At last someone recognized what American needs~~

[tncorgi]

Gates vows billions to boost minority education
By George Archibald
THE WASHINGTON TIMES

http://www.washingtontimes.com/national/20030421-919737.htm


Microsoft Corp. founder Bill Gates is committing billions of dollars to radically redesign failing public high schools into smaller, more academically rigorous institutions in predominantly black and Hispanic communities in which less than half the students graduate.

....Our high schools are the least effective part of the American education system," Tom Vander Ark, who administers the $24 billion foundation, wrote in a commentary to explain the reform efforts.
"This coming September, about 3.5 million young people in America will begin the 8th grade. Over the succeeding four years, more than 1 million of them will drop out — an average of 3,500 each school day," Mr. Vander Ark wrote in Education Week. "Another 1.5 million will muddle through with a collection of credits that fail to prepare them for college, work, or citizenship.

[moviemave]

Kudos to Bill!!!!!!!!!!

[jaybat]

It's my guess all the schools being redesigned were using Apple computers.

[luckymomx4]

jaybat:

:laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

Although I think your probably right!


Pam

[jaskolka]

Wish I had his money to do things like that.
well .....I would just spend it on beer.

[jaybat]

"well .....I would just spend it on beer."

And you think that's a bad thing?

[Ruthcb]

I'm with you jaybat!!!!:laugh: :laugh:

[Rapunzel676]

I think Mr. Gates deserves a round of applause for putting his money to such good use. While we have a handful of really terrific public schools in this country, there are also plenty that need all the help they can get.

WTG Bill!!! :cheer:

[EGNATZ1]

BILL GATES FOUNDATION DONATES MILLIONS TO GOOD CAUSES EVERY YEAR HE IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST DONORS EVERY YEAR IN THIS COUNTRY.

GOOD FOR HIM


DAVE H

[Buttercup]

:smile3:

[tncorgi]

developed a factsheet for the War Resisters League that compares what the United States spends on war to the costs of educating and caring for children.


President Bush has asked Congress for $75 billion to pay the initial costs of the war in Iraq. For that same amount, we could hire 1,155,715 Elementary School Teachers to educate America's children.

Five days of war in Iraq = Eliminate illiteracy world wide ($1.1 billion) ($5 billion, World Game Institute)

2.8 hours of war in Iraq = Nutrition supplements for 200,000 families ($45.8 million per hour) ($130 million, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities)

1 minute of war in Iraq = Headstart Education for 115 children ($763,000 a minute) ($6,633 per child, National Priorities Project)

1 second of war in Iraq = Twice what U.S. spends per year, per child ($12,730 per second) in primary education ($6,043, Digest of Ed. Stats)
We have a lot of work to undo the damage, repair the hurt and rectify the imbalances of the "bombs over bread" policies of the Bush administration.


http://commondreams.org/views03/0502-10.htm

[byaya3]

Bill gates is a generous man
Do u know he can start his bathtub remotely on his way home from work, I think that is awesome.
by the way I should be patted on the back also because I just bought a new computer with windows xp and and at Christmas I purchased microsoft software so I helped him donate that money

[Mary Beth]

Originally posted by tncorgi
developed a factsheet for the War Resisters League that compares what the United States spends on war to the costs of educating and caring for children.


Thanks for those statistics. Personally, I think that the money would be much better spent on educating children and seeing that they and their mothers received good nuitrition than on war.

There's a real problem when the administration says that it's going to ensure that all Iraqis have health insurance when that's discarded as impossible here in the US. There are many working poor out there who do not have health insurance. So when those women are pregnant, they're not getting pre-natal care because they can't afford it. If they got pre-natal care, it would probably be a lot cheaper in the long run - fewer premature babies, therefor fewer long-term hospital stays.

Good nuitrition will result in healthier bodies and healthier minds. But too many people today don't know about nuitrition - they think fast food burgers, fries and cokes are a balanced meal! (In case there's any question: That's not a nuitritious meal.)

I'd much rather spend money for teachers, too. If we could reduce class sizes to the 15 students that are in expensive private schools, the children would learn to read and write and all the other things they should be learning!

The children are the future. They're the ones who, in 30 years, are going to be the doctors and nurses taking care of 86-year-old Mary Beth! (If I ever make it to 86!) I want literate doctors and nurses who use their brains!! So look upon this tirade as having a very selfish motive.

Mary Beth

[Ohtiger]

Well, Apple competitor or not, this is a GIFT, and it couldn't go to recipients more needing or worthy. It's nice to see Mr. Gates be as philanthropic as he is.

[artmarcia]

Often the students who need the most structure and nurturing simply don't get it because they're in the old delapidated buildings, with the worn-out textbooks, outdated equipment and over-crowded classes. The teachers get frustrated and leave for easier jobs in the suburbs.

Congratulations to Bill Gates for recognizing the problems and committing the funds to help solve them.

:cheer2: :cheer2: :cheer2:

[Rapunzel676]

Now if our government would just get the same idea. . . .

[Lutzplay2]

Now if our government would just get the same idea. . . .
i really don't think i will live to see that happen, at least not in florida!