The Silicon Valley Watcher Challenge: To Raise $10K for Schools

Tom, if $10,000 gets raised for public schools every time I call you out for being factually challenged, than I really should spend more time dissecting your posts.

And, really, three cheers for the fundraiser. 463 will contribute (for the record, the company's name is 463 Communications. Our 3-year-old blog is "The 463.")

I also like the "Craigslist" idea for schools. Obviously, parental and community support has been critical in separating the good public schools from the ones needing help. And, advanced collaborations tools should be a natural for leveraging and extending community support (much like the fundraiser is doing).

But enough of the air kisses, my friend. You clearly need some context and clarity before you continue this worthwhile thread.

First off, let's get to where you are wrong. You based the whole premise of the previous education post and repeated it here on your suggestion that John Chambers and other tech leaders have given up on local schools. I took the time to review the podcast of the 2005 Cisco forum that you reference. Here is (pretty much) exactly of what John Chambers said in response to your call at that forum for more involvement of tech CEOs in Valley schools:

“This is where we need some help. We’ve actually tried really hard. We literally jumped over fences; paid schools, put the technology in. We got the school bond issue changed in California. That was tech led and cost about $20 million dollars. We know what can be done technology wise. I know what’s capable, but, boy, we have not found the incentives to get the right people to make the changes. And, I agree with you, it’s embarrassing to be here in Silicon Valley, the high-tech capital of the world, where our education system in K-12 is broken. So, I am very open to what we can do, but it’s not for lack of effort. The CEOs will rally behind efforts and get both the company’s money, but more importantly, our own monies and finance efforts. We have just been unsuccessful in pushing it over the goal line.... Getting education to change and getting the organizational structure to change at the top is the hard one. I am very open to ideas.”

He never said schools "can't be fixed."

Next item... You dig yourself deeper in this post by saying: "Cisco was a big supporter for school vouchers, a controversial proposal designed to let parents help pay for private education with public school funds."

Nope. Wrong. Actually, Tom, you are referring to a failed initiative that was led by Tim Draper. TechNet didn't back this. Neither did Cisco or John Chambers.

Let's now look at what Chambers/Cisco/TechNet has done for public education.

1) In 1997, Chambers, John Doerr and Jim Barksdale founded TechNet and made education policy one of the organization's top-two priorities.

2) In 1998, TechNet pushed an initiative that would create competition and greater accountability among public schools by creating charter schools. Instead of having to have to spend millions on getting the initiative passed, TechNet was successful using it as a tool to pass similar legislation (AB 544). This was a huge win at the time.

3) In March of 2000, John Doerr, John Chambers and current NetFlix boss Reed Hastings raised $23 million to try to pass a statewide initiative that would lower the vote needed to pass a local school bond from a 2/3rds majority to a simple majority. This bill lost by two percentage points.

4) In November 2000 and during the same election cycle as Draper's push for vouchers, Chambers/Doerr and Hastings again teamed with other TechNet CEOs to win Proposition 38. Here's the description of the initiative: "Proposition 39 makes it easier for school districts, community colleges and county education offices to pass bonds for school construction and repairs. They can also use the bonds to buy or lease land for schools and to buy school furnishings and equipment, such as computers. These bonds are debts paid back with local property tax increases. The measure would lower the super-majority needed to pass a school bond from two-thirds of voters to 55 percent."

Each of the three execs gave millions of their own money to make this happen. Just stop and think at what this one single effort has done to raise needed funds for education infrastructure all over the state since 2000. (A whole bunch).

4) Ten years ago, Cisco started its first Networking Academy to provide networking training in high schools and community colleges. It quickly accelerated to the point where today it’s offered in over 150 countries and half a million students have graduated from the program.

This helps Cisco by ensuring that there is a large pool of prospective employees not just for Cisco but to fill the demand for computer and networking-related jobs across the economy. And the program fulfills a larger purpose by preparing young people for the jobs of the future. Nearly 30% of the graduates go on to start their own information technology business.

5) Finally, in an effort to show that if Cisco and others can make a difference in a place as ravaged and as need as those places impacted by Hurricane Katrina, than they can make a difference around the world (including closer to home), Cisco started the 21st Century Schools effort. The company is putting $40 million into this. $2 million came personally from John Chambers.

Taken from a page of News@Cisco: "The 21S Initiative's vision is to transform the approach to learning, creating a 21st century education model that improves the quality of education, prepares students with 21st century skills, and creates a foundation for economic opportunities and community success. 'This is an opportunity to show how technology can improve education and help to make our students competitive on the worldwide stage," Cisco's Fowler explains. 'This isn't technology for technology's sake; it's being used to improve the lives of students and their communities. The ultimate goal of the 21S Initiative is to build a 21st century education model that is scalable and replicable, in the future, and in other communities.'"

The 21S Initiative was cited by former president Bill Clinton last month when he gave Chambers his first Clinton Global Citizen Award for "demonstrating remarkable and innovative solutions to global challenges". Chamber's was awarded the "private sector" award.

The bottom line, Tom, is not that Cisco has done its share and shouldn't be bothered with calls to do more. Rather, TechNet leaders are eager to do more to support education reform efforts here and in other places.

However, they are extremely well-aware that the solutions aren't turn-key and require the commitment and involvement of all those who lead and drive public education.

Thanks Sean! I think we're all on the same page :-)