Bill Gates Speech to National Education Summit: "I am terrified for our workforce of tomorrow."

GatesFoundation.org ^ | 2/26/05 | Bill Gates

[baseball_fan]

...America’s high schools are obsolete.

By obsolete, I don’t just mean that our high schools are broken, flawed, and under-funded…

By obsolete, I mean that our high schools – even when they’re working exactly as designed – cannot teach our kids what they need to know today.

…

Today, only one-third of our students graduate from high school ready for college, work, and citizenship.

The other two-thirds…are tracked into courses that won’t ever get them ready for college or prepare them for a family-wage job – no matter how well the students learn or the teachers teach.

This isn’t an accident or a flaw in the system; it is the system.

…

When I compare our high schools to what I see when I’m traveling abroad, I am terrified for our workforce of tomorrow. In math and science …

By 12th grade, U.S. students are scoring near the bottom of all industrialized nations.

… the U.S. college dropout rate is also one of the highest in the industrialized world. …

… In 2001, India graduated almost a million more students from college than the United States did. China graduates twice as many students with bachelor’s degrees as the U.S., and they have six times as many...in engineering.

…

… The key problem is political will. Elected officials have not yet done away with the idea underlying the old design. The idea behind the old design was that you could train an adequate workforce by sending only a third of your kids to college – and that the other kids either couldn’t do college work or didn’t need to. The idea behind the new design is that all students can do rigorous work, and – for their sake and ours – they have to.

...

[truthandlife]

If PE was actually doing physical fitness then I believe it is great. If we continue to cut PE classes our nation will continue to look like this...

[7.62 x 51mm]

All that socialist crap, from a moron who still can't buy a decent haircut. I wonder if he a Loser Edwards have the same barber?

[baseball_fan]

"Everything Melinda and I do through our foundation is designed to advance equity. Around the world, we believe we can do the most by investing in health – especially in the poorest countries. Here in America, we believe we can do the most to promote equity through education."

Socialism for Dummies 5.0

Isn't Gates considered one of the titans of capitalism having fought it out in one of the most competitive industries there is? Was it wrong for the Steel Magnate Andrew Carnegie to start libraries across the nation when he came along?

[timtoews5292004]

In 2001, India graduated almost a million more students from college than the United States did. China graduates twice as many students with bachelor’s degrees as the U.S., and they have six times as many...in engineering. " China and India also have a slightly larger pool to draw from for potential graduates, but that doesn't help Gates' argument pointing that out.

[madison10]

"Our high schools were designed fifty years ago to meet the needs of another age."

I just watched this on C-SPAN, and most of it was spot on. I'm proud of the 1.2 GPA I earned in high school :-)

Grades aren't everything. How are you doing at life? ;)

[Smartaleck]

"I am terrified for citizens of a free nation who allow themselves to be called "our workforce""

If a capitalist system doesn't run on its "workforce", what does it run on?

Look up "capital" you'll find labor included....is that better?

[Sam Cree]

read later. Gates has been very weird lately.

[Smartaleck]

"So what if the Chinese end up with six times as many engineers; we'll beat them with lawyers. Women lawyers. "

My honor roll lawyer daughter can beat your Chinese engineer? LOL

[Smartaleck]

"IMHO there's a lot more that needs to be done w schools and education instead of just throwing more $s."

You would do well to read what the summit was about and what ALL Gates had to say. It's not just about $$$.

For one it's about a more vigorous curriculum to compete in an increasingly tech world.

[JarheadFromFlorida]

The public school system in this country today is nothing more than a large "affirmative action jobs program" for teachers controlled by a liberal Democratic teachers union that is more concerned with jobs than it is preparing kids to be the future workforce of this country.

[Smartaleck]

Btt

[Ramcat]

"The public school system in this country today is nothing more than a large "affirmative action jobs program" for teachers controlled by a liberal Democratic teachers union that is more concerned with jobs than it is preparing kids
to be the future workforce of this country."

You left out "babysitting service".
Consider this, if a local hospital staff goes on strike, patients can be transferred to other hospitals and people and ambulances can travel a little further for care.

A local teachers union goes on strike and it wreaks havoc on the two income households who ironically in many cases work to pay the higher taxes that good school districts command?

[ladylib]

One of the many, many reasons why all my cousins who live in the District have never and will never send their children to DC public schools.

[PGalt]

I cannot argue with some of Mr. Gates tremendous accomplishments. Why would a "titan of capitalism" make a statement like that? I think, from what I am reading lately, that he is philosophically bankrupt, although some points in his article I agree with. More words and deeds from Bill will tell the story.

[ladylib]

Three new schools which offer a classical education based on the trivium just opened in my state. One is Christian, one is a hybrid school catering to the homeschooling community, and one is a private school.

[baseball_fan]

"IMHO there's a lot more that needs to be done w schools and education instead of just throwing more $s."

"You would do well to read what the summit was about and what ALL Gates had to say. It's not just about $$$.

For one it's about a more vigorous curriculum to compete in an increasingly tech world."

Right on. Gates could be just sitting on a yacht and playing golf. If we're not listening here, I can guarantee they are listening in India, China and other developing countries.

I found this interesting:

"The first time Ravi Venkatesan, chairman, Microsoft India, met Bill Gates was when he was offered his current job by the software firm in 2003. …

Venkatesan was earlier the CEO of Cummins India and it took a great leap of faith for the 42-year-old to move from diesel engines to software. But Gates convinced him the risk was worth taking.

The meeting, which was supposed to last 30 minutes, extended to one-and-a-half hours and Venkatesan recalls: “He was very down to earth, which I wasn’t expecting at all. And he seemed interested in everything, from diesel engines to the political situation in India. He thought my lack of IT industry background could prove to be a advantage, and repeatedly said stuff about realising potential and impacting lives.” …

“Bill’s more visionary than most people in the industry. Our chats are about long-term opportunities, challenges ahead, that kind of thing. It’s my job to think of the short term. I focus on doing things that are right for Microsoft in India ,” says Venkatesan.

What also impresses Venkatesan about Gates is the latter’s promptness: “We exchange e-mails, and I get a response from him in less than an hour, no matter what time of the day it is,” he says.

“Bill thinks in very different time horizons. Three years is long term for me, but for him, it’s 30 years. He also has the latitude to think unconventionally.”

source: http://www1.economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/msid-927374,curpg-1.cms

[Kretek]

Your kids would want too much money.

Too much money, for too little value added.

[PGalt]

President Bush by touching the propagandist's metaphoric "third rail" is more a Titan of Capitalism.

[PGalt]

$ does not drive the capitalist, philosophy does.

[Smartaleck]

“Bill thinks in very different time horizons. Three years is long term for me, but for him, it’s 30 years. He also has the latitude to think unconventionally.”

Interesting story. Thanks

My impression having met and worked with quite a few of his employees is that he wants the best and the brightest.

Sure, MS has its flaws and problems, but isn't that to be expected when you're at the top of the hill and it's pervasive throughout the world? An easy target?

Flaws and differences of opinion about his political leanings aside, the guy does hire people and he can see the quality of the education they bring to the workforce.

If he says that education for a great many of those employees sucks he's certainly in a position to know. The annals of business magazines etc. are replete with stories of how employees can't write or speak well, have poor math skills etc. Gates is doing more than just writing about it he's taking a lead and voicing it in the mainstream media.

If nothing else maybe this will be the genesis for people to finally start dialoging in a meaningful manner about how to fix the problems, highlight those that do well and DO SOMETHING to improve all of them? So far the powers to be just CYA, fingerpoint, throw more money, and live in semi-denial that there really are problems. LOL