Qatar Funding Globalization in U.S. Public Schools

Qatar Funding Globalization in U.S. Public Schools

by Dr. Susan Berry 26 Aug 2017

http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/08/26/qatar-funding-globalization-in-u-s-public-schools/

The Qatar Foundation has been funding U.S. K-12 public schools, seeking to ramp up their Arabic language and cultural curricula with an eye toward globalization.

According to a report in the Wall Street Journal (WSJ):

The Qatar Foundation gave $30.6 million over the past eight years to several dozen schools from New York to Oregon and supporting initiatives to create or encourage the growth of Arabic programs, including paying for teacher training, materials and salaries. The funding came through Qatar Foundation International, the foundation’s U.S. arm.

“We are going to definitely look at ways to expand in the future,” said Omran Hamad Al-Kuwari, executive director of the Qatar Foundation’s CEO office. “We’ve been quite surprised about the interest.”

Similarly, Maggie Mitchell Salem, QFI’s executive director, says the foundation “partners” with U.S. school districts “to advance Arabic language learning and the understanding of Arab culture to develop global competency and critical 21st century skills that young Americans need to compete globally.”

The WSJ report continues that – after Spanish – Arabic “is the language most spoken by students learning English as a second language at U.S. public schools, and the percentage of speakers is growing at a faster rate than other top languages, according to a review of data from the National Center for Education Statistics.”

Qatar Foundation International (QFI) also states:

The study of Arabic as a foreign language has risen in popularity and has seen a surge in American student interest over the past decade. Surveys conducted by the Modern Language Association (MLA) in 2006 and

2009 found that American student enrolment in Arabic language courses grew by 126.5% from 2002 to 2006 and then again by another 46.3% between 2006 and 2009, making Arabic the fastest-growing area of foreign language study in the US. Despite this growing national interest, in-school programs have struggled to keep pace.

However, Qatar – home to a U.S. military base – has been the subject of much controversy since Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates severed ties with it in June, accusing the energy-rich nation of supporting terrorist groups.

The Associated Press reported:

Saudi Arabia said it took the decision to cut diplomatic ties due to Qatar’s “embrace of various terrorist and sectarian groups aimed at destabilizing the region” including the Muslim Brotherhood, al-Qaida, the Islamic State group and groups supported by Iran in the kingdom’s restive Eastern Province. Egypt’s Foreign Ministry accused Qatar of taking an “antagonist approach” toward Cairo and said “all attempts to stop it from supporting terrorist groups failed.”

This week, Qatar announced it would be returning its ambassador to Iran, fueling further the ire of its Arab neighbors.

Qatar has also historically been a major supporter of the Clinton Foundation, even though the Hillary Clinton State Department expressed its “continuing human rights concerns” about the Arab state – including in the areas of “freedom of religion … trafficking in persons … legal, institutional, and cultural discrimination against women.”

As Breitbart News reported in October of 2016, despite the “concerns” of the Clinton State Department about Qatar’s alleged human rights violations, “Qatar has donated $1,000,000 to $5,000,000 to the Clintons, with many of those high-dollar donations flooding in while Hillary Clinton was serving as Secretary of State.”

Al-Kuwari, however, according to WSJ, dismisses any suggestion that QFI is tied to terrorist groups.

“There’s a lot of PR wars going on,” he said. “Everybody that comes to Qatar knows what we are about.”

Though other Arab nations contribute to American colleges and universities, Qatar seems especially interested in donations to U.S. K-12 public schools. The public school districts that have sought QFI’s money say they have an eye on globalization.

In September of 2016, QFI – which, according to WSJ, does not reveal its funding sources – announced its awards of $111,069 to the Tucson Unified school district in Arizona and $68,305 to the Minneapolis Public school district (MPS), “aimed at expanding their Arabic programs and existing partnership with QFI.”

According to the announcement of the awards, MPS is the only district that offers Arabic from an elementary level to a high school level in the Twin Cities.

“With the grant award, MPS will solidify the Arabic pathway from Lyndale Elementary School, Ramsey Middle School, to Washburn High School,” QFI states.

“Minneapolis Public Schools believes in providing an urban education that prepares students to be global citizens,” said superintendent Ed Graff. “Thanks to this partnership, our students will have even more opportunities to learn important languages useful for both college and career.”

QFI explained that its award to Tucson Unified would “establish an Arabic feeder program” from the district’s original program at Cholla Magnet High School to include another high school, an elementary school, and a middle school.

“Tucson Unified is committed to offering a global education, and we are excited that this partnership allows us to expand opportunities for our students and our community to learn more about the world,” said superintendent H.T. Sanchez.

Breitbart Texas reported in May of 2016 that QFI granted $100,000 to the Austin Independent School District in Texas to promote Arabic language and culture classes, making it the third school district in the state to accept funds from the foundation. The grant funds teacher salaries, curriculum, and instructional materials.

WSJ reports as well that The Washington Latin Public Charter School in Washington, D.C., first applied to the Qatar Foundation in 2009. Retired headmaster Martha Cutts said she quickly accepted the QFI’s offer to fund an Arabic program at her school, which has since reportedly received about $1.04 million from QFI.

“The program has grown every year,” Cutts said. “I think it allows for our students to be better informed citizens.”

Let’s connect the dots:

Qatar Foundation International

Qatar Foundation International was a funder for the Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation.

Note: Friends of Saudi Arabia was a funder for the Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation.

Open Society Foundations was a funder for the Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation, the American Constitution Society, and the Center for American Progress.

George Soros is the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations, was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society, and a supporter for the Center for American Progress.   

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Aspen Institute (think tank), the Center for American Progress, the Climate Reality Project, and the Brookings Institution (think tank).

Shirley M. Hufstedler is a board of adviser’s member for the American Constitution Society, was a lifetime trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank), and a secretary for the U.S. Department of Education.                              

David H. Koch is a trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank), and the EVP for Koch Industries.

Alex A. Beehler was the environmental and regulatory affairs director for Koch Industries, and is a senior adviser for FaegreBD Consulting.

FaegreBD Consulting is the lobby firm for Minneapolis (MN).

Ann McLaughlin Korologos was the chair emeritus for the Aspen Institute (think tank), and is married to Tom C. Korologos.

Tom C. Korologos is married to Ann McLaughlin Korologos, a strategic adviser for DLA Piper, and the chairman for TCK International, LLC.

Tom Daschle is a senior policy adviser for DLA Piper, and the chairman for the Center for American Progress.

Cynthia G. Brown is a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, a director at the Policy Innovators in Education Network, and was an assistant secretary for the U.S. Department of Education.

National Center for Education Statistics is a division of the U.S. Department of Education.

Carol M. Browner is a director at the Center for American Progress, and was a director at the Climate Reality Project.

Albert A. Gore Jr. is the chairman for the Climate Reality Project, was a co-founder & chairman for Current Media, LLC, and sued Al Jazeera.

Al Jazeera acquired Current TV.

Current TV was a division of Current Media, LLC.

Laura Ling is a journalist for Current TV, was freed as result of the 2009 humanitarian mission to North Korea, and William J. Clinton negotiated her release from North Korea.

Euna Lee was a journalist for Current TV, freed as result of the 2009 humanitarian mission to North Korea, and William J. Clinton negotiated her release from North Korea.

Kim Jong Un is the leader of North Korea, and met with Dennis Rodman in 2013.

Dennis Rodman met with Kim Jong Un, and was a player for the Chicago Bulls.

Henry Crown and Company is an investor in the Chicago Bulls.

James S. Crown is the president of Henry Crown and Company, and the vice chairman for the Aspen Institute (think tank).

Lester Crown is the chairman for Henry Crown and Company, and was a lifetime trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank).

Bloomberg Family Foundation was a funder for the Aspen Institute (think tank), and the Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation.

Qatar Foundation International was a funder for the Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation.

Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani is the founder of the Qatar Foundation International, the founder of Al Jazeera, and was the emir for Qatar.

DLA Piper was a lobby firm for Al Jazeera.

TCK International, LLC was a lobby firm for Al Jazeera.

Tom C. Korologos is a strategic adviser for DLA Piper, the chairman for TCK International, LLC, and married to Ann McLaughlin Korologos.

Ann McLaughlin Korologos is married to Tom C. Korologos, and was the chair emeritus for the Aspen Institute (think tank).

David H. Koch is a trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank), and the EVP for Koch Industries.

Alex A. Beehler was the environmental and regulatory affairs director for Koch Industries, and is a senior adviser for FaegreBD Consulting.

FaegreBD Consulting is the lobby firm for Minneapolis (MN).

Shirley M. Hufstedler was a lifetime trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank), a secretary for the U.S. Department of Education, and is a board of adviser’s member for the American Constitution Society.

National Center for Education Statistics is a division of the U.S. Department of Education.

Diane S. Ravitch was an assistant secretary for the U.S. Department of Education, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution (think tank), and is a critic for Common Core educational standards.

Qatar was a funder for the Brookings Institution (think tank), and the Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation.

Qatar Foundation International was a funder for the Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation.

Achieve Inc. helped develop the Common Core educational standards.

Lumina Foundation for Education was a funder for Achieve Inc., the Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation, the Brookings Institution (think tank), and the Aspen Institute (think tank).

Carnegie Corporation of New York was a funder for the Achieve Inc., the Brookings Institution (think tank), the Aspen Institute (think tank), the New Visions for Public Schools, the Charter School Growth Fund, and the New Teacher Project.

Rhonda Weingarten is a trustee at the New Visions for Public Schools, the president of the American Federation of Teachers, and was the president of the United Federation of Teachers.

Richard I. Beattie is the founder & chairman for the New Visions for Public Schools, and a trustee at the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

Newton N. Minow is an honorary trustee at the Carnegie Corporation of New York, and the president of the Crown Family Foundation.

Lester Crown is the VP for the Crown Family Foundation, the chairman for Henry Crown and Company, and was a lifetime trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank).

James S. Crown is the president of Henry Crown and Company, and the vice chairman for the Aspen Institute (think tank).

Henry Crown and Company is an investor in the Chicago Bulls.

Dennis Rodman was a player for the Chicago Bulls, and met with Kim Jong Un.

Kim Jong Un met with Dennis Rodman in 2013, and is the leader of North Korea.

Euna Lee was freed as result of the 2009 humanitarian mission to North Korea, William J. Clinton negotiated her release from North Korea, and a journalist for Current TV.

Laura Ling was freed as result of the 2009 humanitarian mission to North Korea, William J. Clinton negotiated her release from North Korea, and is a journalist for Current TV.

Current TV was a division of Current Media, LLC.

Albert A. Gore Jr. was a co-founder & chairman for Current Media, LLC, sued Al Jazeera, and is the chairman for the Climate Reality Project.

Al Jazeera acquired Current TV.

Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani is the founder of Al Jazeera, the founder of the Qatar Foundation International, and was the emir for Qatar.

DLA Piper was a lobby firm for Al Jazeera.

TCK International, LLC was a lobby firm for Al Jazeera.

Tom C. Korologos is a strategic adviser for DLA Piper, the chairman for TCK International, LLC, and married to Ann McLaughlin Korologos.

Ann McLaughlin Korologos is married to Tom C. Korologos, and was the chair emeritus for the Aspen Institute (think tank).

David H. Koch is a trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank), and the EVP for Koch Industries.

Alex A. Beehler was the environmental and regulatory affairs director for Koch Industries, and is a senior adviser for FaegreBD Consulting.

FaegreBD Consulting is the lobby firm for Minneapolis (MN).

Shirley M. Hufstedler was a lifetime trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank), a secretary for the U.S. Department of Education, and is a board of adviser’s member for the American Constitution Society.

National Center for Education Statistics is a division of the U.S. Department of Education.

Bloomberg Family Foundation was a funder for the Aspen Institute (think tank), and the Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation.

Michael R. Bloomberg is the founder of the Bloomberg Family Foundation, a contributor for the Americans for Responsible Solutions, and a New York (NY) mayor.

Americans for Responsible Solutions is a “Gun Safety, Gun Control” PAC for guns.

Gabrielle Giffords is a co-founder for the Americans for Responsible Solutions, was a shooting victim in the 2011 Tucson shootings, an Arizona Senate senator, and Jeffrey Zaslow was her memoir co-author.

Jeffrey Zaslow was Gabrielle Giffords’s memoir co-author, and a columnist for the Wall Street Journal (WSJ).