Describing the American education system as “little better than an assembly line with producing diplomas as its only goal,” George Lucas is putting his money where his mouth is.
The creator of the Star Wars and Indiana Jones movies has pledged more than half of his considerable personal fortune to improving schools through his educational foundation.
“I am dedicating the majority of my wealth to improving education,” Lucas said in a letter dated July 16. “It is the key to the survival of the human race. We have to plan for our collective future – and the first step begins with the social, emotional, and intellectual tools we provide to our children.
“As humans, our greatest tool for survival is our ability to think and to adapt – as educators, storytellers, and communicators our responsibility is to continue to do so.”
Lucas has long been a generous and outspoken supporter of education reform, but this latest endeavor is part of the Giving Pledge, an initiative of billionaires Bill and Melinda Gates and investor Warren Buffett to boost philanthropic causes. Ted Turner, Michael Bloomberg, Paul Allen and others have signed on to the campaign, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Will this generous gesture be enough to make up for the millions of childhoods crushed under his heel by the disappointing Star Wars prequels and Oldie Indy?
Via GeekTyrant
