Bill Gates: Common Core Not a Federal Takeover of Schools

Bill Gates: Common Core Not a Federal Takeover of Schools

Sunday, 16 Mar 2014 10:51 AM

By Greg Richter

http://www.newsmax.com/Newsfront/bill-gates-common-core-schools/2014/03/16/id/559804

Microsoft founder Bill Gates says opposition to the Common Core education standards is based on a lack of understanding, and he thinks it eventually will be a "big win" for education in the United States.

The controversial new standards for math and language have been adopted by 45 states with $4 billion in funding from President Barack Obama's stimulus package. But some of those states, including New York, have begun to back away as teachers and parents have complained they are being poorly implemented.

Conservative groups have complained that the national standards amount to a federal takeover of the education system.

But in a pre-recorded interview aired Sunday on ABC's "This Week," Gates insisted that isn't so. He and other business groups have produced an ad advocating implementation of Common Core.

"It doesn't tell you how to teach. It's not a federal takeover. Nobody's pushing for that," Gates told ABC.

Like the diverse group opposing Common Core, some unlikely bedfellows favor it. In addition to businesses, President Barack Obama, former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush back the tougher standards.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce and other business groups have produced TV ads aimed at conservatives who oppose Common Core. They are set to begin airing on Fox News Channel and other outlets on Sunday.

"I think it's such an exciting thing to have high standards, to have quality standards, and to have consistent standards," Gates said. "I'm thrilled this is moving forward and disappointed that through confusion and various groups, its implementation is actually at risk in some states."

Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, recently said, "You think the Obamacare implementation is bad? The implementation of Common Core is worse."

Gates pointed out the rollout is being done on a state-by-state basis and admitted, "In some locations they have a legitimate point."

In New York, legislators are calling for a two-year moratorium after test scores sank there. Only a third of elementary and middle school students passed.

"When we go to higher standards there is a transition where you'll see the way we've been teaching math is not good enough," Gates said.

America is falling behind other countries because, even though those countries teach less per year, they make sure students understand what they are taught, he said. In the United States, students are taught a larger amount, but "you're getting shallow knowledge on a regular basis."

Microsoft

Dina Dublon is a director at the Microsoft Corporation, and an overseer at the International Rescue Committee.

Note: Rhonda Weingarten (Randi) is an overseer at the International Rescue Committee, a director at the Drum Major Institute for Public Policy, a director at the Economic Policy Institute, the president of the American Federation of Teachers, and was the president of the United Federation of Teachers.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the International Rescue Committee, the Drum Major Institute for Public Policy, the Economic Policy Institute, and the Brookings Institution (think tank).

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation was a funder for the International Rescue Committee, and the Brookings Institution (think tank).

Diane S. Ravitch was a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution (think tank), an assistant secretary for the U.S. Department of Education, is a critic for the Common Core educational standards, and a research professor at New York University.

A Teacher Questions the Common Core Standards

March 10, 2013

By dianeravitch

http://dianeravitch.net/2013/03/10/a-balanced-view-of-the-common-core-standards

Race to the Top is a grant program from the U.S. Department of Education, and encourages the adoption of the Common Core educational standards.

Jeb Bush is a supporter for the Common Core educational standards, and a member of the Alfalfa Club.

Dianne Feinstein is a member of the Alfalfa Club, a U.S. Senate senator, and married to Richard C. Blum.

Richard C. Blum is married to Senator Dianne Feinstein, and an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank).

Susan E. Rice was a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution (think tank), is the White House national security adviser for the Barack Obama administration, and married to Ian O. Cameron.

Ian O. Cameron is married to Susan E. Rice, and was the executive producer for This Week with George Stephanopoulos.

George Stephanopoulos is the anchor for This Week with George Stephanopoulos, and was the chief Washington correspondent for the ABC News.

Klaus Kleinfeld is a trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank), a director at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, a director at Bayer AG, and a 2008 Bilderberg conference participant (think tank).

Bayer And Monsanto Should Pay Cleanup Costs For Toxic PCB Chemicals, Says German Environmental Group (Past Research)

Sunday, March 16, 2014

http://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2014/03/bayer-and-monsanto-should-pay-cleanup.html

Helmut Panke is a supervisory board member for Bayer AG, and a director at the Microsoft Corporation.

William H. Gates III is a co-founder & technology adviser & director for the Microsoft Corporation, and a co-chair for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.