Thursday, April 4, 2013

Accountability for Mr. Gates: The Billionaire Philanthropist Evaluation - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher

Accountability for Mr. Gates: The Billionaire Philanthropist Evaluation - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher:


Accountability for Mr. Gates: The Billionaire Philanthropist Evaluation

Bill Gates, who is more responsible than anyone for the absurd evaluations by which teachers are now being held accountable, had the gall to write this week in a tone of exasperation about the results of his own advocacy for these very practices.
Yesterday I asked when Mr. Gates, the great enthusiast for accountability for others, might hold himself accountable for his own handiwork.
As wealth has concentrated in the accounts of individuals such as the Gates, Walton and Broad families, they have used this to wield unprecedented power over the lives of those of us without access to such resources. They pay for research that creates the very "facts" upon which public debate is based. They pay for their own media outlets, and heavily subsidize others. Their money redirects existing grassroots groups, and underwrites new ones. They work with ALEC to write legislation, and funnel money through PACs to buy off politicians to