Mayor Townsend made a few factual errors regarding the proposed charter high school in Foster City in the Daily Journal article "Mayor opposes charter school" Sept. 1. I felt compelled to set the facts straight.
Mr. Townsend has not seen our budget, or our bank statements, or our pledges, yet speaks to our capital resources and capabilities. We chose not to disclose at this point that we are backed by a $100 million private foundation who guaranteed 80 percent of the financing of our construction. Further, we have serious interest from a large bank who wishes to finance 100 percent of the construction cost. Do you think the bank would finance 100 percent of the cost to build if this were not a viable long-term project? Anyone who has borrowed money knows that banks are conservative by nature, and they don't foolishly lend money. Especially this bank. It is premature for us to discuss that with him formally before the charter is approved. His comments were speculation, and incorrect. Charter first, facilities after.
We have had two architectural firms and two general contractors estimate on this job. All four firms have built public schools. One of them has built schools here on the Peninsula. All of them said a school of 40,000 square feet can qualitatively be built for $10 million. Mr. Townsend's bloated $60 million figure is incorrect. In fact, I supplied him with the figures personally in his office several months ago.
Mayor Townsend states in your paper Wednesday that the schools our kids go to are high-quality institutions. The San Mateo Union High School District is a good district. Yet 25 percent of Foster City kids go to private school by choice over said fine institutions. Hillsdale ranks a 6 on the scale of 1-10 provided by the state Department of Education even though it is funded in the top 10 percent. To be against a parent's right to choose another viable school with a fresh approach is not foresightful. Our communities need to bring more math and science into the classroom for all the kids, not just a select few as it is now. Our state cannot find enough graduates versed in those disciplines as studies were cited here ad nauseum.
I opine that all the public investigate the facts from a credible source of information prior to procuring Mr. Townsend's opinion on a subject he chooses to find out little or nothing about. The natural progression of this project is charter first, then facilities, not the other way around. Should anyone investigate the facts, they will find a completely different picture that shows us as a solid and credible foundation that will get this job done.
I have personally originated over $1 billion in financial transactions. I've worked with high-level people across this fine country. None of those groups of financial institutions, corporations or developers had more brainpower, tenacity or achievement than the group of 30 who so proudly inspire this grassroots effort to improve education and offer more choice to parents and students. How could anyone align himself against that?
Peter Hayden is president of the Foster City High School Foundation. He lives in Foster City.
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Keep the discussion civilized. Absolutely NO personal attacks or insults directed toward writers, nor others who make comments.
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PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
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