Schwarzenegger appoints Gap founder to Board of Education

Monterey Herald ^ | Mar. 18, 2005 | Associated Press

[calcowgirl]

SACRAMENTO - Donald Fisher, founder and chairman emeritus of Gap, Inc., was appointed to another term on the State Board of Education by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger Friday.

Fisher, 76, founded the retail clothing chain in 1969 with his wife Doris. Previously, he was a partner in Fisher Property Investment Co., a general contracting and real estate management firm.

The Republican businessman and philanthropist was first appointed to the board by then-Gov. Gray Davis in 2001.

Fisher, of San Francisco, is a board member of Boys and Girls Clubs of America, EdVoice, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, and the California State Retail Association.

The appointment requires Senate confirmation.

The 11 members of the Board of Education are appointed by the governor and do not receive salaries. The board crafts education regulations, approves textbooks and oversees testing and accountability programs.

In February, the state Senate confirmed three of Schwarzenegger's appointees to the board, but a month earlier rejected the governor's appointment of former board president Reed Hastings.

Hastings, a Silicon Valley entrepreneur and top campaign donor to the Democratic Party, was opposed by Sen. Martha Escutia, D-Norwalk, and bilingual education groups for supporting a board policy that required elementary schools to teach students at least 2 1/2 hours a day in English for special federal reading funds.

Another of Schwarzenegger's picks for the board resigned in December, a week before she was scheduled for a confirmation hearing by the Senate Rules Committee. Jeannine Martineau cited a new job that would conflict with her role on the board.

ON THE NET
The state Board of Education: www.cde.ca.gov/be

[hflynn]

Fisher man, I von you to fix the education Budget GAP.

[funkywbr]

So this old fart come to school wearing suit and tie or is he keeping it real, clad in the latest GAP outfits?~}

[calcowgirl]

http://www.activistcash.com/foundation.cfm/did/107

 

Gap Foundation
2 Folsom Street, San Francisco, CA 94105
Phone 415-427-2715 | Email dotti_hatcher@gap.com

Background
This is the corporate giving program created by Donald Fisher, the founding chairman of The Gap, a world-famous retail clothing chain.

Finances for tax year ending 1/31/2003
Total Assets	$6,879,477.00
Grants Awarded	$4,721,525.00

Officers and Other Supporters
Name	Position
Myra Chow	Director
Millard S. Drexler	Director
Donald G. Fisher	Director
Doris F. Fisher	Director
Robert J. Fisher	Vice President
Dynell Garron	Director
Anne Gust	Director
Dottie Hatcher	Senior Director
Stan Raggio	Director

Selected Grants
Environmental Working Group
Grant	$225,000.00 in 1994
Source	The Foundation Center
Details	For policy analysis and policymaker education on issues relating to agriculture and the environment

Top Grants Made
Funding To Activist Groups	Total Donated	Time Frame
Environmental Working Group	$305,000.00	1994 – 1998
Natural Resources Defense Council	$234,707.00	1992 – 2001
Conservation International	$100,000.00	1999 – 2001
Tides Foundation & Tides Center	$87,737.00	1994 – 2001
Environmental Defense	$60,366.00	1994 – 2001
Sierra Club	$40,311.00	1994 – 2001
World Wildlife Fund	$26,180.00	1998 – 2001
Rocky Mountain Institute	$20,000.00	1999 – 2000
Organic Farming Research Foundation	$20,000.00	1998 – 2001
Earth Island Institute	$11,238.00	1999 – 2000
Global Green USA	$10,000.00	1996 – 1996
Pesticide Action Network North America	$10,000.00	1998 – 2000
Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy	$5,000.00	1998 – 1998

[calcowgirl]

Getting greener every day.

[NormsRevenge]

Damn!! and I just pulled a pile of weeds too. Yikes!

[GOP_1900AD]

Oh great, another Leftist working to destroy the education system even more than it already had been.

[CounterCounterCulture]

Bah. There goes my lunch.

[smith288]

Oh great, another Leftist working to destroy the education system even more than it already had been.

Wouldnt call him a leftist...he is a "green" conservative. Kinda what you expect from a republican out of San Fran.

[smith288]

open secrets

Equal oppurtunity type...

Contributor	Occupation	Date	Amount	Recipient
FISHER, DONALD SAN FRANCISCO,CA 94111	THE GAP	10/14/1999	$5,000	PAC to the Future
FISHER, DONALD SAN FRANCISCO,CA 94111	GAP INC./CHAIRMAN	5/9/2002	$2,500	Solidarity PAC
FISHER, DONALD SAN FRANCISCO,CA 94111	GAP INC./FOUNDER	9/14/2004	$2,000	Ford, Harold E Jr
FISHER, DONALD SAN FRANCISCO,CA 94111	GAP INC/CHAIRMAN	7/30/2004	$2,000	Kolbe, Jim
FISHER, DONALD SAN FRANCISCO,CA 94111	GAP INC	5/13/1999	$2,000	Giuliani, Rudolph W
FISHER, DONALD SAN FRANCISCO,CA 94111	GAP INC./CEO	6/16/2004	$1,000	Miller, George
FISHER, DONALD SAN FRANCISCO,CA 94111	GAP INC/CHAIRMAN	9/16/2003	$1,000	Kolbe, Jim
FISHER, DONALD SAN FRANCISCO,CA 94111	THE GAP	9/21/2004	$1,000	DeMint, James W
FISHER, DONALD SAN FRANCISCO,CA 94111	GAP	10/23/2002	$1,000	Forrester, Douglas R
FISHER, DONALD SAN FRANCISCO,CA 94111	GAP	10/23/2002	$1,000	Forrester, Douglas R
FISHER, DONALD SAN FRANCISCO,CA 94111	GAP INC./CHAIRMAN	4/25/2001	$1,000	Smith, Adam
FISHER, DONALD SAN FRANCISCO,CA 94111	GAP INC/CHAIRMAN	5/11/2001	$1,000	Thomas, Bill
FISHER, DONALD SAN FRANCISCO,CA 94111	GAP INC/CHAIRMAN	12/1/2002	$1,000	Kolbe, Jim
FISHER, DONALD SAN FRANCISCO,CA 94111	THE GAP	12/6/2001	$1,000	Dodd, Chris
FISHER, DONALD SAN FRANCISCO,CA 94111	THE GAP INC	6/19/2002	$1,000	Kirk, Ron
FISHER, DONALD SAN FRANCISCO,CA 94111	THE GAP/EXECUTIVE	6/11/2001	$1,000	Pryce, Deborah
FISHER, DONALD SAN FRANCISCO,CA 94111	GAP INC	1/27/1999	$1,000	Kerrey, Bob
FISHER, DONALD SAN FRANCISCO,CA 94111	GAP INC	6/23/1999	$1,000	Kerrey, Bob
FISHER, DONALD SAN FRANCISCO,CA 94111	GAP INC	8/17/2000	$1,000	Roth, William V Jr
FISHER, DONALD SAN FRANCISCO,CA 94111	GAP INC	8/17/2000	$1,000	Roth, William V Jr
FISHER, DONALD SAN FRANCISCO,CA 94111	THE GAP INC	3/27/2000	$1,000	DASHPAC
FISHER, DONALD SAN FRANCISCO,CA 94111	THE GAP INC	5/1/2000	$1,000	Rangel, Charles B
FISHER, DONALD SAN FRANCISCO,CA 94111		2/17/2000	$500	Roth, William V Jr
FISHER, DONALD SAN FRANCISCO,CA 94111	RETIRED	3/10/2000	$500	McCollum, Bill
FISHER, DONALD SAN FRANCISCO,CA 94111	THE GAP	3/9/2000	$500	Abraham, Spencer
FISHER, DONALD SAN FRANCISCO,CA 94111		8/18/2000	($500)	Roth, William V Jr
FISHER, DONALD SAN FRANCISCO,CA 94111		3/1/2000	($1,000)	Kerrey, Bob
FISHER, DONALD SAN FRANCISCO,CA 94111	GAP INC	6/3/1999	($1,000)	Giuliani, Rudolph W
FISHER, DONALD E SAN FRANCISCO,CA 94111	THE GAP INC./CHAIRMAN	3/26/2004	$5,000	Charles Schwab & Co
FISHER, DONALD G SAN FRANCISCO,CA 94111	THE GAP	9/6/2000	$75,000	RNC/Repub National State Elections Cmte
FISHER, DONALD G SAN FRANCISCO,CA 94111	GAP INC	3/12/2001	$25,000	RNC/Repub National State Elections Cmte
FISHER, DONALD G SAN FRANCISCO,CA 94111	GAP	3/31/1999	$25,000	RNC/Repub National State Elections Cmte
FISHER, DONALD G SAN FRANCISCO,CA 94111		2/11/2000	$20,000	DCCC/Non-Federal Account 7
FISHER, DONALD G SAN FRANCISCO,CA 94111		5/13/1999	$15,000	1999 Republican S/H Dinner Indiv Non-Fed
FISHER, DONALD G SAN FRANCISCO,CA 94111	THE GAP INC	5/13/1999	$7,500	National Republican Congressional Cmte
FISHER, DONALD G SAN FRANCISCO,CA 94111	THE GAP INC./CHAIR	9/30/2004	$3,000	Democratic Congressional Campaign Cmte
FISHER, DONALD G SAN FRANCISCO,CA 94111	GAP INC	12/16/1999	$2,500	Democratic Senatorial Campaign Cmte
FISHER, DONALD G SAN FRANCISCO,CA 94111	THE GAP INC.	1/26/1999	$1,800	Lincoln Club of Northern California
FISHER, DONALD G SAN FRANCISCO,CA 94111	GAP INC	11/17/1999	$1,500	Democratic Senatorial Campaign Cmte
FISHER, DONALD G SAN FRANCISCO,CA 94111	THE GAP INC	4/18/2003	$1,000	Shelby, Richard C
FISHER, DONALD G SAN FRANCISCO,CA 94111	THE GAP INC	5/14/2003	$1,000	Shelby, Richard C
FISHER, DONALD G SAN FRANCISCO,CA 94111	THE GAP INC./CHAIRMAN	11/2/2004	$1,000	Blunt, Roy
FISHER, DONALD G SAN FRANCISCO,CA 94111	GAP INC	1/27/1999	$1,000	Feinstein, Dianne
FISHER, DONALD G SAN FRANCISCO,CA 94111	GAP INC	1/10/2000	$1,000	Lugar, Richard G
FISHER, DONALD G SAN FRANCISCO,CA 94111	GAP INC	3/11/2000	$1,000	Regula, Ralph
FISHER, DONALD G SAN FRANCISCO,CA 94111	THE GAP INC	9/4/2000	$1,000	Voinovich, George V
FISHER, DONALD G SAN FRANCISCO,CA 94111	GAP INC	12/31/1999	$250	Feinstein, Dianne
FISHER, DONALD G SAN FRANCISCO,CA 94111	GAP INC	11/17/1999	$150	Feinstein, Dianne
FISHER, DONALD G SAN FRANCISCO,CA 94111		12/16/1999	($250)	Feinstein, Dianne
FISHER, DONALD G MR SAN FRANCISCO,CA 94111		4/24/2000	$15,000	2000 Republican H/S Dinner Indiv Non-Fed

[calcowgirl]

Wouldnt call him a leftist...he is a "green" conservative. Kinda what you expect from a republican out of San Fran.

He may hang an (R) by his name, but I don't know of any conservatives who included the democrats listed below on their donation list, as Fisher did. His New Majority and Lincoln Club donations also don't reinforce a label of "conservative."

Boxer, Barbara
Daschle, Tom
Cranston, Alan
Daschle, Tom
Eshoo, Anna
Feinstein, Dianne
Kerrey, Bob
Kerry, John
Levine, Mel
Lieberman, Joe
Miller, George
Pelosi, Nancy
Rangel, Charles B
Rostenkowski, Dan
California Victory '98/DSCC Fund
DASHPAC
DCCC/Non-Federal Account 7
Democratic Congressional Campaign Cmte
Democratic Senatorial Campaign Cmte
DNC/Non-Federal Unincorporated Assn

[SierraWasp]

Green, green... I'm goin away, to where the grass is greener still!!!

[forester]

Well this sucks, no wonder education in this State lags the rest of the country. For awhile, I would send my son's science homework back with notes in the margin like: "this is a false statement" or "there is no science behind this assertion" if it was really biased enviro crap I would do his homework myself, sign it and send it in.

I have not seen my sons science homework in a year and the science teacher won't talk to me. Oh well, his hours just got reduced by 40% due to declining enrollment. Seams the policies he favors have reduced the working class jobs for people with kids. I guess its pretty tough to be a teacher in a pension based economy.

[hedgetrimmer]

and the science teacher won't talk to me

Sounds like the high school where I live. I'll bet they've told you " you're the only one who's ever complained".

Am I right?

[forester]

Am I right?

Yes. Watching these teachers get layed off due to declining enrollment really is poetic justice.

[SierraWasp]

"I guess its pretty tough to be a teacher in a pension based economy."

And a liberal, leftist Demonicrat in a bright RED CA county! (Yes Mildred, they sure do exist! Especially in Schwarzenegger's Sierra-Nevada CONservancy!!!)

[calcowgirl]

I think the guy is more opportunist than environmentalist. There are some stories you can find online of his efforts in privatizing schools and his financial backing of Edison Schools, Inc. or the "Edison Project" (private/charter schools). His son was an owner of Edison and Fisher Sr. a financial backer of Edison. When Gray Davis appointed Fisher Sr. to the BOE there was a pending vote as to whether Edison contracts should be cancelled in California. Some screamed 'conflict of interest'.

Edison managed public schools across the country. The company went public on the Nasdaq at $18/share and ran up to $38/share during the dotcom boom. They paid their management millions in stock options, were slapped by the SEC for improper accounting (WAY overstated revenues), ran up a $250,000,000 deficit in a few short years and and were/are the target of MANY class action lawsuits by shareholders for securities fraud. They ultimately were bought out for $1/share price by a private partnership formed by the CEO Chris Whittle, thereby being delisted in 2003.

According to Edison School's website, they are still in business.

[calcowgirl]

Don't know why that link didn't work:

href"http://www.edisonschools.com/home/home.cfm

[farmfriend]

Sheesh, I'm running out of Kool-aide.

[ConservativeStatement]

This is info on "The Gap" from the Dem's website BuyBlue.org:


http://www.buyblue.org/detail.php?corpId=78