Editor,

Given the awful event in Marysville, I thought it might be interesting to see how Initiative 1351 treats school security and safety.

As it turns out, it’s almost a non-priority. Security is a sub-item with central office administration on pages 8 and 9, and a line item specifying “classified staff providing student and staff safety” on page 7.

I-1351 is the only initiative worse than the horrible I-594, and that is saying something. It shows that writing complex, virtually illegible, unreadable laws that say one thing and do another is the new norm.

The real purpose of I-1351 has nothing to do with education. Its main goal is to hire 25,000 new placid, moldable, dues-paying union chair warmers, regardless whether the schools want them or not, and sell it to the great unwashed with emotions, half-truths and deceptions, i.e., “It’s for the kids.”

One estimate is that the unions will have an $800,000 windfall the first year to buy more politicians who will pass more union-driven legislation. Their idea of security seems to be putting gun-free zone stickers on the doors. Obviously the Marysville shooter wasn’t deterred by them.

I think security needs to be a much higher priority than this disaster of an initiative provides. It seems hiring custodians to clean up the mess afterward is more important than hiring security to prevent it.

Rick Kiser

Oak Harbor