Power Point and Graphs -- Oh Boy!

For our visual learners...

One of our readers sent us a link to a "slideshow" that very effectively details and dispels the effectiveness of the Cosmos schools ("Gulen-inspired") as they themselves like to advertise. The guys, as you know by now, love to toot their own horns -- so to speak.

Take the time to look it over, it has some interesting statistics (the guys also love statistics) about test scores, safety, college admission, etc.

And let's once again talk about their test scores. As we have said before on this website, it would be very telling if in fact independent test administrators proctered the state tests instead of the Turkish guys (who always handle the final results -- which follows under the "special projects," job -- another overpaid Turkish male job).

And the slideshow also calls to attention their claims of safe schools. From personal experience, we can attest that the Turkish-run schools are not exempt from violence as they would like to proclaim. In fact, and in our specific experience, they hired at least 2 Dean of Academics that were not fully credentialed or licensed, and clearly not qualified to act in their respective capacities.

In fact, prior to being hired by the Turkish school (sorry it is actually supposed to be an American school, but sometimes we forget), a male Dean of Students was charged with sexual harassment against a student in a lawsuit (at his previous job in another state). When the former Turkish principal who hired him was asked in a deposition if he had ever checked this guy's references or resume' prior to him offering the Dean of Students job at the "Turkish/American" school, he replied that "He did not," and that it was not a standard practice for him to do so.

So isn't that a little like throwing the baby out with the bath water -- you know -- putting innocent children in a school environment where the person "in charge" is supposed to be making sure that they are safe and instead, is actually one of the "not so nice guys?" What's the point of state and federal background checks (fingerprints) to ensure that school teachers and administrators do not have criminal backgrounds when no one bothers to check references and public records (which it was) for any type of civil actions that would directly affect the safety and welfare of students?

Perhaps the Turks don't bother because they themselves are so used to lying on their applications (employment and visa), that they think it is a commonplace practice.

If you read their propaganda, and listen to their pitch, it sounds like an utopian society at the schools -- an idyllic place to educate your children instead of the money-laundering pits that they really are. It is equally as comical (in a dark way), that they claim equal opportunities when in fact they themselves are the main culprits when it comes to discriminatory practices.

But let's give the guys credit for one thing, they surely have mastered the fine art of BS (and guys, that does not mean Bachelors of Science). Maybe they got a discount on some old Dale Carnegie courses, or Jim Jones training manuals.

But back to the subject at hand, here's the link:

http://www.slideshare.net/CASILIPS/rapid-expansion-harmony