Tuesday, August 18, 2009

The real force behind mayoral control

It's none other than the world's richest man, Bill Gates. Gates secretly bankrolled the recent campaign to preserve N.Y. Mayor Bloomberg's one-man rule over the public schools.

According to a story in yesterday's N.Y. Post, Gates funneled about $4 million to the pro-mayoral-control forces during the recent debate in the state legislature. When questioned by the Post, a Gates spokesperson confirmed the donation and the approximate size.

Gates money paid for Learn-NY's extensive public-relations, media and lobbying efforts in Albany and New York City. The effort include advertisements, parent organizing and canvassing -- including a five-borough bus tour and trips to the state capital. Gates gave the money from his personal pocket -- not from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which has pumped $150 million into the city to develop small schools.

It was N.Y.'s Bloomberg-appointed Chancellor, Joel Klein, who, as a federal prosecutor, helped settle the Justice Dept.'s multi-billion anti-trust suit that could have destroyed Gates's company, Microsoft.

According to the Post:

He made it clear that he liked having city CEOs in charge of education decision-making and accountable for results. "You want to allow for experimentation. The cities where our foundation has put the most money is where there is a single person responsible. In New York, Chicago and Washington, DC, the mayor has the responsibility for the school system," Gates said during a CNN appearance.

Another billionaire philanthropist -- Eli Broad, a proponent of charter schools -- also gave millions to Learn-NY.


2 comments:

  1. (From Damn Yankees, Whatever Lola Wants)

    Whatever Billy wants
    Billy gets
    And little peasants, little Billy wants you
    Make up your mind to have no regrets
    Recline yourself, resign yourself, you're through
    He always gets what he aims for
    And your minds & souls are what he came for...

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  2. When considering Gates' $4 million donation to preserve mayoral control, be aware that, to him, this figure is the equivalent of $5 to a person making $50,000. If readers don't believe me, they can do the math themselves.

    His power is extremely scary.

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