Unelected Baron Bill Gates Opines on His Views of "Great Teachers"

Mike Klonsky in his SmallTalk Blog has a contribution on how Harvard College drop-out who benefited from his connections and his daddy's largesse thinks about quality teachers, the Common Core, and politics which he says gets in the way of the Common Core.
[Just read what Leonie Haimson says about where Gates sends his children; and EdNotes about the college-look-alike Lakeside School, with an average class size of 16, where Gates went to school. Now, how is he an authority on public schools?]
Now, Mike Klonsky's original post:
"Gates ponders how teachers should be paid in his 'new universe'."

But as long as we spend the time and money to get each element right; as long as we don’t let politics block the common core; as long as we let teachers use new technology in the classroom, this could be the educational equivalent of the Big Bang – creating a new universe of learning and discovery for our teachers and students. -- Bill Gates, master of the "new universe."

Bill Gates hasn't made up his mind quite yet about merit pay. Even though the world's second richest man (behind Mexico's Carlos Slim) considers himself to be an education expert, he and his gaggle of consultants are having a difficult time figuring out exactly how teachers should be paid. All this, while Gates-funded school districts, teacher unions, anxious teacher families, and Arne Duncan's DOE await his decision with bated breath.
At a recent speech to the Education Commission of the States conference in Atlanta, Gates, employed the wisdom of Solomon, to solve his dilemma.

Now, let me just say that at this time, we don’t have a point of view on the right approach to teacher compensation. We’re leaving that for later. In my view, if you pay more for better performance before you have a proven system to measure and improve performance, that pay system won’t be fair – and it will trigger a lot of mistrust. So before we get into that, we want to make sure teachers get the feedback they need to keep getting better.

How thoughtful. How wise.
Link to original for the above article at Mike Klonsky Small Talk Blog.

You, the public, and your last chance to speak on mayor control of the schools

Mayor Michael Bloomberg has transformed the New York City school system by centralizing the schools under his control.
He has had as a partner, Joel Klein, to serve as schools chancellor. He is a corporate lawyer, who had no experience with the education field.
Seldom mentioned among education critics has been the role by computer software and operating system monopolist Bill Gates. Through his Gates Foundation he has pushed his educational ideas and agenda. The roles by Klein and Gates are problematic because they lack experience in education. Schools are not businesses; they cannot be addressed in such a manner.
Later this month, on March 20, 10 AM, the public will have its last chance to speak out on school governance. People will have an opportunity to express their reactions to the direction of school policy. People will have much to say about the Mayor and the Chancellor.
The meeting will be in the auditorium of the Brooklyn Marriott Hotel at 333 Adams Street. (Take the 2,3,4, or R to Boro Hall or the A, C or F train to Jay Street/ Boro Hall.)

(See the ICE faction of the United Federation of Teachers and their report suggesting an alternate direction for school governance.)
Another teacher's public statement against the UFT's stance on school governance.

Privatization of government, policy
Many critics have criticized, and will criticize on that day, the closed manner of public policy making by the Mayor and Chancellor. However, they should also criticize the overlap of private organizations in the city's education system. We have a democracy so that we can participate in our government. Instead, the mayor has elided any public role. In its place he has concentrated all decision making power for himself and the chancellor. And along the way he has made private institutions have a central role. He has hired no-bid private consultants.
The critics should not forget to criticize Bill Gates' role. What right does Gates have in setting an agenda for our public schools. Through his foundation he has pursued an agenda of replacing large established schools with smaller schools. Where was the public discussion of this matter? Where was any discussion that cited literature and weighed the benefits and disadvantages of pursuing a small school movement?

On another front, in a period of budget crisis, when there is a hiring freeze on teachers, the city is hiring more bureaucrats and lawyers at the Education Department's Tweed offices. (See "The New York Daily News," February 23, 2009.") This further illustrates an imperviousness on the part of the mayor and chancellor.