I had a hard time believing what I was reading in Nathan Benefield of the Commonwealth Foundation’s op-ed “Shapiro, lawmakers must choose — students or special interests?” (July 18, TribLIVE). The money that they accused the teachers unions of spending is chump change to the foundation and their ultra-wealthy contributors. Just recently, they raised $10 million to defeat any legislator that doesn’t vote for their voucher scheme.

The Commonwealth Foundation wants to divert hundreds of millions in state money, our tax dollars, into vouchers for private schools. It’s a giveaway to their wealthy donors and the owners of those schools.

The foundation is a 501(c)(4) dark money group that can receive unlimited money from corporations and individuals such as billionaires Jeffery Yass, Koch enterprise and the DeVos family. They are promoting a radical year-round, multimillion-dollar pressure operation in Pennsylvania to promote their privatizing schemes. Talk about special interest! That is what the Commonwealth Foundation is all about. Promoting the special interests of its donors.

Education and unions are a big part of what made our country’s great middle class. Tell Gov. Josh Shapiro and our lawmakers to support our public schools, unions and teachers.

Gloria Gralewski

Manor

Copyright ©2025— Trib Total Media, LLC (TribLIVE.com)