Emails reveal that the Illinois Math and Science Academy looks to coordinate programming with Chinese Thomas Schools, facilitated multiple visits by educators from Beijing
Incidents
Documents obtained in a Freedom of Information Act request reveal that Illinois’ top STEM school, Illinois Math and Science Academy (IMSA), is seeking to develop programming in coordination with Chinese schools that are based on Fairfax County Public Schools’ Thomas Jefferson High School.
A June 18, 2024, email from a staff member to president Evan Glazer shows them working with Thomas Schools (operated by Ambright Education Group) to develop multi-week residential programming for Thomas School students at IMSA.
September follow up emails state that the Thomas Schools wanted to divert from their original plan to focus more on travel abroad programming. The staff member asks whether “IMSA’s primary goal is to get the Thomas Schools’ students through the doors and generate some dollars – or to create a true research exchange program.”
Glazer responded by stating that the focus “should be to create a multiple summer SIRs (like [redacted] class), and then invite students from all over: China, Turkey, Mexico, as well as Chicago and near our Hub partnerships.”
A September 5, 2024, email from the president of the Ambright Education Group to Evan Glazer states that Glazer is his “long time friend” and is seeking the change to visit from China.
On October 16, 2024, PDE revealed documents that the Thomas Jefferson Partnership Fund (TJPF), a nonprofit acting on behalf of Thomas Jefferson High School in Fairfax County Public Schools, gave Ameson Education and Ambright permission to replicate America’s top STEM school in China. Ameson was also involved in an estimated $3.6 million in funding being given to the TJPF. Evan Glazer was the principal of TJHS during some of those years.
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Other documents reveal that IMSA played host to the Beijing National Day School on April 9, 2024. The itinerary for the day shows the 17 representatives from the Chinese school getting access to curriculum, courses, and the school’s Artificial Intelligence Program.
On August 5, 2024, the same Beijing school requested a second visit and tour of IMSA while its members attended the NCSM and NCTM conferences in Chicago.
Prior to the April visit, an IMSA staff member asked the school president Evan Glazer “Do you think, given the current geo-political environment involving the People’s Republic of China (PRC), there is risk to reputation for IMSA if we agree to host the Beijing National Day Schools (BNDS).” [sic]
Glazer responded “I think it’s ok since we are not a political organization. Educator is a great equalizer that brings people together. In addition, I hope the visit might yield potential for their students to study at IMSA one day.”
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