The lawsuit's called Vergara, but the name you should know is Welch
Adolfo Guzman-Lopez/KPCC
David Welch is the main funder of the Vergara vs. California lawsuit. He founded the Silicon Valley tech company Infinera.
Silicon Valley entrepreneur David Welch made his money creating breakthrough technology in fiber optic communication and building hardware to run the massive interenet networks of the future.
He's spending it - at least some of it - on a pet project that could substantially change teaching in California and the rest of the country.
Welch is the man behind Students Matter, the advocacy group that recruited nine public school students to sue the state of California, saying teacher job protections harm their ability to get the 'adequate' education they are promised in the state constitution.
Despite not having a background in public education, he said he had no choice but to take on the issue.
“About four years ago, I got to the point where there was too many children that were being harmed in the system,” he said. “If I had the capability of doing the right thing to make life better for someone else or for my society, then I try to do it.”
In interviews, Welch wouldn't say how much money the case has cost him. It's no doubt been substantial.
Tax records for 2012 show he loaned Students Matter nearly $1 million that year alone, half of which was spent on public relations. The group paid $1.1 million to lawyers which ultimately filed the suit, called Vergara vs. California.
That was before the suit was filed, before a legal team led by high powered lawyer The lawsuit's called Vergara, but the name you should know is Welch | Pass / Fail | 89.3 KPCC:
