Snyder: Our concerns with school board candidate Pittinsky

As parents to three graduates of SUSD schools, fifth-generation residents of SUSD, and graduates of SUSD schools ourselves, we are concerned about the future of the school board and one of the candidates running for that position. Matt Pittinsky is the CEO of Parchment, an online system that helps students send their high school educational transcripts to colleges for a fee. 

Parchment is currently used at SUSD’s high schools, so we find it puzzling how one of their suppliers could sit on their Board with such a major conflict of interest. His company already profits from SUSD’s usage of their product and one can only assume that his presence on the board could serve to further deepen those profits. 

We also have concerns about Mr. Pittinsky accepting over $10,000 in out-of-state donations, including money from executives at educational companies, to support his campaign. Upstanding, honest candidates should not accept money from out-of-state school-reliant businesses for their campaign. 

But if those two pieces of information don’t alarm you, then perhaps knowing that Mr. Pittinsky’s own high schooler goes to a private school and does not attend an SUSD high school will.

As onlookers it seems pretty clear to us that Matt Pittinsky’s interest in running for SUSD school board is solely based in his desire to expand the breadth of what his company can provide and from which he and his friends can financially benefit. We cannot afford to elect someone who is so compromised to our local school board. 

If we are going to protect SUSD and get it back to where it was, we need candidates who are invested in SUSD schools, the community and who won’t be compromised by outside interests. That’s why we’ll be voting for Gretchen Jacobs, Jeanne Beasley and Drew Hassler. 

Reader reactions, pro or con, are welcomed at AzOpinions@iniusa.org.