tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post8960699219158410527..comments2024-03-28T02:21:17.452-07:00Comments on Seattle Schools Community Forum: Rich People: Why Do They ALL Have to Come After Public Ed?Melissa Westbrookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17179994245880629080noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-51955517192433822542015-12-08T09:34:44.818-08:002015-12-08T09:34:44.818-08:00God so loved the world, that he created man in his...God so loved the world, that he created man in his own image. See the parallels?<br /><br />They'll do what they want, and we'll live with it. <br /><br />WSDWGAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-69180775309378656052015-12-08T09:30:15.600-08:002015-12-08T09:30:15.600-08:00Folks: You've got it all wrong. They aren...Folks: You've got it all wrong. They aren't "giving away" a dime. They are "spending" it, complete with expectations and strings attached. Spray as much perfume on the pig as you want, it's still a pig. Giving? Yeah, right. More like purchasing faux benevolence. It would be better for all if they just paid their fair share of taxes.<br /><br />Perhaps the most disturbing trend that continues in "personalized learning" models, is the further isolation of children from one another, destroying socialization, empathy, feelings, etc., which are not, and cannot be properly developed through a computer screen. But, given where we live, and the thriving anti-social behaviors currently flooding our region, I'm swimming against the current to even mention this point. But anyone who rides a bus knows what I'm talking about. Nobody talks to others anymore, and people barely look each other in the eye. Sad, who needs people when there's an App that will do that?<br /><br />WSDWGAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-28148809831644363572015-12-04T11:34:26.240-08:002015-12-04T11:34:26.240-08:00Amused, good point but I would say if this distric...Amused, good point but I would say if this district didn't spend so much time chasing dollars with huge strings attached,they might have been better off.Melissa Westbrookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17179994245880629080noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-79630052715967884732015-12-04T11:18:57.411-08:002015-12-04T11:18:57.411-08:00" Past performance is generally the best pred..." Past performance is generally the best predictor of future behavior."<br /><br />That been the state of Seattle public schools for the last 10 years and archived for posterity on this blog.<br /><br /><br />AmusedAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-27828134129145294792015-12-04T09:23:13.785-08:002015-12-04T09:23:13.785-08:00Philanthropy isn't the issue in avoiding taxes...Philanthropy isn't the issue in avoiding taxes. These corporations already gut the state tax system by moving their assets into offshore holdings. They have already stolen billions from the public schools. Then they have the nerve to call the nickels and dimes they offer back philanthropy? Please.<br /><br />-SPS parent<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-22728393942337073392015-12-04T09:12:02.420-08:002015-12-04T09:12:02.420-08:00or devote it to any number of political or charita...<i>or devote it to any number of political or charitable causes</i> Don't kid yourself - they, like most of the other philanthrocapitalist gang are very savvy at finding ways to get funds to things they care about. In ways most of us would never dream of.<br /><br />But the bigger issue is the amount of influence these large chunks of money buy. It comes down to a pretty simplistic thing for me - being wealthy should not give you a bigger voice in any field, whether it's education or medical research. <br /><br />Yes. I know that's a fairly naive viewpoint. Still the way I feel though.<br /><br />reader47Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-78805736937796658952015-12-04T08:59:06.005-08:002015-12-04T08:59:06.005-08:00Melissa was right to highlight what this "gif...Melissa was right to highlight what this "gift", which isn't a gift, is about. Many people quietly volunteer and donate without any strings attached. By spotlighting their charity and benefiting from the publicity, the Zuckerbergs opened themselves up to praise and scrutiny. When powerful and rich people make grand plans to fix the world's conditions, those of us who live in the free world have a right to question the plan.<br /><br />readerAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-48658525665850026052015-12-04T08:54:46.054-08:002015-12-04T08:54:46.054-08:00Bruce, that is possible. And many, many people hav...Bruce, that is possible. And many, many people have suggested to Bill Gates, for years, what he might try. But his foundation lives in an echo chamber and it's truly not possible to penetrate it. <br /><br />Sure, we can all try to talk to Zuckerberg but the evidence so far on his ability to listen is not good either.<br /><br />I'm sure the Chan-Zuckerbergs DO have good motives but they certainly have set it up to benefit both their own tax issues as well as make a profit. Is that charity? No. Is that philanthropy? Sure, as it evolves.<br /><br />I'm not being cynical; I'm being realistic. Past performance is generally the best predictor of future behavior.Melissa Westbrookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17179994245880629080noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-39161159420262998292015-12-03T23:33:03.391-08:002015-12-03T23:33:03.391-08:00Melissa- No, I truly don't get the humor. My p...Melissa- No, I truly don't get the humor. My point is that they can't get tax deductions for giving money to their LLC, only if they give it to a real charity.<br /><br />I'm disappointed by the assumption that anything they do with their money will be damaging to schools. Throughout our history individual philanthrophy has helped fund schools (from pre-K to postgrad), libraries, medical research, environmental causes, social services, etc. Of course not every program has worked and arguably education innovation has been especially challenging. But does that mean that innovation is impossible in education? Or that the Zuckerbergs (and other rich people for that matter) don't genuinely want to make the world a better place? Or that they're not smart enough to fund any useful innovations? <br /><br />It's possible that you, or the Seattle School Board, or OSPI, or the US Department of Education, could do better things with the money than the Zuckerbergs. I wish we had higher taxes so they could try. But that's another debate. Here we have people who could keep their money or devote it to any number of political or charitable causes. They're choosing education. I hope that, rather than being cynical or critical, people like you will suggest useful ways they could spend their money that are consistent with their vision and interests. Surely that's possible.Bruce Bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13889440013826088099noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-87247818567569218862015-12-03T20:55:05.732-08:002015-12-03T20:55:05.732-08:00Whether the personalized learning is good/bad or h...Whether the personalized learning is good/bad or has your flavor of preference... I find it... amusing that given the lousy internet access endured by most of those outside of US cities (many of our relatives have either no internet, or are limited to the equivalent of 1 movie per month and nothing else), how is it that this customized learning will happen where there aren't schools? There's just no money in brining bandwidth to places where there aren't 10,000+ people. Catherinenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-61689356552536688552015-12-03T20:28:47.024-08:002015-12-03T20:28:47.024-08:00Even big philanthropy will never replicate the fin...Even big philanthropy will never replicate the financial reach of properly sourced government. Bill Gates has said as much, and it's true. When we start abdicating responsibility to rich individuals, we are losing our capacity to make system-wide changes that are based on democratic principles of representation and community consensus. The narrow views of even super smart and accomplished individuals are rarely more effective than approaches filtered through a broad sector of society. It's much easier to build an online social network than it is to educate a million kids. No question.<br /><br />- Best IntentionsAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-89313432888685619422015-12-03T19:12:08.830-08:002015-12-03T19:12:08.830-08:00These bad boy billionaires and their philanthropie...These bad boy billionaires and their philanthropies. Never enough money and greatness. If the billionaires didn't do it though, it would be textbook publishers or some other money making entreprise. It's really annoying when rich people can't just be satisfied with funding scientific research and dedicating hospital and university wings.<br /><br />With so many of us well connected to each other by ipad, cellphone,and tablet, it's inevitable that this technology in all forms would invade education. Data is being gathered everywhere with every Google search, tweet, and credit card swipe. I think this is the unnerving trade off in the use and reliance of such technology. What we pay for modern ease and instant gratification. Just think we wouldn't have this blog and would have to meet face to face instead. <br /><br />Not so long ago, teachers taught with real book, chalkboard, and filmstrip. Long gone days. I miss aspects of it. But I don't miss staying up till 2am typing a 10 page research paper on a manual typewriter. Every typo took a minute to fix. I don't miss walking to the local library in freezing weather so I can fight fellow classmates for the same encyclopedia and books for our research topic. Back then information wasn't as varied or presented with so many viewpoints which can be good or bad depending if you like more or less info to sieve through. I miss privacy though. I like that my parents didn't know how I did in school until they got the report card. Gave me time to redeem myself. My parents didn't dare write notes to my teachers. A phone call was for a serious injury or a bad fight. Cheating was an F. In fact, most classrooms didn't even have a phone in the room. I wonder if all that let teachers have more time to focus on students and classwork. No wonder we were writing so many papers and written tests back then. That was feedback. No data to be mined from all the red ink.. Ha!<br /><br />reader (in red)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-52311192616624351502015-12-03T17:38:38.611-08:002015-12-03T17:38:38.611-08:00Bruce, you do realize the humor in saying they can...Bruce, you do realize the humor in saying they can only do one thing with any given dollar? I think they have figured this out much further than we understand.<br /><br />BI, I'm worried as well. They are very young and could do a lot of bull in the china shop damage. It's not like losing $100M in Newark with very little to show for it seems to concern them. Here's hoping that they do better in Oakland.<br /><br />But,as Gates says, it's an experiment. Just not with their children.Melissa Westbrookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17179994245880629080noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-19325431452098774792015-12-03T17:26:10.689-08:002015-12-03T17:26:10.689-08:00Zuckerberg and his wife aren't doing charity w...Zuckerberg and his wife aren't doing charity work, because they haven't established an entity recognized as charitable by the IRS. They are establishing a fund that will be used to pursue things that the couple believe "make the world a better place". There will be no oversight, and no assurance that what they want to pursue, their vision, isn't at odds with better ideas out there or the things that people want to see happen in the world. While I believe they want to make more money, I think they are also ok with losing this money. I'm not sure which I am more afraid of.<br /><br />- Best IntentionsAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-61986858645579594482015-12-03T16:58:22.848-08:002015-12-03T16:58:22.848-08:00You seem to be criticizing Zuckerberg/Chan for avo...You seem to be criticizing Zuckerberg/Chan for avoiding taxes AND for using their money for political donations or profit-making. This is an unfair criticism; they can do only one of those things with any given dollar, not both. If they make political donations or fund a business, they have to pay tax on it when they convert it from stock to cash, and they don't get a charitable deduction. They avoid taxes only if they donate to an IRS-approved charity. <br /><br />Of course they can choose charities that you and I might not approve of, but that's a politically popular part of our highly imperfect tax system.Bruce Bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13889440013826088099noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28765366.post-91699380675376882692015-12-03T16:51:16.834-08:002015-12-03T16:51:16.834-08:00So depressing.... its an affront to the whole ide...So depressing.... its an affront to the whole idea of public education. If I thought for a minute the money would be going to help students in public school to have a better experience I might be less concerned (though I think it should still be up the voters/citizens to run their public schools and not a few self-anointed super-wealthy that shouldn't even exist in the first place), but I know that this will just lead to more top-down public-private "partnerships" involving things like "choice". <br /><br />The other big news headline in Seattle education this week for me was the state teacher shortage. I don't know who they think will work in the "innovative" schools of the future for rock bottom wages with no benefits and constant criticism from administration and the public at large.<br /><br />It is easy to despair for the future of education for people living in poor communities.Teacher Greghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16846356906946665000noreply@blogger.com