Jonathan Pelto writes about a report on Bill Gates’ underwriting of “journalism” touting privatization of public schools in Liberia, gates is an investor in Bridge International Academies, a for-profit business that offers scripted schooling by uncertified teachers in poor nations in Africa. Some have called it the new colonialism masquerading as philanthropy.
Gates has invested in BIA. it is not philanthropy.
“In a stunning expose written by Adam Johnson of Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting (FAIR), it becomes undeniably clear that Bill Gates has reached the point where his billions not only fund the myriad of corporate education reform initiatives that are sweeping the country and the world, but his investment in the media taints much of the coverage of these developments.
In an article entitled, “This Guardian Piece Touting Bill Gates’ Education Investment Brought to You by Bill Gates,” FAIR’s Adam Johnson explains:
“The Guardian (8/31/16) published a broadly positive report on Liberian education, which is handing over the reins of 120 primary schools to a consortium of private education companies and NGOs in a pilot program exploring privatization of the West African nation’s schools. One passage in particular was especially glowing:
“The deputy minister [of Education], Aagon Tingba, is reading The Bee Eater, a biography of Michele Rhee, a polarizing educational reformist and former chancellor of Washington, DC, public schools.
“She changed the lives of children in Washington, but people complained her methods were controversial. But she made a difference. So why can’t we do that here?”
“What the piece failed to note—other than the fact that Rhee’s tenure left DC’s schools “worse by almost every conceivable measure” (Truthout, 10/23/13)—is that multi-billionaire Bill Gates is both the major investor of the company administering the Liberian education overhaul and the principal of the Gates Foundation, sponsor of the Guardian’s Global Development vertical, where the story appeared.
“The story clearly labels the Gates Foundation as its sponsor. What it never mentioned is that Bill Gates is a major investor of the firm at the heart of the story, Bridge Academies International, having pitched in, along with Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg and eBay co-founder Pierre Omidyar, $100 million for the “education startup.”
“Making the conflict more glaring is the fact that this is a personal, for-profit investment for Gates, not a charitable donation.
“The Guardian claims its Global Development vertical, launched in 2011, is “editorially independent of any sponsorship.” According to its most recent tax filings in 2014, the Gates Foundation has an on-going $5.69 million grant to Guardian News Media Limited.”
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Reblogged this on Crazy Normal – the Classroom Exposé and commented:
The malignant global cancer that is Bill Gates is revealed.
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Thanks to FAIR for exposing this travesty.
Fawning press for Mr. and Mrs. Gates is everywhere. There were glowing “interviews” of Melinda, at Vanity Fair and at AARP. No probing questions were asked. The same AARP issue, in which the interview appeared, decried political failure to increase minimum wage and, the failure to support public pensions. Bill Gates opposed public pensions and raising min. wage.
If there is press integrity, whenever a publication runs promo for Gates, the form of compensation should be clearly identified, whether it is direct or indirect. If the wire, just picks up a piece, written by a Gates sycophant (paid or not), the editor abdicates his/her responsibility when failing to vet the article.
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The Gates Foundation is uncritically cheerleading huge technology investments for public schools.
I hope public school leaders do their own due diligence. If they blow a bundle on this and the public determines it was a bad investment, all of these national ed reformers will be down the road and local leaders will still be there, except with no credibility.
President Obama is wrong. It isn’t “plus/and”. An investment in one area often makes an investment in another area impossible for public schools.
The President should attend a school board meeting. That’s what they do there- they prioritize investments in time and money.
They’re wrong in ed reform. Experiments involve downside risk and an analysis of opportunity cost. It’s a fantasy to say they don’t.
Ask who will be stuck with the downside once the ed reform troops have marched on to the next battle.
https://nonprofitquarterly.org/2016/09/02/what-drives-my-education-work-at-the-bill-and-melinda-gates-foundation/
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Agree and I gain insight from much that you write. However, minor correction to this comment. Reform troops don’t march into battle. They are cowards who mask their duplicity and attack the most vulnerable-kids. They launch their arsenal against those in a lower weight class, who can’t afford to buy politicians.
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Linda, if the reformers convened a national meeting and excluded paid employees, they couldn’t fill a hotel ballroom. It is not a “movement.” It is a bought and paid for stunt.
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A stunt, run with a piranha’s morality.
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A stunt with a broad agenda they are willing to pay to achieve.
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“I hope public school leaders do their own due diligence.”
Ha, ha ha ah ha ha he he ha he he he ah haa ha haa!
That’s a good one Chira.
I don’t call those supposed “leaders” in the public education realm “adminimals”* for nothing. Look at where those supposed “leaders” got us to at this moment in time. Peachy keen times, eh!
*adminimal (n.) compound word combining the terms administrator with minimal in connoting animalistic herd thinking and behavior. Adminimals can be considered Exhibit A of the GAGAGGs**. One should be very cautious when dealing with these duplicitous creatures that are adminimals.
**Go Along to Get Along Good Germans
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Chiara, not Chira. Ay ay ay. Parece que no sé deletrear.
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I don’t doubt that a terrible tension exists between capitalism (as presently understood and practiced) and democracy, especially where (truly) public interest is concerned. But if such a tension can be creative and good for all, it can also “tip” where encroachments from either side force a drift toward the extremes of socialism and/or fascism, or a return to a one-religious tribalism.
If so, then my question is whether the Gates, the Koch’s, or so many other unnamed billionaire philanthropists (whether in-name-only or well-intended) really understand their corrosive and even destructive effect on movements that, in fact, would foster a truly democratic education. Are they (and do they see themselves as) true world leaders who use their corporate power to set up the long-term conditions for democracy to emerge? Or are they rube political amateurs or worse, political pawns, with lots of money to spend on well-meaning but unthought-out causes? Or are they full of libido dominandi attitudes–attitudes that they don’t even recognize themselves–where they intentionally and under cover wrest power from “the experiment” of democratic culture to fulfill the objective of becoming “masters of the universe”?
They’d better watch out. While they are figuring out ways to wash their money through non-profits in order to make more money, someone might actually get educated at those schools and question corporate powers-that- be. What then?
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Answer to question- $$$$$. It’s the scorecard they use for personal measurement.
They don’t attack schools because of academic performance/productivity/American prosperity concerns. Given that rhetoric, they would have, instead, prevented Wall Street, from dragging down GDP by an estimated 2% and/or, corrected economic stagnation, caused by concentrated wealth. They went, where they could make money.
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To answer the three questions of your second paragraph Catherine:
No
Yes
Yes
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Hello Duane: If your answers to my three questions about the self-images of “philanthropists” are correct, then as a group, and whether they know it or not, their efforts are both (1) corroding (destroying?) the democracy that exists now in the United States, and some other democratic cultures (broadly speaking and such as they are) and (2) setting up the conditions for failure in other cultures where they set up private/corporate-run educational institutions, like Liberia.
In the U.S., they are killing the Goose that lays the Golden Eggs; while in other emerging states, they just goosing themselves. The King is in his counting house . . . .
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The only reason Gates can play puppet master with so many people’s lives is he has too much money and time to devote to his “pet projects.” It is unfortunate that he has too little understanding of the consequences of his bad choices, and some of his worst choices have been in education. Many of our representatives have chosen to follow Gates’ money rather than serve those they were elected to serve. Now global Gates wants to profit from the citizens of impoverished nations and call it “philanthropy.” Kenya has already caught on to Gates’ ploy. Let’s hope Liberia follows.
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A parent in a community where BIA is sold, reportedly said, “Don’t make money on our poor backs.” When rich men are unmoved by that plea, we are witnessing evil.
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I saw the new movie “Florence Foster Jenkins” last night. She was a very rich woman who loved music and fancied herself an opera star. Everyone told her she had a beautiful voice even though she sang off key and screeched. Suddenly reminded me of Bill Gates. He is the Florence Foster Jenkins of education reform.
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He’s the Mr. Potter in ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’
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Bill Gates is also a major investor in the privatization of all schools on Kenya. They cost money to attend.
Most Kenyan children cannot pay for school. This man is evil and not a philanthropist.
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