Mr. Gates: Can you please take the time to read this book?

The Executive Response Team at Microsoft wrote to me. Here is their response to my letter, verbatim:

Thank you for contacting Bill Gates at Microsoft. We reviewed your email with interest and found your correspondence relates directly to Mr. Gates’ work with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which is a separate organization from Microsoft Corporation. The below links provide further information relating to Mr. Gates’ work with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which you may find to be helpful for finding the right contact for you to redirect your correspondence.


Reference and quick facts http://www.gatesfoundation.org/MediaCenter/FactSheet/
Foundation Leadership http://www.gatesfoundation.org/AboutUs/LeadershipStaff/
Contacting the Foundation http://www.gatesfoundation.org/AboutUs/ContactUs/
Grant Information http://www.gatesfoundation.org/ForGrantSeekers/

Thank you for your interest and best wishes for the future.

Sincerely,
Office of the Chairman
Microsoft Corporation
http://www.microsoft.com

I should have expected no other response than this. Mr Gates is a busy guy and I understand that he cannot see or read everything directed at him. Additionally, some days later, I received the following kind and informative email from the staff of the Gates Foundation

Dear Chris Heimark,

Thank you for writing to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Your letter to Mr. Gates has been forwarded to me for reply.

We appreciate your interest in our country's education system, and thank you for sharing information with regards to the book your father wrote.

The foundation's Education initiative seeks to improve U.S. high school graduation and college readiness rates for all students, particularly those from historically underserved populations. In pursuit of this goal, the foundation supports the creation of new schools and the redesign of struggling schools to provide all students with a revised version of the 3Rs - academic Rigor and Relevance and supportive Relationships. Our Education initiative also works to provide children with opportunities for quality early learning and funds scholarship programs that reduce financial barriers to higher education for low-income and minority students. Please note that the Education initiative does not accept unsolicited proposals.

For more information about the Education initiative please visit www.gatesfoundation.org/education.

For information about how to become personally involved, please visit the Strong American Schools Web site at www.edin08.com or contact them at info@edin08.com. Strong American Schools is a nonpartisan public awareness and action campaign offering a voice to every American who supports "ED in 08."

For more information on the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation please visit our Web site at www.gatesfoundation.org.

Sincerely,

"Staff Representative"
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

While this is an informative response, it doesn't really address the book does it? It doesn't even acknowledge that the book might be a useful tool in fighting the dropout rate.

This book has been used effectively in a few instances and all it needs is the right endorsement. Mr. Gates, are you listening?

I believe this is a case where an endorsement must come from the top. So I decided to send two copies of the book directly to the Gates Foundation. A hardback copy is for Mr. Gates to read and a soft-back copy for his staff. I also enclosed, as a response to email from the Gates Foundation, the following letter:

August 29, 2007
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
c/o "Staff Representative"
PO Box 23350
Seattle, WA 98102

Dear "Staff Representative":

I was a little surprised at this reaction. And then I wasn't so surprised...

I understand that Mr. Gates is completely inundated with more material and ideas than he can possibly absorb. I don't necessarily envy that.

What I have described herein IS worth a serious look by someone on Mr. Gate's staff ... and then eventually himself. It is as a result of this feeling that I have enclosed two copies of the book I describe. The paperback is for anyone OR all of your staff to read. You'll all be glad you did.

The hardback is for Mr. Gates to read; and I would respectfully ask that you please place into his hands directly. It is rumored that Mr Gates, when he goes on vacation, takes a stack of books to read. It is my firm belief that this one ought to be included in that reading list. What harm can it do to provide it? None. What good might it do, were Mr. Gates to read it? An infinity (of good) ;-)

Please make this paperback available to your staff. And please make sure this hardback makes it to Mr. gates reading stack. You would be honoring my father and his vision of making America better ... AND you'll be helping MANY high school students avoid the tragic choice of dropping out of school.

Sincerely yours,


Chris Heimark

I am going to continue to (b)log this conversation until I get a response that results in the attention this book deserves. Mr. Gates, would you please take the time to read this book? And endorse it as required reading for all wannabe dropouts across all high schools in America?