Editorial

The Washington Post was recently visited by multi billionaire Microsoft founder, Bill Gates, whose wife, Melinda Gates, is actually on the board of directions for the Post. Gates is interested in improving high school teaching and increasing high school graduates, by funding through the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which has spent about $4 billion. Statistics show that only 71% of kids graduate from high school within four years, but only 58% of Hispanics and 55% of African Americans do so. Since there is an increasing number of children born in poverty, whom are not given substancial education, the Gates' focus is on giving every child a chance in a proper environment with qualified teachers. A big problem is there are many teachers who are low-level-qualified for teaching, and there could be better suited people for the job. Why put a childs education in the hands of a teacher who isn't qualified for his/her best? I can say, if I wanted to be a teacher more than anything, but didn't think I was 100% upmost educated, then I wouldn't take on the job yet. Another comment I have on this topic, is I understand the poverty rates are going up, but it's also not entirely fair to only focus on those people. I think every single child should have equal education regardless, and even in areas that have higher graduate rates than other areas should be benefitted also. I think Bill Gates indefinitely has enough money to give, and he should just donate a fixed amount of money to every school, or even county, in every state. That'd be nice =]