WHAT PEOPLE ARE READING

Pirate Under Attack. Avast, Ye Swabs!

If Texas Tech fires Leach, there will be a mushroom cloud over Lubbock for thousands of miles and a likely revolt of Tech fans, alums, and former players.
Back Talk (95 comments) »

You Aren’t Here

A lack of reverence for the Alamo’s sacred battleground has turned much of the iconic site into a place no one remembers.
Back Talk (77 comments) »

His Town

When Marty Rathbun became an outspoken defector from the Church of Scientology, a group of filmmakers began to disrupt life in his adopted hometown. But they weren’t counting on the response of his neighbors.
Back Talk (69 comments) »

Still Life

Thirty-five years ago Dallas—and the country—was gripped by the tragic story of John McClamrock, a high school football player paralyzed during a violent tackle. But after the newspapers moved on, another story was quietly unfolding, one of courage, perseverance, and a mother’s fierce love.
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Across The Line

According to the district attorney in Smith County, this building was the site of the most horrific child sex ring in Texas history. Three of the adults convicted of running it have already been sentenced to life in prison. There’s just one problem: The DA in neighboring Wood County, where the building is located, says nothing happened here at all.
Back Talk (54 comments) »

Runway or Another

From her hometown of Lake Jackson to the Big Apple, Kalyn Hemphill, the winner of Models of the Runway, takes it all in stride.
Back Talk (51 comments) »

Dear Yankee

Eight things you ought to know before you start writing stories about Rick Perry. You’re welcome.
Back Talk (48 comments) »

The 50 Greatest Hamburgers In Texas

A gastro-scientific inquiry into the finest burgers in the state that invented the burger, including the Toro (#4), the Stodg (#6), the Miss Hattie (#28), and, in our top slot, a miracle of meat served only on Sundays. No wonder they call it the Lord’s day.
Back Talk (46 comments) »

Innocence Lost

Since August 23, 1992, Anthony Graves has been behind bars for the gruesome murder of a family in Somerville. There was no clear motive, no physical evidence connecting him to the crime, and the only witness against him recanted, declaring again and again before his death, in 2000, that Graves didn’t do it. If he didn’t, the truth will come out. Won’t it?
Back Talk (45 comments) »

Right Place, Right Time

An exquisite sense of timing—and a good deal of luck—has helped transform Rick Perry from an unknown Democratic state legislator into a swaggering Republican who’s spent more years in the Governor’s Mansion than anyone in Texas history. Is it enough to carry him past Kay Bailey Hutchison and all the way to the White House?
Back Talk (42 comments) »

Back Talk

Lesson Learned

William Martin talks about how charter schools could fundamentally change the Texas education system.

9 comments

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Friday, June 17th, 2011, 11:33 pm
CHERI22Dorsey says:
Every one remembers that our life seems to be not very cheap, but people require money for various issues and not every one earns big sums cash. So to get good home loans or auto loan will be a proper way out.

Thursday, May 5th, 2011, 2:23 am
ray ban says:
in addition to a number of private schools, preschools, and institutions of higher education in the U.S.? Mr. Martin is not the only American who has been given gifts www.raybanonsale.com

Wednesday, November 17th, 2010, 11:19 pm
ffxiv gil says:
I do not have much info about him and I do not really his real intentions, but people who dislike him ( and they might be right about this) have recently opened a new front in the war against him: "Attack credibility of schools that has Turkish administrators" After all what could scare more then "an imam who opens charter school to Islamise Texas". I would love to read Dr. William Martin’s comments on this. The accusations that made me think this way are many but this one is priceless; www.buy-ffxiv-gil.org/

Thursday, November 11th, 2010, 2:37 am
ffxiv gil says:
The Texas Monthly joins the rest of the lazy, anemic national press by neglecting to inform American parents -- who are doing their best to decide where to send their children to school -- about any of these things. Read FFXIV Gil

Sunday, September 19th, 2010, 9:22 pm
Scott says:
seems like my links messed up, here are them again: www.harmonyparent.com/charterschools/bill-gates-role-in-re-establishing-ottoman-empire-as-one-of-the-founders-of-the-cosmos-foundation www.harmonyparent.com/charterschools/see-how-informed-the-people-attacking-harmony-are

Sunday, September 19th, 2010, 9:19 pm
Scott says:
First of all, I enjoyed both the article and the interview. But after seeing the comments I could not help but post a comment myself which I almost never do. I live in Texas and familiar with Harmony Public Schools and Cosmos foundation since I was involved in their I-SWEEEP science fair competition as a judge along with my several colleagues from the university I work at. But seems like there has been a lot of discussions & criticism about Harmony Schools and that got my interest since I have been invited to Cosmos and Harmony Schools several times for I-SWEEEP meetings but could not make it. If they are such sinister organization. then I better keep far from them. My research (and yes I am an assistant professor who does a lot of research in different areas) showed me that, all these accusations and attacks are nothing but baseless accusations and altogether a big, driven from Turkey smear campaign. And I do believe all these has nothing to do with Harmony Schools or Cosmos Foundation but it has a lot to do with Gulen, the head of the Movement. I do not have much info about him and I do not really his real intentions, but people who dislike him ( and they might be right about this) have recently opened a new front in the war against him: "Attack credibility of schools that has Turkish administrators" After all what could scare more then "an imam who opens charter school to Islamise Texas". I would love to read Dr. William Martin’s comments on this. The accusations that made me think this way are many but this one is priceless; www.harmonyparent.com/charterschools/bill-gates-role-in-re-establishing-ottoman-empire-as-one-of-the-founders-of-the-cosmos-foundation (comments are hilarious in this one) (Bill Gates is portrayed in Arabic dress and is blamed just because his foundation donated money to Harmony Schools for their success in TSTEM education) Also visit this one and watch this video, I promise you won’t ask for your ticket back: www.harmonyparent.com/charterschools/see-how-informed-the-people-attacking-harmony-are/ (This is the CBS news coverage of people who protested Harmony School in Odessa and distributed fliers that, these people are terrorists and Texas Education Agency is helping Islamic Terrorist to take over Texas!) So I say this: Please take your war against Gulen and his people to somewhere else, especially to Turkey but leave charter schools that are great alternative to failing public education alone whether it is harmony schools, KIPP, YES or Uplift.

Saturday, September 11th, 2010, 4:12 pm
Gaia Ozcun says:
Gulen is a fraud and flake, he is being investigated in Turkey for inflitration of media, politics, military, police and education. It is only a matter of time before the CIA is done with him. The Pasha of Poconos better have his ticket back to Turkey ready. www.charterschoolwatchdog.com

Wednesday, August 25th, 2010, 5:05 pm
William Martin says:
Pondoors’ comments are neither unreasonable nor unexpected, but problems with the interview or the article (“Head of the Class,” August issue) are my responsibility, not Steve Thompson’s. Pondoors is correct in noting that more background information about Fethullah Gülen and the “Gülen Movement” would have been helpful and appropriate. I have had an interest in writing an article about aspects of the movement other than its involvement in education and addressing issues Pondoors mentions. Indeed, my original draft of “Head of the Class” was more than twice as long as the available space and touched on some of these. As noted in the interview, I have been aware from the outset that my having accepted trips from Gülen-related organizations raises questions about my ability to be objective. I am also quite aware that Gülen is a controversial figure in Turkey and have closely followed the criticisms raised against him by critics in this country. I am still on the case, without all of my questions answered. At this point, I am willing to assert with considerable confidence that the Gülen movement, including the Harmony schools, is not some sinister force bent on subjecting either Turkey or the United States to Islamic law. It does, however, work persistently to enable pious Muslims to have greater influence and power in Turkish society and culture and to foster a positive view of Turkey and Islam in the United States and elsewhere. Not incidentally, it also involves conscious and successful efforts to achieve economic success for those who are part of its widespread network. In the process, it does a great deal of good, with the Harmony schools as an important example. The lack of transparency mentioned by Pondoors is a reality and a problem for the movement. Stemming both from attacks on Gülen and his followers by radically secular forces in Turkey and fear of anti-Muslim sentiment in the U.S. and the West generally, members of the movement downplay the ties among various organizations and the influence Gülen’s ideas have on them. I think this is a tactical error, raising unnecessary suspicion of benign activity. A growing number of people in this movement agree. For an excellent recent assessment of the Gülen movement, see Joshua Hendrick, www.informaworld.com/smpp/content~db=all?content=10.1080/17540290903345849 . To access Hendrick’s doctoral dissertation, on which the article is based, see gradworks.umi.com/33/67/3367722.html .

Saturday, August 14th, 2010, 10:21 pm
Pondoors says:
Why does this interviewer neglect to mention any background information about the Fetullah Gulen movement? Why does this interviewer neglect to ask Martin about the shadowy network of Turk-run, Gulen movement charter schools which will be operating in 26 states when the 2010-2011 school year begins? Why does this interviewer neglect to mention that there is evidence of 146 Gulen charter schools (operating, pending or attempted), in addition to a number of private schools, preschools, and institutions of higher education in the U.S.? Mr. Martin is not the only American who has been given gifts (free trips to Turkey) by the Gulen movement "cultural" and "dialog" organizations here. Such "gifts" are one of their M.O.s and they are used to seduce and curry favor. Might those gifts had a bearing on the favoritism of the Gulen schools that the interviewee displays here? Mr. Thompson, why do you imagine that the Fetullaci are operating U.S. charter schools so secretly? Is the intentional lack of transparency a symptom of the fact that they have something they want to hide from the American public? And why did the Department of Homeland Security deny Fetullah Gulen his visa, and why did former top CIA administrators write letters to keep him here? The Texas Monthly joins the rest of the lazy, anemic national press by neglecting to inform American parents -- who are doing their best to decide where to send their children to school -- about any of these things. Read charterschoolscandals.blogspot.com/p/gulen-school-characteristics.html

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