The C++ version of Minecraft in question is literally called Windows 10 Edition,...

scholia · on Jan 26, 2016

The Windows 10 version is based on the Pocket Edition. MCPE is written in C++, and is already cross-platform - it runs on smartphones, tablets and games consoles.

This doesn't mean the Education Edition will be cross-platform. It does mean that the fact that it's written in C++ doesn't prevent it from being cross-platform.

Nullabillity · on Jan 27, 2016

But considering it's Microsoft, do you trust them to make it cross-platform?

scholia · on Jan 27, 2016

It depends if there's a demand. How many pupils will benefit if it does? (How many schools have access to Linux or Mac OS X and not to Windows 10?)

Against that, how many pupils would benefit from spending that development time -- a finite resource -- on incorporating mods into the C++ code base?

It's not a pseudo-religious issue.