Sonoran Science Academy: Honest School or Muslim Gatekeeping?

Sonoran Science Academy has earned international acclaim for its academic performance and its contributions to science and math, as well as allowing advances in the humanities. These series of small schools have allowed an alternative avenue of education, an avenue of small-class, individual-focused attention with provision of higher-order education access. Awards have been given to students and faculty for their various pursuits in engineering, science, cultural studies and mathematics.

However, not every good school comes without its share of criticism. Many dissatisfied individuals and critics argue that the schools fail to provide adequate education. Others argued that it is considered unfair to hand out visas to Even more controversial are the allegations that these schools are part of an "educational jihad", in which these schools are an attempt to indoctrinate Americans with the Gulen Movement (or radical Islam), the movement which reduced the secular Turkey to an Islamic State. Others have argued that these schools promote anti-Israel sentiment through allowing Muslim students to promote hate speech and Jewish alienation. One student, who remains anonymous, had endured years of harassment by both Muslim staff and students who promoted ethnic solidarity over individualism.

"I heard a lot of Arab students preach, "Death to Israel!" or "I hate America!" and the faculty would not do anything about it. If the culprit was Muslim, the person basically wasn't going to be disciplined by the Administration, or face the bare minimum. If the teachers had any political affiliation with conservative groups, they were dismissed or placed under surveillance and mistreated by students.  If you didn't agree with them, they would label you as ignorant or un-educated and mistreated you with aggression or poor grades."  Other parents became displeased that there were denials of genocides committed in Turkey taught in schools, including the denial of the Armenian genocide.

Responses from these various criticisms were on both sides.  Sonoran Science Academy and it's affiliated charter schools went into the aggressive, legal defense. Accusers were unmoved by legal threats and criticism from faculty, current students, alumni and lawyers, stating that these methods of intimidation will not deter their efforts.  Fatih Karatas, the current principal of Sonoran Science Academy, denied any connections between the connections of the various charter schools.  However, parents and students have noticed that ex-faculty members of Sonoran Science Academy were participating in other Gulen-affiliated schools such as the Beehive Academy in Utah and the Accord Institute.  Karatas further defends by stating that any political affiliation is a violation of current regulations.

One really needs to determine whether these allegations are true and supported (or simply based on Islamophobia or other ulterior motives). The Gulen Movement was started by Fethullah Gulen, an Islamic scholar who preached interfaith dialogue, condemned terrorism, and promoted secularism. He criticized the Gaza flotilla for not attaining proper consent from Israel. Thus, this "educational jihad" is a promotion of hizmet (altruism for the common good). However, followers of the Gulen philosophy have promoted Islamization of foreign states and obedience to Sharia law, which is itself disturbing in the United States.  Other Muslim students and faculty have aggravated the political stance with anti-Semitism and anti-American preaching.

But, these individuals do have a point. In the economic climate where it is difficult for U.S. and American-born teachers to attain a job, should it be time to go immigrating teachers outside of the United States? Are these immigrants from Turkey really necessary when we can accommodate these jobs with American citizens? Recently, a few American teachers have been dismissed by Sonoran Science Academy for unknown reasons.  They also do have a strong point.  With students learning from what teachers and other students say, inflammatory remarks and controversial politics should not be taught in these schools, especially in schools that are supposed to protect and enhance American freedoms.