The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Viacom, and Obama: "Getting Schooled?"

[Orwellian_Ghost]

Gates, Viacom, and Obama: Educational Programming That Matters

by Kenneth Libby

Right-wing fanatics are up in arms about President Obama’s speech to our nation’s children, alleging the President would like to use federal funds to push his “socialist ideology” or promote partisan politics. In response, lefties have ridiculed their conservative foes (a pretty easy task these days) by highlighting the speeches made by Presidents Reagan (1988) and George H.W. Bush (1991), both of which included the same “stay in school” and “no excuses” messages while promoting hard work and pro-education values. Left out of the controversy is any mention of a much more concerning form of message control: the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation/Viacom-sponsored “Get Schooled” programming that will air tonight at 8 pm (EST).

“Get Schooled,” a five-year partnership between the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Viacom – with sponsorships from Capital One, AT&T, and NYSE Euronext - will kick off with a thirty minute documentary about the role of education in the lives of NBA superstar Lebron James, American Idol’s Kelly Clarkson, and President Obama, and the role of education in the lives of their support staff. The program will be shown on all Viacom-owned stations, including BET, BET J, CMT, CMT Pure Country, Comedy Central, Logo, MTV, MTV Jams, MTV Hits, MTV Tr3s, MTV2, MTVU, Nick @ Nite, Nickelodeon, Nicktoons Network, Palladia, Spike TV, The N/Teen Nick, TV Land, VH1, VH1 Classic, and VH1 Soul. While the documentary will essentially spread the same “stay in school” and “no excuses” messages of the President’s midday address, more subtle messages about gender, power, celebrity, and the role of education in a democratic society should give the public pause for concern.

...

Students looking to find an “awesome job” are asked if they’d like to find a career based on what they like, people they admire, or the level of education required for various occupations. Students selecting the “What I like” category are taken to a screen that offers the following “interests,” listed here exactly as they are stated on the website: fast cars, being loud, talking on the phone, outer space, TV & movies, throwing parties, animals, spending money, playing video games, helping sick people, saving the planet, and sports. Each of these “interests” – most of which revolve around participating in a media-driven, consumption-based society – provide students with a few suggestions for future employment opportunities tailored to their affinity. Enjoy talking on the phone? You could be a stock broker. Interested in spending money? Financial planning or real estate might be up your alley. Interested in throwing parties? You could be an event planner or cruise director. Are video games of interest to you? Become a video game designer or software developer. TV & movie aficionados can aspire to be broadcast producers, screenwriters, or advertising creators.



Students looking at job opportunities based on people they admire are provided with seven potential role models: LeBron James, Kelly Clarkson, President Obama, skateboard legend Tony Hawk, R&B singer Teri Hilson, rap/apparel mogul Russell Simmons, and supermodel Heidi Klum. Young girls, at least in the corporate-controlled version of the future, can aspire to be singers or models. Boys, on the other hand, can become the President, athletic superstars, or rappers/clothing manufacturers. In the year 2009, the world’s largest philanthropic organization and a major media conglomerate present America’s youth with role models embracing gender stereotypes more appropriate for previous generations: men as powerful and dominating creatures, women primarily as eye candy despite other talents.

“Get Schooled” also provides a list of careers that support the seven superstars. LeBron James, for instance, requires a chef, physical therapist, assistant account director, and sports agent; Tony Hawk needs an orthopedist, licensing attorney, video game designer, and graphic designer; Heidi Klum requires a publicist, photographer, TV network executive, and cosmetologist to be successful. The listing of so-called support positions preys on our perverted desire to participate in idol worship and places celebrities at the very top of the social hierarchy. We’re teaching our children to strive for recognition, and we’ll encourage them to settle for simply serving those who reach stardom.

In this twisted take on the purpose of education, schooling is narrowed to striving to be a star or faithfully serving those who have reached positions of great wealth and power. There is no mention of becoming a community organizer, public interest attorney, nonprofit leader, or career teacher.

http://www.commondreams.org/view/2009/09/08-0

[create.peace]

1. sick....nt

[madfloridian]

2. Guess who else is for mayoral control.

This paragraph caught my eye.

"The website also encourages viewers to, ”Let your elected officials know that you want them to follow the lead of cities like Chicago and New York in making the system work better for students.” The two cities, unfortunately, are among the worst school districts in the nation. Gates, however, is backing these two school districts because they’re ruled by mayoral control (as opposed to an elected school board). If anything, the public should use these cities – capitalist-driven metropolises with high poverty rates - as examples of the kinds of school districts we want to avoid. There is zero evidence that consolidating power into the hands of a single elected official with stronger ties to the corporate elite than the educational system will produce better schools for our children. But this programming is not based on evidence or sound educational policy; it’s based on the desires of oligarchs, the corporate world, and the world’s most famous philanthropist. Gates has come out strongly in favor of mayoral control, and his foundation has invested millions in Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, New Orleans, and DC – all school districts placed under mayoral control. Gates even donated over $4 million of his personal fortune – not from his foundation money – to support fellow billionaire Michael Bloomberg’s recent bid to maintain his control over the NYC public schools. Bloomberg succeeded thanks in part to the media blitz paid for by Gates."

3 guesses.

[abumbyanyothername]

3. And . . .

where does the food that these stars eat, or the home that they live in come from?

[create.peace]

5. to be fair, they do show a multitude of careers starting with the pick by job title page

http://www.getschooled.com/#/students/find_an_awesome_career/job_title

but it is weird what they say your options are in various categories with degree, no degree, etc.....go look

[create.peace]

4. slick website....link

http://www.getschooled.com/#/home

[blindpig]

6. Goddamned socialists....

And they call them socialists.....

What a fuckin' joke.

[guruoo]

7. I recommend that people check out the web site before drawing any conclusions

http://www.getschooled.com/#/students/find_an_awesome_career/job_title

[blindpig]

8. You don't means this, do you?

http://www.getschooled.com/#/partners/featured_partners_affiliates

speaks volumes......

[guruoo]

9. No, not necessarily.

[blindpig]

10. Then what is your point?

Methinks that the link I put up is pretty unassailable.

Education by, of and for corporate America.

[guruoo]

21. My point is that people should study the program itself, and draw their own conclusions rather than

letting someone else (like you, for instance) do their thinking for them.

[blindpig]

23. Let them read

I suspect that anyone approaching the program from a ruling class perspective will find it hunky dory, examination from the working class perspective will lead to other conclusions.

[Generic Other]

11. condescending shit like all adults thrust on teenagers!

PR for the corporatists.

[TBF]

12. K&R nt

[mzteris]

13. Career Options - you overlooked, I think . . .

Attorney
Physical Education Teacher
Police Officer

Social Worker
Interpreter

Meteorologist
Physicist
Aerospace Engineer
Astronomer

Cinematographer

Marine Biologist
Paleontologist
Park Ranger
Veterinarian
Zoologist

Heart Surgeon
Biomedical Equipment Tech
Registered Nurse
Dental Hygenist
Occupational Therapist

Agronomist
Ecologist
Environmental Engineer
Urban Planner

Nutritionist
Physical Therapist


Yeah - it's just terrible that they're trying to find a way to reach kids to stay in school, study hard, and get a good education.

Wait! Isn't that what Obama just said? The whole controversy over the "stayinschool" speech? hmmmmmmmmmmm.. :scratching head:

[ipaint]

14. I guess there are no jobs for kids with high school diplomas

who can't afford college or some rip off trade school.

No wonder so many drop out of high school.

I wonder what those one million and counting homeless american children in public schools are planning for their futures.
One thing for sure when they fail it will be the public schools fault.

[Hannah Bell]

15. yes, makes you wonder how gates got his millions with no degree. oh, wait, he had rich connected

parents.

[ipaint]

18. An age old story.

"A young man asked an old rich man how he made his money. The old guy fingered his worsted wool vest and said, "Well, son, it was 1932. The depth of the Great Depression. I was down to my last nickel. I invested that nickel in an apple. I spent the entire day polishing the apple and, at the end of the day, I sold the apple for ten cents. The next morning, I invested those ten cents in two apples. I spent the entire day polishing them and sold them at 5 pm for 20 cents. I continued this system for a month, by the end of which I'd accumulated a fortune of $1.37. Then my wife's father died and left us two million dollars."

How inspiring :eyes:

[blindpig]

17. It's class warfare.

It don't take a degree to see where the push for charter schools is going....

[maryf]

20. two tier system...

the haves and the have nots...those who will be allowed to develop thinking skills (to a degree depending on societal level), and those who will be trained to be good followers/drones....

[omega minimo]

16. All this coordinated effort to glamorize education & push jobs serfing for stars that didn't need it

:evilfrown:

I watched the Arne Duncan road show last week. WHERE ARE THE JOBS for all these "dramatically" educated kids?

[maryf]

19. Hey, they didn't mention first lady...

Isn't that every girl's dream? K&R!

[merwin]

22. Just watched that tonight, and thought it was awesome.

Funny thing is, it was the same message that Obama was giving to schools, and included basically an exceprt from his speech to the schools... and nobody complained about that at all.

I just loved seeing DJ Lance Rock in full Yo Gabba Gabba costume out there doing the bike marathon... guess that's the sort of thing a parent of a 3 year old finds amusing :)