http://www.charterschoolwatchdog.

They  are Equal Opportunity Bullies


"I was only threatened after I started to post about Gulen. Everything else they seemed to tolerate. When notifying the principal of the school he threatened me. I went to the school board after having to ask the principal three times for their information(all Turks) I was ignored.

I went to the state board of charter Schools. They have no power or authority to hold charters accountable NONE! They bank on this. I went to the US dept of ed. They know I have a case but they could not do anything I missed the 120 day window. When asking the state board of charter schools if I could make my complaint further to someone else or higher they said no. They lie (Sharia?) To think all this would have been avoided if they had just apologized and held those accountable. Instead they bully and threaten. In other school those teachers (to be fair who are American) would have been fired. Instead to draw any bad attention towards the school they make threats and back them. 7500 teachers statewide had been laid off from public schools. They could have had their pick. As a business it would make sence to fire them. But I guess good devotees are hard to find."

Lawyer's Letter to Parent:

Re: Sonoran Science Academy

 Dear Mr. Thacker:

 As you are aware, this firm represents Daisy Education Corporation dba Sonoran Science Academy (“SSA”). SSA has been aware for several months that you are posting defamatory, insulting and inflammatory comments
about SSA on craigslist. These posts are resulting in a significant disruption of the SSA community. Furthermore SSA may be suffering potential financial damages as a result of the false statements you are
circulating in the online community.

SSA responded numerous times to your complaints and concerns, responded to the Arizona State Board of Charter Schools and has allowed you to continue making defamatory comments on the internet for several months. Now it must stop.

If you do not immediately cease posting SSA will pursue litigation against you, including an injunction to prohibit further publication of defamatory statements and a lawsuit for damages. SSA has been tracking and collecting evidence of your defamatory statements. Including copies of your posts on craigslist and will utilize this evidence in a lawsuit against you if necessary.

Very Truly Yours,
Heather K. Gaines

Parent Response to Lawyer:

Dear Ms. Gaines,

Thank you for your letter dated June 29. I have reviewed it and would make these points.

1. The “slap suit” is not a new idea but seems like a radical step for a charter school. That school to sue a parent who had a poor experience at Sonoran Science would appear to have a chilling effect on the
aforementioned school’s ability to attract new students. Is it truly in the best interest of your client to have such a reputation?

2. For a school filing a slap suit on a working-class single dad would be such a novelty that it would risk lending media credibility and a much larger platform for me to make my case. That charges would be hashed and rehashed and whatever harm done on Craig’s List would bemagnified. And, as you are aware, gaining prior restraint against the media is an extremely high bar.

3. I sold plasma to buy my daughter lunch and Sonoran Science staff threw it away, refusing to give it to her. That’s pretty compelling.

 4. Should you pursue legal action, your firm would make money off billable hours but every dime spent on pursuing a father struggling through the current economic challenges is a dime not spent teaching
children. Is this the proper role of state and donation money that is supposed to be spent on children?

5. How much are you willing to turn over during discovery? You are claiming that I am wrong in my assertions against Sonoran Science. I
would then have the right to prove I’m not wrong. I’m not a lawyer (public school advocates may take an interest but let’s assume they don’t) and you can beat me back. But that’s more scout work for you, more money coming out of class rooms and more risk of media attention.

6. All I want is an apology for: a) Not informing me of an
investigation concerning my daughter’s accusation that a teacher had acted sexually inappropriately toward her; b) Forcing me no end of headache when both myself and doctors repeatedly provided records of
immunization records Sonoran Science never seemed to get as theythreatened to keep my daughter from class. Felt like harassment; and c)Throwing away a sandwich I bought with, literally, blood money. D) When
informing the principal of the school he ignored my concerns andthreatened me with a lawsuit. An apology, one for me and one to my
daughter.

I find it bizarre that you would threaten me with legal action forcriticizing a public institution on a Web Site not typically covered bylibel rules. I currently earn $12 an hour. I rent. I even rent myfurniture. I have a car payment. I am a student. I send money to my
ex-wife for my daughter. How much cash do you think you can get fromme? Moreover, how many parents will send their children to a school that sues unhappy “customers”? They are a business. Food for thought."

Source: http://www.turkishforum.com.tr/en/content/2009/06/23/fetullah-gulens-schools-are-all-over-the-us/comment-page-1/#comment-40541

Here's another story about one of their schools in San Antonio (from the same website):

Video can be found at: http://www.ksat.com/education/17612722/detail.html#video

Student Claims She Was Humiliated By Teacher Over Rosary

POSTED: Thursday, October 2, 2008
UPDATED: 9:30 am CDT October 3, 2008
SAN ANTONIO — An eighth-grader at a northwest side charter school said she was humiliated by one of her teachers over her religious expression.
Kelsey, a 13-year-old at the School of Science and Technology’s Discovery campus, said one of her teachers humiliated her in front of her classmates while repeatedly questioning her religious beliefs because she wore a Catholic rosary.

“She told me to take it off, and I told her no,” Kelsey said. “So she took me to the principal’s office and he took it away from me, and told me to get it at the end of the day.”
Kelsey said she continued to wear the rosary to school only to have the unidentified teacher question her religious beliefs.

“She has this teacher who is picking on her (about) something that’s none of her business, and no one will speak to me about it or address the situation,” said Marleana Ayala, Kelsey’s mother.

School officials refused to speak about the situation, but did release a statement to KSAT 12 News.

“Students have no problem exercising freedom of speech and freedom of religion, as long as they follow the general school’s rules and do not interfere with the rights of others,” the statement read. The statement did not elaborate on the exact school policy when pertaining to religious items.
http://www.ksat.com/education/17612722/detail.html#story
http://www.charterschoolwatchdog.com