Hadi PartoviVerified account

Last year I was introduced to Epstein as a potential @codeorg donor. I Googled him, saw he was a convicted sex offender, and ended talks. @MIT and @Joi should have done the same. Period.

Joi Ito’s resignation gives me mixed feelings. @MIT leadership clearly failed in this case, no question.

But choosing donors isn’t always so simple. Rejecting a convicted felon is easy. But what about a donor who is very unpopular, or who faces unverified accusations? At a time of division, mob judgement, and rampant misinformation, should a nonprofit be judge & jury of its donors?

Just because I rejected Epstein (and others too) doesn’t mean my every decision will be popular. We take funds from corporations and billionaires - inevitably one of my choices will be questioned.

When that day comes, I hope my supporters realize that rejecting a donor’s gift is like taking $ away from education to give it to that donor. Taking $ away from children’s education is not at all easy.