Texas probes charter school system after Turkish complaint
AUSTIN, Texas – Texas is investigating a charter school system that the Turkish government claims has ties to a moderate Islamic cleric it’s accused of inspiring a military coup attempt.
The Texas Education Agency said Friday that Turkey alleges Harmony Public Schools gave preferential treatment to Turkish owned and operated vendors in violation of competitive bidding requirements. Turkey also alleges the school system misused U.S. and state funds by guaranteeing a $1.9 million bond for a Turkish operated charter network in Arkansas.
In a statement, Harmony calls the claims “preposterous” and “welcomes the opportunity to fully co-operate with the Texas Education Agency.”
Harmony has more than 31,000 students at 48 campuses in Texas. Turkey says Harmony has ties to Fethullah Gulen, the alleged mastermind of a July 15 coup attempt who’s living in Pennsylvania.
News from © The Associated Press, . All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Join the Conversation!
Want to share your thoughts, add context, or connect with others in your community? Create a free account to comment on stories, ask questions, and join meaningful discussions on our new site.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.