Schooling in the Ownership Society: I can almost hear Bill Gates saying, "What do you mean you don't want our money?"

Schooling in the Ownership Society: I can almost hear Bill Gates saying, "What do you mean you don't want our money?":

I can almost hear Bill Gates saying, "What do you mean you don't want our money?"

Vicki Phillips, who runs the Gates Foundation’s education division, said her team is “disappointed by Randi’s decision.” -- Politico

Our big investment in school reform. "hasn't led to significant improvements." --Bill Gates

I have some idea what it was that prompted Randi Weingarten and the AFT leadership to reject millions of dollars in Gates funding. Politico's Caitlin Emma with help from Stephanie Simon report that the break came "after rank-and-file union members expressed deep distrust of the foundation’s approach to education reform." But that rank-and-file anger has been simmering in the union for years, ever since 2009 when the so-called Innovation Fund partnership was first sealed with a $2 million kiss from Bill and Melinda. So why now?

Of course, the revolt has grown louder these days, especially in N.Y. where thousands of union members are ready to go to the barricades in Albany over Common Core testing and teacher evaluation. Not to mention the  inner-Democratic Party battle is raging between Gov. Cuomo and Mayor de Blasio over charter school expansion which could spill out into the upcoming national