Through a little political laundering — sorry, consulting — firm called Swift Public Affairs (also in Portland), the Raindrop Fund funneled a whopping $45,000 into Linn United PAC, a political group that’s now championing three candidates: Stephanie Lunceford, Kris McLaughlin, and Kristopher Schendel. If you’re wondering what $45,000 buys you in a school board race, the answer is: a lot. $28,900 for Polling, Mailers, digital ads, polished messaging, and maybe even a few consultants whispering strategy tips into candidates’ ears.
But why does a Portland-based fund care about a mid-sized school district in Linn County? Here’s a hint: it’s not because they’re passionate about improving local reading scores. The Oregon Raindrop Fund has a track record of bankrolling progressive causes, from climate campaigns to ballot initiatives that align neatly with Democratic Party priorities. Their goal isn’t better math instruction; it’s ideological conquest, one school board at a time.
Let’s be blunt: this isn’t grassroots. This is AstroTurf.
Meanwhile, as the GAPS board turns into a political football field, Oregon’s academic performance is circling the drain. The state ranks 45th or worsenationally in reading and math, despite having some of the highest per-student funding in the country. It’s like setting piles of cash on fire and then blaming the smoke for the lack of oxygen.
And what’s replacing academic rigor? A parade of social justice initiatives, gender theory debates, and activism that belongs in a university seminar, not a third-grade classroom. Parents looking for accountability and reading proficiency are getting lectures about pronouns instead.
