A reader sent the following observation:
Here’s a devastating article that points up Bill Gates’ hypocrisy when it comes to the variation between what he demands for his own children, and what he subjects children from lower income communities:
THE SEATTLE TIMES’ Danny Westneat takes Gates to task for promoting policy all over the country that jacks class size sky high, with Gates using the common-sense-defying logic that kids will fare better in larger classes.
Well, Westneat sends his own kids to public schools, and will eventually attend Garfield High School (in the news of late). These are the schools that—once Gates has his way—will have obscenely large class sizes… A bit fed up, Weastneat did what perhaps no other writer has yet dared to do:
he investigated the two rich kids’ private school where Gates sends his own children and—doncha know it? —these schools major selling point is that they have… wait for it… EXTREMELY SMALL CLASS SIZES:
WESTNEAT: “I bet (Gates) senses deep down as a parent that pushing more kids into classes isn’t what’s best for students. His kids’ private-sector grade school has 17 kids in each room. His daughter’s high school has 15. These intimate settings are the selling point, the chief reason tuition is $25,000 a year — more than double what Seattle schools spends per student.”
Calling out Gates’ hypocrisy, Weastneat ends the article with a knockout finish:
WEASTNEAT: “Bill, here’s an experiment. You and I both have an 8-year-old. Let’s take your school and double its class sizes, from 16 to 32. We’ll use the extra money generated by that — a whopping $400,000 more per year per classroom — to halve the class sizes, from 32 to 16, at my public high school, Garfield.
“In 2020, when our kids are graduating, we’ll compare what effect it all had. On student achievement. On teaching quality. On morale. Or that best thing of all, the “environment that promotes relationships between teachers and students.”
“Deal? Probably not. Nobody would take that trade. Which says more than all the studies ever will.”

I wholeheartedly agree! Sir William…put your mouth where your money is….take the challenge. What’s good our kids is good for your kids.
LikeLike
Great piece. The children of Mike Bloomberg, Joel Klein, and of course, President Barack Obama all went to schools that practice the opposite of what they preach.
LikeLike
Same goes for Obama, Arnie Duncan, and probably the vast majority of Washington insiders, who send their kids to private schools with small classes and student-centered project-based learning…
LikeLike
I wonder if Mr. Gates understands the terms “causal” and “correlational”. Surely he took a statistics class before he dropped out of college.
LikeLike
Bam!
Well said Mr. Weastneat.
We should all remember this talking point:
The people pimping the current “school reform” choose exactly the opposite for their own children.
Coincidence?
I think not.
LikeLike
Great link!
🙂
If this were a championship boxing match that was not fixed, it would be Westneat over Bill by KO in 10 seconds of the first round. And that’s giving Bill the benefit of the doubt.
But in the world in which we actually live: Bill’s billions buys thumbs on the scale, referees that give him an illegal standing 800-count rather than declare Westneat a winner by KO, Bill’s gloves with brass knuckles inside while the referee takes away points from Westneat by claiming his gloves aren’t properly taped, ringside reporters who breathlessly claim that Bill is handicapped because he’s fighting clean but his opponent is using his elbows and forehead, and commissioners who rule that the only reason Bill is on the floor is because Westneat pushed [rather than knocked] him down and therefore the fight must continue—or be declared Bill’s victory because his opponent used illegal tactics. Even if it’s all taped and before a live audience that boos and hisses at the obvious favoritism, the charterites/privatizers will endlessly repeat that “everyone has a different opinion and a different way of viewing things, we need to agree to disagree” blahblahblah. Then they will steal the immortal line from Chico Marx: “Who you gonna believe, me or your eyes?” [And fail to properly attribute it to boot.]
Remember, that is why they put three or four edubullies up against Diane in media forums. It’s their way of acknowledging that only when it’s three or four to one that the edubullies have even a small chance of making their case.
The bottom line: they have amply demonstrated that they don’t fight fair. Because they can’t win if they fight fair. And remember, they’re in it to win it! At any cost to us—but not to themselves or to their children!
LikeLike
Excellent analysis, thanks KTA!
LikeLike
I would love to see a media forum with Diane Ravitch, Paul Thomas, Anthony Cody, Stephen Krashen, and Michelle Rhee.
LikeLike
The rheeject would be in tears in less than a minute.
LikeLike
@Duane – Of course she’d be in tears in minutes. That’s what bullies do when they are confronted with facts. They don’t acknowledge them and they immediately point to the person delivering the facts and act like that person is the bully and they are the victim. People who aren’t well versed in the facts feel sorry for the bully and believe they really are the victim. It’s pathetic but effective.
LikeLike
FYI…see the Zuckerberg, Booker, Christie emails here:
http://www.documentcloud.org/documents/550612-zuckerberg-booker-christie-cerf-100-million.html#document/p1
LikeLike
From this source:
http://www.nonprofitquarterly.org/philanthropy/21617-e-mail-trail-of-zuckerbergs-100m-newark-schools-donation-revealed.html
LikeLike
Buck Fill Grates!
LikeLike
You crack me up…what was your Arne Duncan one?
LikeLike
Dunk Funcan, plays on the fact that he was/is a basketball player, certainly he has no educator experience. And the Dunker certainly needs to be dunked into a vat of tar and then feathered.
LikeLike
Mr. Weastneat is absolutely correct.
I, however, have become tired of logical, educated, reasonable, and factual responses to those who attack public education, teachers, and teachers’ pensions. I am now angry. We are not to be faulted for our responses, however. We have done what reasonable people do when accused of poor performance, being overpaid, being greedy, etc. We have responded with reason and fact.
Instead of this, I’ve come to believe we should make a counter-offensive. We should be asking the public, “Who are these people who attack us? What is in it for them to attack us? Why are these people being interviewed in newspapers and on TV being asked about a subject that is not within their purview? Is that subject any of their business? Why are these people appearing in state capitols sitting with state legislators in meetings of congress? Why do they, in some places, get to speak in these meetings? Why do they, in some cases, get to actually vote in these meetings? ”
We should be attacking our attackers with truthful answers to the above questions, not trying to rebuff their attacks. They don’t give a damn about honest rebuttal because their “reasoning” is merely a ruse to advance their agenda. Their “reasoning” is bait to get us to waste our time providing well developed answers. We should be attacking them for what they are; opportunists with ulterior motives. They are big mouths trying to grab an ever bigger slice of America’s wealth.
As a member of the Civic Committee of the Commercial Club of Chicago, with regard to Illinois public pension “reform”, recently admitted, ” This is arm wrestling over the money.”
Enough with defense, defense, defense. Next time we get the microphone, or an interview, we should give attacking a try.
LikeLike
YES.It surely is time to have a concerted effort to counter attack. The beauty of it is, there’s no need to get dirty, they do it themselves.
LikeLike
I think it is a legitimate question, what class size gets you the best result for the money?
I’m guessing the human brain is hardwired to process and react differently to groups of 20 versus 30 versus 40.
LikeLike
I don’t have brain studies here, just personal experiences, but I know that I definitely work different with my advanced debate class of 18 versus my honors (HONORS) U.S. History class, which has 35.
LikeLike
When California introduced class size reduction for K-3, I immediately switched from 4th grade to 3rd, knowing what a difference smaller class size would make. I cannot understand how anyone can claim that class size doesn’t matter! Anyone with actual classroom experience knows how much attention, cooperation, and learning benefit from working with a smaller group.
LikeLike
It is counterintuitive to suggest that class size does not matter, and in fact, it certainly does matter. I ‘ve had second grade class sizes between 11 and 20 in my small school. I would say 15-18 students in the younger grades would be ideal. Classes can be too small, too: that class of 11 became too dependent on me, despite my attempts to foster independence. I also find that in small classes, the opportunity for strong models decreases. Bill Gates, if you’re reading this, please come to my school on a winter’s day and help us poor primary teachers with putting on snowsuits and boots and then tell me class size does not matter!
LikeLike
People over forty may come to remember Bill Gates as ” Founder of Microsoft and as the Richest Man in the World”, but younger people will view his legacy quite differently. His legacy is causing harm.
Such a shame, such a waste, ….
LikeLike
Just what we need..another egotistical, narcisstic, bloviating dillettante with too much money. Go back to work Bill.
LikeLike
Look up the Tennesee STAR research on class size to see what works.
Here’s an overview.
Click to access STAR.pdf
Ignore anything that comes up from Hanushek.
LikeLike
I’ve got a deal for Gates too. Let him teach a class of freshmen with 25 students, and then let him teach a class of freshmen with 50 students. Then let him argue that class size does not matter. Multiply the extra 25 students by 6 (the average number of classes taught by high school teachers) and let’s see how he feels about the extra 150 papers he has to grade. At least he is proposing these android super teachers get paid more, whereas the state of Florida is currently doing this to their AP teachers without any additional compensation. You can read more about it here http://kafkateach.wordpress.com/2012/05/27/class-size-matters/
LikeLike
Billy the Goates should always be referred to as being “infinitely avaricious” since he derided others as being finitely greedy.
LikeLike