Don’t support the one percenters

In reading the article by Brian Rosenthal [“2 more initiatives in line for crowded fall ballot,” page one, July 7], I was outraged!

Bill Gates, Paul Allen, Nick Hanauer, et al; aren’t most, if not all of these donors, part of the infamous 1 percent in our country? In another Seattle Times article a few months back, “Charter schools are not the answer” by syndicated columnist David Sirota [seattletimes.com, March 25], he wrote: “Education technology companies promote them for the profit potential. Opponents of organized labor like the Walton Family [and Koch brothers] embrace them for their ability to crush teacher unions.” Ask Nick Hanauer how much he makes for every charter school he opens.

Studies confirm only 17 percent of charters are successful, and of those that are successful, I’ve noted two basic commonalities: They have a strict discipline policy and students wear uniforms. Why can’t the same thing be done in public schools? And, public schools take all children — charters do not.

Send these one percenters a message by voting. Charters aren’t the answer — time and statistics prove it. Don’t allow them to profit further at the expense of children. Shame on their greedy, parasitic efforts! As much as they have, they still can’t get enough and want to rob the children and public schools.

— Don Jordan, Edmonds