Where the Gates’ Philanthropic Money Is Going Next

[Axtremus]

https://www.thestreet.com/technology/bill-and-melinda-gates-make-a-major-choice

$1.2 billion towards fighting polio that’s having a resurgence.
$1.1 billion towards teaching math.

Agree with them or not, these are thoughtful, practical people.

[Jolly]

On the surface, it looks better than a lot of their previous BS.

[Jolly]

Now, about the math...You can't make chicken salad out of chickenshit. You have to have kids willing to learn and teachers willing to teach. You have to use tried and proven methods, not the flavor-of-the-month.

An atmosphere of learning has to be created, and achievement must be rewarded. But most importantly, you have to have the parents buy into the effort and support their children.

My daughter taught in inner city schools for more than a decade. She co-wrote the math curriculum that many area school districts use in their grades 4-6. With about 90% certainty, she could tell you which inner city students would do ok and those who wouldn't, based on a single parameter...If at least one parent showed up for parent-teacher conferences. If both parents showed up, student success approached 100%.

Such a simple thing...I don't know if Mr. Gates' money can buy parent participation and concern, or not.

[Mik]

You’ve pegged it right there. Philanthropy is still a noble thing. There is so very much of it in America and it all counts.

[taiwan_girl]

He has done a lot of good stuff in the fight against malaria

[Horace]

@taiwan_girl said in Where the Gates’ Philanthropic Money Is Going Next:

He has done a lot of good stuff in the fight against malaria

He has a blatant anti-malarial bias which history will not judge kindly.

[Mik]

Anti-skeeterism. It's a thing.