Andrew Cuomo was probably salivating long before he even browsed the draft of "Re-Imagine," Bill Gates's new vision for restructuring the N.Y. school system to a distance learning program.  When a governor who is in debt up to his eyeballs has a chance to collaborate with a billionaire visionary, the subject matter suddenly becomes irrelevant as long there is a pot of money at the end of that conversation.  So as this pandemic winds along, Gates and Cuomo see an opportunity to help each other at the expense of taxpayers once again.  

People are scared, and it's time for Gates to swoop in with a fresh vision that he is once again unqualified to lead.  This proposal not only allows for Gates to profit handsomely, but also gives latitude for him to prophesy which standards and skills should be taught to our children for the future.  Providing the required technology and software to transition schools from classrooms to homes is where Gate's expertise begins and ends.

This is not the first time the world's most famous globalist has been unable to stay in his lane.  In fact, he threw his hat into the educational ring when he convinced the Obama administration to incentivize states to implement Common Core Standards, which program has been an epic failure at the cost of nearly 80 billion dollars in taxpayer funds.

This new concept stands to add another layer of centralization to New York's educational process, removing more autonomy from local bureaucracies that presently direct policies and creativity within their own schools.  Gates also doesn't appear to understand the valuable intangibles of traditional learning, as his idea dismisses the importance of the social aspects and structural benefits students receive when they are taught in a classroom.  It's undeniable that some of the most memorable moments in our lives are experienced on school grounds.  Graduation, arts, proms, concerts, sports, and friendships all will undoubtedly be diluted if remote learning prevails in this country.  Distance learning is merely an attempt to shift control of the American educational system dressed up in a costume of progress and safety.

Education has always been a thorn in Governor Cuomo's side as New York's education budget has increased each year nearly 4%, or roughly $1 billion annually, during his tenure.  As he pleads for federal funds due to the coronavirus, we should not forget that prior to this pandemic , this is the same person who induced a $6.1-billion budget gap for New York's Medicaid costs by adding nearly a million new recipients to the plan's enrollment without finding new revenue-generators to fund it.  Then he tried to obscure the rise in costs to taxpayers, moving some spending forward a few days into the next fiscal year.

The present climate has created Cuomo's sudden desperation for money along with a unique opportunity for Gates to seek control of America's educational system.  If their mission is successful, the collateral damage will outweigh any conveniences distance learning can provide.  Gates and Cuomo seem to be quite comfortable with embracing the idea of diminishing the roles and salaries of teachers and school employees to meet their agendas.  They want you to embrace it as well.  Learner, beware.

Image: Sebastian Vital via Flickr.