General Discussion

YellowRubberDuckie

(19,736 posts)

116. Hmmm...

Sun Dec 16, 2012, 07:57 AM

Dec 2012

Saving the lives of kids in the third world?

Found this
Over the years, though, the research community has more or less confirmed that class-size reduction doesn't yield significant performance gains. The most expensive education reform is among the least effective.

Gates proposes ending class-size reduction experiments, lifting caps on class size and offering good teachers financial incentives to teach more students.

Here: http://voices.washingtonpost.com/college-inc/2011/02/bill_gates_talks_about_teacher.html

I don't see where he's wrong in that. Privatization of Schools is stupid, I totally agree. But I don't think Gates is doing it to be evil. I think he wants to help kids get a better education. I'm not going to demonize him. I cannot see someone who wants to improve the lives of kids all over the world as someone who is evil. There HAVE to be good reasons behind what he is doing, even as misguided as he is. His though most likely is, "Why shouldn't all kids get the great education I did?" And is going from there. I refuse to see him as a Villain.
In searching for that, I found this:
Here it is in his own words: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/02/27/AR2011022702876.html

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116 replies

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Bill Gates spends $1 million on mansion, jets so 15 y/o daughter can compete in equestrian event [View all] HiPointDem Dec 2012 OP

Must be nice to be that rich peacebird Dec 2012 #1

That's equivalent to me paying for a dancing school in someone's house at the end of the block. Honeycombe8 Dec 2012 #2

Bill gates is a primary force in the destruction of public education and the promotion of HiPointDem Dec 2012 #10

#1: I disagree w/your statements. #2: That has nothing to do with his daughter's hobby. nt Honeycombe8 Dec 2012 #100

Big deal... pipoman Dec 2012 #3

we can always count on lots of people defending the poor misunderstood rich. No, pointing out HiPointDem Dec 2012 #6

What does that theKed Dec 2012 #13

Ann Romney in training.. undeterred Dec 2012 #4

So what. madaboutharry Dec 2012 #5

another defender of the defenseless rich. what would they do without you guys? HiPointDem Dec 2012 #8

What does that theKed Dec 2012 #14

you must have missed this part: HiPointDem Dec 2012 #16

No...no, i saw it theKed Dec 2012 #38

bill gates' political activities disguised as philanthropy are why his spending habits are fair game HiPointDem Dec 2012 #43

Bill Gates' theKed Dec 2012 #48

lol. i do, though. HiPointDem Dec 2012 #49

+1.... KoKo Dec 2012 #59

+++1 Good Work, HiPoint! nt patrice Dec 2012 #85

I've never met a person who wasnt Shivering Jemmy Dec 2012 #23

most of us don't have billions to inflict our creepy ideas on others, however. so i fail to see how HiPointDem Dec 2012 #25

Hard to see how renting a house is inflicting creepy ideas AlexSatan Dec 2012 #66

Gates donates billions to real charities! I am ok with it! Logical Dec 2012 #109

The Daily Mail is not a Murdock rag. No association. None. Melinda Dec 2012 #87

Well, you know, we have to groom the next generation of the corporate oligarchy. Selatius Dec 2012 #7

Trump's daughter Ivanka is already chugging the Laissez-Fail kook-aid. HughBeaumont Dec 2012 #35

That's tragic. Selatius Dec 2012 #50

As apposed to what? Separation Dec 2012 #9

If he gave 1/3 of his wealth to charity, where'd the million he just popped for his daughter's horse HiPointDem Dec 2012 #11

From the other 2/3 of his wealth?... SidDithers Dec 2012 #15

This made me laugh. vi5 Dec 2012 #19

I now understand his concern about the state of American education. nt hack89 Dec 2012 #24

i'd be more worried about the people who think he actually gave away anything. HiPointDem Dec 2012 #31

Charitable foundations are required by law to donate 15% of their assets annually hack89 Dec 2012 #37

nope, 5%. HiPointDem Dec 2012 #39

You are right. The $1.5 billion per year figure is still good. nt hack89 Dec 2012 #40

i never denied that bill 'gave' a couple of Billion a year; i explicitly state that, in fact. but HiPointDem Dec 2012 #46

What? AlexSatan Dec 2012 #68

"More billionaires join Buffett-Gates charity initiative" hack89 Dec 2012 #42

yes, more billionaires to fund education deform, cheap labor and patented control of food and HiPointDem Dec 2012 #47

It's a totally fake foundation duffyduff Dec 2012 #76

Facts matter AlexSatan Dec 2012 #67

Whatta guy duffyduff Dec 2012 #78

Lots of folks benefiting from his health philanthropy AlexSatan Dec 2012 #81

+1. That's funny. NCTraveler Dec 2012 #83

BOOM TISS.... vaht? dionysus Dec 2012 #93

Math is fun Separation Dec 2012 #22

Let's see...in 1996 he had 18.5 billion; $60 billion in 2000; $50 B in 2009, after the recession; HiPointDem Dec 2012 #32

Extremely important point - Bill Gates gave away NOTHING. JackRiddler Dec 2012 #95

+1 88mph Dec 2012 #45

It is obvious this is a personal thing for you and nothing to do with logic! Logical Dec 2012 #110

If/when we "go over the cliff", the inheritance tax will go back to 55% and that's too low. Egalitarian Thug Dec 2012 #12

I would prefer that the uber-rich just pay a fair share of taxes into the public coffers SoCalDem Dec 2012 #98

That's pocket change to most of us. MrSlayer Dec 2012 #17

"pocket change" only if his yearly income is something like 30 billion. HiPointDem Dec 2012 #28

How do you figure? MrSlayer Dec 2012 #41

Dime... SidDithers Dec 2012 #44

i'm talking about his income, not his capital. typically we don't measure our spending against our HiPointDem Dec 2012 #52

Any way you measure it, it's an insignificant amount to him. MrSlayer Dec 2012 #97

Whatever.... vi5 Dec 2012 #18

Bill Gates funds more crap than the kochs because he has more money. He's the biggest funder HiPointDem Dec 2012 #26

Not because he's evil. YellowRubberDuckie Dec 2012 #103

so many democrats sticking up for poor widdle bill, destroyer of public education, largest funder HiPointDem Dec 2012 #20

You were more entertaining when you were posting wsws.org articles all the time...nt SidDithers Dec 2012 #21

His kids will get around ten million each, Separation Dec 2012 #27

his kids will get control of his foundations (& their own trusts/foundation), guaranteed jobs HiPointDem Dec 2012 #30

Not to mention a cheap labor/job offshore outsourcing supporter. HughBeaumont Dec 2012 #33

I forgot that! one of the biggest pushers of cheap labor in the country. "Cheap Labor Bill". HiPointDem Dec 2012 #34

that's just walking around money for Bill bigtree Dec 2012 #29

I'll take Bill Gates over Steve Jobs any day of the week. frustrated_lefty Dec 2012 #36

It sounds to me like gollygee Dec 2012 #51

he certainly could, but that's what the tax-free foundation is for. HiPointDem Dec 2012 #53

They always have some racket gollygee Dec 2012 #54

yes, and what makes buddha cry is that there are so many peons willing to praise the racket and HiPointDem Dec 2012 #55

Could it be theKed Dec 2012 #65

You mean the foundation that has literally lowered the rate of malaria in areas. NCTraveler Dec 2012 #89

Good Freddie Stubbs Dec 2012 #56

Post removed Post removed Dec 2012 #58

I find it disgusting Marrah_G Dec 2012 #57

yes i wish i had his cash but it does not make him evil---romney's money did not make him evil dembotoz Dec 2012 #60

no what he does with the money makes him evil. like promote privatization of education, cheap HiPointDem Dec 2012 #61

he founded microsoft....blame the people who bought his product. they made him rich. spanone Dec 2012 #62

yes, somehow everything is always the peons' fault. that's why we must be punished -- by people HiPointDem Dec 2012 #63

Yes, him renting that house is punishing us AlexSatan Dec 2012 #73

Workers built Microsoft. He took the profits. n/t leftstreet Dec 2012 #71

I guess his 15-year-old doesn't have a social conscience either. Coyotl Dec 2012 #64

Pocket change to 1%ers. 99Forever Dec 2012 #69

Yep, you get it. nt laundry_queen Dec 2012 #74

um no, pocket change to the .01% Warren Stupidity Dec 2012 #90

I don't really care how the rich use their personal money. What I care about is how they treat jwirr Dec 2012 #70

This can be overlooked given all the humanitarian work he does. tarheelsunc Dec 2012 #72

Have to hand it to him - top of the line all the way from competing at the WEF to his rental house. riderinthestorm Dec 2012 #75

It's his money and his child qanda Dec 2012 #77

So? Bill Gates has been generous to his donations to various causes LynneSin Dec 2012 #79

You SHOULD "give a shit" how he spends "his" money duffyduff Dec 2012 #82

NO, I don't. I don't have a single care in my body what he does with his money LynneSin Dec 2012 #84

Breaking news: Bill Gates is really rich. nt geek tragedy Dec 2012 #80

Because Bill and Melinda Gates attempt to do some good in the world TwilightGardener Dec 2012 #86

What good has this guy done? JackRiddler Dec 2012 #96

He's just about wiped out Polio worldwide? YellowRubberDuckie Dec 2012 #104

Good for him. JackRiddler Dec 2012 #105

Hmmm... YellowRubberDuckie Dec 2012 #116

I agree. At least they give a lot to charity. democrattotheend Dec 2012 #108

It's their money they have a right to spend it arthritisR_US Dec 2012 #88

I wouldn't mind if Windows wasn't the crappiest, suckiest, least stable piece of shit Nye Bevan Dec 2012 #91

so true dufan_from_tx582 Dec 2012 #94

Long as he paid his taxes, what's the beef? Iggo Dec 2012 #92

Isn't a billionaire spending money a good thing? DesMoinesDem Dec 2012 #99

Bloomberg's daughter competes in this sport, she said that people associate her wins with $$$ Liberal_in_LA Dec 2012 #101

He's given away BILLIONS. YellowRubberDuckie Dec 2012 #102

No he hasn't. JackRiddler Dec 2012 #106

And the foundation has given away billions. Prove it hasn't. Logical Dec 2012 #111

I have a friend who got a grant from them democrattotheend Dec 2012 #112

Thanks for this info! Logical Dec 2012 #113

Sure - for privatizing US schools. JackRiddler Dec 2012 #115

Gates is hit and miss.. leftlibdem420 Dec 2012 #107

Damn. Marinedem Dec 2012 #114