New Film Connects Turkey Coup Leader Gülen to US Charter Schools, Taxes
Austin, Texas (PRWEB) July 23, 2016 -- A recently released documentary film, “Killing Ed," makes the connection between the largest network of taxpayer financed charter schools in the USA and the Fethullah Gülen Movement, a global Islamic group based in Pennsylvania. The Gülen Movement has been accused of the recent coup attempt in Turkey. The 94 minute long film shows gender and pay discrimination in the 150 schools operated by the group, questions about school construction, as well as immigration fraud as many of its administration and teachers are brought in from Turkey on H1-B visas.
In the wake of the global news reports about the Gülen Movement’s coup attempt in Turkey, filmmaker Mark S Hall is planning 24-hour free screening of the film online to the public later this month - and issues this statement with an important question:
“The Gülen Movement appears to be a criminal organization using intimidation and corruption to advance its goals. There is a tremendous amount of taxpayer money being paid to Gülen followers in the USA. Did our school taxes fund a violent coup in Turkey?”
Also, the film’s production company, Visual Truth Projects, Inc., is issuing a password-protected link exclusively for media viewing until this Sunday, July 24th at 5pm EST.
Filmmaker Mark S Hall states: “We interviewed teachers, parents, Turkish journalists, construction foremen, former Gülen followers and whistleblowers over 5 years while making Killing Ed to show how this group operates. A clear connection is made between the charter schools in the USA and Fethullah Gülen.” The charter schools are financed by state taxpayer dollars for public education in 26 states. The schools enroll over 70,000 students in the USA and generate over $500M a year in tax revenues based on a per student allocation of state dollars as well as federal education funds and foundation grants. "Millions of dollars end up in the pockets of Gülen-affiliated individuals and organizations that receive contracts with Gülen schools for catering, construction, curriculum, uniforms, furniture, legal services, and more – all paid with taxpayer dollars.” Hall continues, ”The Gülen schools need to be independently and thoroughly investigated.”
“Killing Ed: Charter Schools, Corruption, and the Gülen Movement in America” is a production of Visual Truth Projects, Inc. of Austin, Texas and was directed by award-winning filmmaker, Mark S Hall. Hall’s last documentary, “Sushi: The Global Catch,” won a number of festival prizes and was seen by audiences in over 40 nations. Killing Ed is currently available on DVD via Barnes&Noble.com, Amazon.com and other online marketplaces. Screenings will occur in Texas and California in August and September. For more information about Killing Ed and its subject, please visit the film’s website at http://www.killinged.com
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David Wyatt, Wyatt Brand, http://killinged.com/, +1 5129049928, [email protected]
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