[tptacek]

It is not true that any education solution that works for Bill Gates' family will work at scale across a hugely diverse population. It's possible --- likely, in fact --- that it's impossible to effectively (and cost-effectively) deliver the education Gates' kids get to the entire country.

With that in mind, I'm not sure how Gates' own school selection impacts his ideas about education. It seems rather like it has nothing at all to do with his ideas, in which case the appeal to Gates' own actions is fallacious.

Where do I have this wrong?

[sheltgor]

I've read interviews previously where Gates has spoke wonders of the benefits of the school allowing kids more freedom for things like coding, of a well-rounded background in things like English as opposed to using the class more for non-fiction purposes, etc. This is in regards to his own education at that same institution. So my point is essentially that his ideas about what helped lead to his own success, and the educational model he likely believes will be good for his own children, differs fairly substantially from what he funds for the majority of the country.

I do agree that a single solution is not the answer, but the issue is that Common Core actually is much more along the lines of creating a one size fits all model, rather than a community focused model. Much of what Common Core focuses on is actually being very well received in some areas, particularly in low-income, 'troubled' schools. However, the problem is that it is being applied, and that it is being preached by Gates and others, to the entire country, where kids with a more stable environment don't benefit as much from the same structure.

[tormeh]

Gates' kids are probably exceedingly smart. Giving them freedom is probably a good idea. Giving the average high schooler freedom is definitely /not/ a good idea.

[pbhjpbhj]

Aren't we talking about giving the average high-schooler freedom to pursue a broader range of educational opportunities - sure, don't let them choose dope smoking per se as a school subject but letting them choose to engineer a bong shouldn't necessarily be frowned on provided they pursue educational aspects (production skills, design skills, engineering aspects, science aspects, etc.) and their parents sign off on it (negotiation skills right there!).

If they want to draw dickbutts then let them, but they have to use blender and do a stop-motion including some entirely virtual elements, or program a laser cutter, or write a paper on what compels adolescents towards such things, the history of dickbutt, interview a famed dickbutt drawer, etc., etc..

Want to shoot hoops in the yard all day, well OK but you have to teach this group of younger kids how to do it; write a paper on the best 3 point scorers in history including what you consider to be the things that made them great, include a review of their career earnings expressed as an expected lifetime per annum gross.

You give them freedom to decide the arena and tools to educate themselves but limit them on the details that ensure it's an educational experience. Problem with this - resources, teachers who know enough to support the particular interests of the child.

[walterbell]

What about the unidentified high school kid who will be the next Gates or Jobs? Let's not repeat La Serrata of Venice.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serrata_del_Maggior_Consiglio

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Council_of_Venice

[gone35]

Perhaps it's already too late --with US inequality having risen up to gilded-age levels, as it has, for over a generation now.

[walterbell]

As long as parents and teachers are free to invest their resources into one vision over another, it's never too late to measure competing visions of measurement.

[theworst]

Assuming we can meaningfully measure competing visions of measurement.

The turtles, all the way down, they burn!

[lobster_johnson]

And who decides which kids are smart and deserve the Gates-style education? Should schools start segregating kids' education according to measured intelligence levels, perhaps?

[tormeh]

Well, you could let their parents decide, as is the norm in many countries. I'm not saying that's good, though. What I'm saying is that even freedom is not a one-size-fits-all.

[mnarayan01]

Given the scaling issues you mention I wouldn't say that Gates' school selection is definitive, but I'd also say it's far from irrelevant. The fact that his revealed preferences differ from his expressed ones seems like a fairly relevant data point. The level of influence he's attempting to have on education given that he has (quite deliberately) no skin in the game is at least somewhat troubling.

[fleshweasel]

Can you see why people would be frustrated by Gates spending so much money to mandate a form of education for the commoners while providing his own children with something that he presumably considers to be much better? Consider especially that the Common Core is regarded by many as contrived and stifling while a more "free" curriculum allows children to put more of their efforts towards things they care about and have talents for.

I'm not trying to present a qualified opinion on why one approach is better than the other or even to describe them in much accuracy-- just trying to provide the perspective of those who are upset.

[larrys]

Commons sense has been brainwashed out of people by popular culture and marketing. You know "I'm not only the hair club for men's President, I'm also a customer" or a car company CEO driving their own cars (no matter what those cars are and no matter what their income is).

Obviously there is a difference I mean the exec's at McDonalds are most likely not eating McDonalds all the time or perhaps not even part of the time (no citations obviously, just common sense).

Look, people weren't even able to accept that Potus would not send their kids to DC public schools. Everybody is equal and all of that.

It's not surprising that people feel this way. It's actually more surprising how simple minded some people are to believe that there isn't a difference and buying into some idea that all people are equal.