Monday, October 26, 2009

Bill Gates is wrong and manipulative

The Sacramento Bee has an article today from the Associated Press on Bill Gates and school reform.
Here the article is in the Washington Post 
Here is a response to this often quoted mantra.

If you wish to fix the schools, you need to start by accurately describing the problem.  Bill Gates does not. He claims, “ It is no secret that the U.S. education system is failing.”   It is not only not a secret, it is also not accurate.
Well over 50% of U.S. schools are doing quite well- even with  the draconian cuts in school budgets.
There is a group of schools where students are failing at disgraceful rates- and these schools are almost all in poverty areas.  The late Gerald Bracey pointed out that U.S. schools with less than 25 percent of their students in poverty  outscore all other countries in math and science.
U.S.  children only fall below the international average when 75 percent or more of the students in a school live in poverty.  The political economy of the U.S. creates  the highest level of childhood poverty of industrialized countries and in the process creates school failure.
The Gates assertion  is a part of the new age corporate agenda to blame the schools and teachers for the crisis created by the corporate  domination of our economy and politics.
            For an alternative see www.boldapproach.org/

Duane Campbell
Prof. of Education (Emeritus)

3 comments:

Alejandro said...

You have an interesting perspective. I certainly agree that there might be a misrepresentation of facts. However, might that manipulation of facts by Gates not be be a good thing? Like cities and counties declaring local emergencies in reaction to the swine flu in order to get more vaccine, might not putting attention on our "failing" educational system be a good thing? Maybe we can focus our attention on those poor schools. Nevertheless, you are right. Can you lead me to any sources on the political economy that puts our schools in such peril?

Duane Campbell said...

Thanks for your comment. Yes, you are correct that the message can be used positively. It also misleads. For further info; see the boldapproach link in the post. And, Radical Possibilities, by jean Anyon. And my own book,
Choosing Democracy: a practical guide to multicultural education, (2010) chapters 1,4,12 & 13.

Duane Campbell said...

Alejandro.
And, follow this blog. I cover the political economy's agenda on school reform.
Duane

 
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