supporter of public education.
---Tim Furman
Goto: http://www.cps.edu/schools/
Select search by address.
Enter in YOUR address.
It will tell you which neighborhood schools you can vote at. You can vote in both your local elementary LSC election (Monday) and your high school (Tuesday).
6am - 7pm
Also if you have a student at another public school you can also vote there.
You must be 18, bring two forms of IDs - one of which must show your address (your drivers license for example). You do not need to be registered to vote - or even eligible to vote in a US election.
IDs accepted : https://scontent-a-ord.xx.
To repeat: Elementary elections are Monday; high school elections are Tuesday.
RPNPS doesn't endorse candidates; we just encourage people to get involved. I myself will be voting in the elections at Kilmer Elementary and Sullivan High School.
Like I say, we don't endorse, but I myself will be voting for Dave Horstein and Myrel Cooke at Kilmer. If I were voting at New Field, I would definitely vote for Matthew Muir, who has helped me figure out a couple of things about how legislation works, and who is a knowledgeable, capable supporter of public education.
---Tim Furman
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