Bill Gates, Common Core and Microsoft

Original Article: How Microsoft will make money from Common Core (despite what Bill Gates said)

This article has a verbatim selection from a much longer interview. The reporter asking the questions is deferential to Bill Gates, and Bill Gates then misrepresents the question she asked, then doesn't answer that question, but a related one.

To be fair to Lyndsey Layton, she is an education reporter and this may have been her biggest "get." And Bill Gates is known to be very intimidating when he chooses to be.

Commentary Article: FOLLOW THE MONEY: Microsoft’s Plan To Cash In On Common Core

No great American philanthropist ever got to be a great American philanthropist without first becoming a great American business tycoon.

On the Microsoft Web site, a webpage dated April 22, 2014 entitled “Tech Essentials for Testing Success” describes in considerable detail how schools using computer-based, Common Core-aligned tests will now need to spend a bunch of money — on Microsoft products. 

Additionally, Microsoft has agreements with companies that are helping to implement Common Core.

Data point: As of December 2012, the percentage of Microsoft that Bill Gates does own is around 40%. During recent years, he has sold off some of his stock to help the company.

So, Bill Gates will profit from the implementation of Common Core.

Frankly, I think Bill Gates is honest when he says his first interest is in reforming education. I also think Common Core is not the way to do it.

And apparently so does Bill Gates.

Bill Gates is not sending his children to a school using Common Core. With his wealth and prestige, he could force his children's school to adopt Common Core, or he could sent them somewhere that has.

If it is not good enough for his children, why is it good enough for the children of everyone else?