The law of unintended consequences is an important idea we all need to understand. The concept, espoused by economists and social scientists for centuries, is that the actions of people, and particularly of governments, usually have consequences that were unforeseen when the initial decision or action took place. Those consequences often negatively impact the people and communities the original decision was designed to serve.

The English philosopher and economist John Locke is usually credited with introducing the concept. In 1692,

he opposed legislation by the English parliament to cut the maximum allowable interest rate from 6 to 4 percent. He argued that instead of helping borrowers, as intended, the law would actually hurt people by making credit less available.

The law of unintended consequences may be playing out today within the Los Altos School District. We believe our community needs to understand the consequences of Bullis Charter School on our district—both intended and unintended—and build a plan for the future that takes those issues into account.