The Business of Philanthropy

John Wilson the former National Education Association executive director, and now, a senior fellow at the Pearson Foundation, roused up yesterday to push back against recent New York Times stories implicating school administrators who took international trips sponsored by his foundation. After casting a few aspersions at the Times, whose foundation, he says, does the same thing, Wilson claimed the tours were simply philanthropy. No ulterior motives.

Still, Wilson readily admits his own conflict of interest. But in his mind, it was "the media attention to these innocent study tours [that] has created an appearance of inappropriateness and a suspicion around business decisions. Wilson complained that the Times' "reporter has not provided all the information about the strict ethics laws that educational leaders follow before taking advantage of these study tours."

I would have thought the trips themselves created the appearance of impropriety and it was incumbent upon the CCSSO, the Pearson Foundation and the travelers themselves to show otherwise, as Lu Young has begun to do. It is the media that has kept attention on issues related to private companies jockeying for public funds - which, as Wilson fails to point out, are at the end of the rainbow for Pearson.

I guess one person's philanthropy is another person's loss leader.

This from John Wilson Unleashed:

Sometimes Philanthropy is just Philanthropy

I have read with interest the articles in the New York Times attacking education leaders for taking study trips that were underwritten by the Pearson Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Pearson Education. I will admit that after the first article, I had hoped that this would be a one-time article by a cynical reporter looking for a good story that would resonate. Now, there have been two other articles. Of course, I could be cynical, too, and assume that his corporate bosses are pushing this story for other reasons since I know the New York Times Foundation has sponsored very similar trips.

After retiring as Executive Director of the National Education Association, I chose to accept a Senior Fellow position with the Pearson Foundation. I agreed to three days a month to assist Pearson Foundation leaders on fulfilling their mission around literacy, learning, and great teaching. I admit to a conflict of interest when defending this foundation that supports public education and teachers; however, I have no such conflict when it comes to telling what I know to be true.

I attended the study trips in Helsinki, London, and Rio de Janeiro as a voice for teacher unions. The trips were all organized by the Council of Chief State School Officers. That is one of many things I like about the Pearson Foundation. They trust educators to plan their own professional development. The programs were designed and executed by CCSSO staff. There were no sales presentations or side conversations about Pearson products. It was purely an educational study tour of countries doing better at student achievement than the United States. It was about deep and engaging conversations with leaders of those high-achieving countries. It was an experience that could not have occurred without philanthropic support. I worry when our educational leaders are "siloed" and not allowed to experience the global community that exists today, and I am impressed when they take the opportunity to learn from others.

I understand that the media attention to these innocent study tours has created an appearance of inappropriateness and a suspicion around business decisions. That is unfortunate and unfair. I do believe this reporter has not provided all the information about the strict ethics laws that educational leaders follow before taking advantage of these study tours. While education leaders may choose to decline to do future trips, I hope government will budget for our leaders to have a global perspective. I also hope Pearson Foundation will continue giving teachers the opportunity to visit other countries and for Teachers of the Year to come together and share best practices. I hope the Pearson Foundation will continue to donate thousands of books to schools and children to expand literacy. I hope the Foundation will continue to fund schools that are teaching our students 21st Century skills through digital media.

I hope others will speak up about the good work that philanthropic organizations like the Pearson Foundation do. They are vital to the success of our public schools. Let's not punish those who are willing to fund educational interests that government does not. Let's use as much ink to praise good work and publish truth.

For me, I subscribe to the words of Swedish statesman and former United Nations Secretary General Dag Hammarskjold, "Never, for the sake of peace and quiet, deny your own experience or convictions." I invite you to speak your truth.