Got Aloha for a Teacher?
The members of Kanu Hawaii are working for a future built on island lessons of sustainability, aloha, and self reliance. The recent agreement between the DOE, BOE, teachers union and the Governor to close public schools on 17 Fridays puts that future in serious jeopardy.
The decision is the result of a series of missteps, miscalculations, and a general failure to prioritize the future of our children – a failure by our elected leaders, union representatives, and ourselves as supporters and citizen watchdogs of our school system.
How We Got Here
The story of “furlough Fridays” starts with the economic downturn and the State fiscal crisis. Earlier this year, the Legislature and the Governor had to find a mix of taxes and spending that balanced the State budget as revenues dwindled. They also had the power to set priorities, picking critical services to be maintained, and less essential or wasteful spending to be reduced.
During budget-making, both Legislature and Governor could have prioritized students by preserving the education budget, raising taxes to safeguard school funding, or cutting other areas to shift the burden of cuts away from students. Instead, the Governor opposed tax increases, and both she and Legislature adopted an approach to budgeting guided by the principle of "everyone should sacrifice equally," making cuts across the board. The "everyone sacrificing" would include students, it seemed.
Even with less funding, it was possible to minimize student suffering. When the HSTA and the Governor sat down to negotiate a new contract last month, they could have explored ways to protect students. For instance, the union could have cut planning days and holidays to meet the funding shortfall. Instead, they bargained with instructional days hoping this would force the Governor to give in to their demands. The Governor held her ground on the “equal sacrifice” principle. Again, students could have been prioritized, but were not.
The result is a teachers' contract with 17 less instructional days for students in the 2009-10 school year – a 10% reduction in class time. Students were used as a bargaining chip, and students came out the big loser.
How much does 17 days matter?
Not surprisingly, the educational research supports a very common sense conclusion: Take more time to teach, and outcomes for kids get better. Take less time, and there is less learning. Cut enough hours and days, and students have little hope of competing with peers in other places that offer more hours and days of school. A range of studies and reports support this finding. You can read some of them here.
The evidence is so strong that experts and elected officials across the country propose lengthening the school year. Just a few weeks ago, President Obama declared, "The challenges of a new century demand more time in the classroom." Instead of clinging to a 180 day calendar built for a time when kids helped with the summer harvest, we should join the ranks of other industrialized countries that have school years of 200 days or more. Obama said a longer school year would help our kids compete with graduates from abroad.
At the very moment when the President has called for a longer school year, his home state has trimmed its year down to 163 days – the shortest school year of any state in the nation. Most states have a school year that is at least 180 days, and a majority have laws requiring a minimum number of school days per year. Hawaii has no such law, leaving it to the teachers' contract to dictate how many days of schooling students will get.
Even with a “full” school year, Hawaii students struggle to keep up with peers elsewhere. Hawaii's 8th graders rank 47th among kids from the 50 states in both Math and Reading. Hawaii has been among the worst performing states for the better part of a decade on the most widely respected standardized test in the country. The loss of instructional time will push our kids further toward the bottom of the heap.
Another way to think about the impact is this: Each of us has stories of a particular moment when a special teacher changed our lives. What if that one life-changing “teachable moment” fell on a furlough Friday? How many transformational experiences have we cut along with those 17 days?
If furlough Fridays are allowed to stand, a whole generation of kids will be affected. We will hamstringing their ability to work, go to college, and be competent citizens. We are also putting them behind (further behind) their peers, who will compete against them for jobs, political voice, and prosperity.
A Failure of Leaders and Us, Their Bosses
Each of our leaders had a chance to step up for kids. Instead, a game of political hot potato unfolded – each leader passing the spud to the next, trying to make sure the other guy got burned. This game continues in the aftermath: The union blames the Governor, the Governor blames the union, both blame the Legislature for failing to grapple with budget issues and find the funding; the Legislature holds hearings to grill education officials. We are to blame, too - we elected these people, after all, and we could hold them accountable if we were more attentive and involved.
Shortly after furlough Fridays were announced, parents in some neighborhoods pooled their money and offered to pay teachers to come in and teach. Many teachers wanted to, but both parents and teachers were advised not to press ahead. A 1970s conflict of interest policy preventing teachers from teaching for pay outside “regular school hours” was cited as the reason. That policy was written to prevent teachers from purposely doing a bad job during the regular school day so they could get paid to tutor students after hours.
Some teachers even said they were willing to volunteer their time on Fridays to make sure learning continues. Again they were cautioned to hold off by the DOE. Concerns were raised over liability, a lack of support services at schools, and "pressuring" other teachers to follow suit.
Educational leaders pointed to liability and conflict of interest rules (rules designed to protect kids) as the things standing between willing teachers and kids in need of instruction. These are examples of an adult inability to ask “what's best for kids?” in this situation – an inability evident at the highest levels of leadership.
What Can Be Done
It's not too late for everyone – including our elected, appointed, union, and educational leaders – to start demonstrating that they prioritize our children. If they were to step up, here is what one way forward might look like:
1. The Legislature could convene a Special Session to find funding to fill part of the school budget gap, perhaps using a portion of the Hurricane Fund or the Rainy Day Fund. The new funds would cover only some of the 17 furlough days, and some of these funds would be kept in reserve.
2. The Governor could then approve the release of these funds for school purposes. She would have to resist vetoing efforts by the Legislature to find resources for schools.
3. With part of the shortfall covered, the Governor and and HSTA could re-open the contract. The education leaders could offer to make up the difference using holidays and planning days, or unpaid work days to fill the gap. Instructional days for this school year would be restored.
4. Come January and a new regular legislative session, all parties could consider longer term funding options.
Some oppose this path because they worry about using the Hurricane Fund, thinking of it as a disaster relief fund. Actually, the fund is set up to provide insurance to homeowners who couldn't get private hurricane insurance after Iniki. But today, most people have private hurricane insurance, and federal funds are set aside for disaster relief.
Others oppose this course of action because "it gives union leaders what they want (partially restored funding), and they're the reason we're in this mess in the first place." There's some truth to this, but it's also beside the point. If we ask “what's best for kids?” it's clear our priority should be on restoring school days, and restoring them now. The principle of “equal fiscal suffering” shouldn't trump that.
We should also distinguish between union leaders and the teachers they represent. The teachers I know have always put their students first, laboring under crushing constraints -- too little funding, facilities in disrepair, too narrow an emphasis on test scores, and parents unable (or sometimes unwilling) to support learning at home. Amazingly, many teachers are still willing to volunteer, work at reduced pay, or find other ways to keep teaching in the face of furlough Fridays. Many are deeply disturbed by the solution that was negotiated on their behalf.
The point is that there are options to pursue. But again, the potato is being passed: Legislators say there's no sense in a Special Session if the Governor will veto any use of special funds; the Governor says her hands are tied because funding is unavailable; the union doesn't want to reopen contract negotiations that just concluded. No one is standing up for kids.
We the people - parents, teachers, and friends of keiki - will have to do it. To move our leaders to action, we will have to step up. Here's some things we can do.
1. Sign the petition urging leaders to take action
A group of public school parents has organized Hawaii Education Matters to protest furlough Fridays and urge our leaders to do whatever is necessary to reopen the schools. You can sign the petition here.
2. Rally at the State Capitol on Friday, October 23, 10am to 1pm.
HEM is also organizing a rally, with a little help from Kanu. It will take a massive showing of our public outrage to move the Governor, the Legislature, and the HSTA off of their positions, and stop the game of hot potato. Click here to commit to coming out.
3. Use the power of our stories to persuade others.
Share a story of how one moment with a teacher changed your life by joining this group and journaling there. Describe the moment and name the teacher. Email him or her with a link to your posting. We'll compile the stories and ask leaders, “What if that one life-changing moment fell on a furlough Friday?
4. Volunteer to help sustain student learning.
Many community organizations are jumping in to provide childcare and educational opportunities on furlough Fridays. A few examples include the YMCA and the Boys & Girls Club. We can use our volunteer energy to help with childcare, instruction, chaperoning, and other tasks.
5. Be good parents and mentors.
It's hard to think of a better time to take up a personal commitment to be a good parent, mentor and friend to keiki. We can read to kids (ours or someone else's), find a child to mentor, look after our neighbors' kids, involve students in service projects, adopt a school, donate to schools, and more. The Kanu way is to accept kuleana even as we push for institutional change, after all.
Many of us are feeling frustrated and helpless, but there are things we can do to serve our students.
Building Movement
Getting 17 days back would be a real victory and good step. But, it's a step that only gets our kids back to where they were – behind other kids who are learning more elsewhere. We must channel the outrage about furlough Fridays into a more sustained and organized effort to change our school system and support it with parent and community energy. More on that in Part II.
For now, let's focus on taking immediate action, doing our part, and building some momentum. If we care about our keiki, their learning, their future and ours, it's time to mobilize. We can start with the petition, the rally, and our own volunteer energy. We can follow this up with sustained commitment to keep watch, push for change, and hold our leaders accountable. If our leaders will not act, if they will not stand up for our kids, it's time for us to say, “We will." In fact, that time has long since passed. It's time to say "We must."
Aloha
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Thank you for writing about this issue. The questions I must ask are: why do we burden our keiki with our financial mistakes and how is it so easy to pass responsibility to the educational system, the one system that never has enough money to begin with?!
Mahalo for the detailed outline and resource links. Kaua`i will be rallying this Friday, October 16th. The rally will be held at the State Office Building on Friday, October 16, 2009, from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m and is being organized by parents of public school students. I'll post the PSA in a seperate journal entry.
Brenda
how was the Kauai rally? Any takeaways?
Roger
I hope governments will do what they can for our children.
I say we, as parents, uncles, aunties, grandparents, coaches, etc. can do more.
If my math (and DOE's website numbers) are correct, there are 13,000 classroom teachers. If we go with the high-end salary of $57,000 (which, in my opinion, is too low, but that's for another time), then it costs $317 per day per teacher. Let's throw in a little for supplies and round up to $400, which means $88,400,000 to 13,000 teachers for 17 days. Divide that by the 177,871 students, and we get $497 per student.
Let's start working on our own solution. I am willing to pay $500 per child in the DOE to keep our teachers in school. Anyone else???
Wow, great suggestion, Patrick. And very "Kanu" to lead by asking "what's our kuleana?" Olin was just wondering out loud whether there is a way to use chipin.com to raise $ for schools, and if/how the DOE could actually put those $ to use. We should both look into this and see what we can come up with. Mahalo for your mana`o.
Aloha ~
Mahalo to James and Kanu Hawai'i for taking this action. This is a critical issue for our Keiki and Hawai'i's future. A number of policy specialists have been working toward a solution. Please see this suggested option at:
http://www.kanuhawaii.org/member/journal/entry/?id=125546660267220
As James eloquently points out, this is President Obama's home. It makes no sense for his administration to stimulate the economy when states like Hawai'i are raising taxes and/or cutting services. This represents a contraction and has a negative effect on the overall economy. Please see my letter to "Uncle Barack" here:
http://www.kanuhawaii.org/member/journal/entry/?id=125546653162927
A*L*O*H*A
Mahalo to Kanu Hawaii for getting involved in this issue. Without a solid public education system for our keiki, how can we ever achieve Kanu goals of a sustainable Hawaii and world? Please get involved and help restore the 17 furlough (instruction) days. Don't make our children and teachers a pawn in a game of politics.
why doesn't mufi chip in $500 a child from his rail project?
or why not each parent chip in if they really care? And $57K for 9 months is not bad...And even $40K is not bad for 9 months. And Obama gave tons to the Hawaii education system from his stimulus funds. Lingle just decided to use that money her own method. And we have always been burdening our children from education to the war on drugs to environment to recycling to picking up trash to saving the water. Why doesn't the military or old rich retired people who have tons of money and time, donate money to sponsor kids?
Thanks for this write-up! It offers a detailed explanation of how and why the furloughs and good options to consider. One thing though, please don't forget the fact that teachers cannot run a school on their own -- each school has a team of administrative and maintenance staff that keep the school operational and functional. These staff members are not under the HSTA, but HGEA, whose contracts have yet to be negotiated. Funding teacher's salaries and renegotiating the HSTA contract is only one part of the puzzle. If this situation has taught us anything, it's that there is a price for all services provided by state government. If we aren't willing to pay for it, one way or another, in tough economic times we are the ones who really lose out. The majority of people in Hawaii scream about not wanting to pay any more taxes, but if parents are shelling out extra money for day care or tutoring to make up for Furlough Fridays, in the end, doesn't that amount to the same thing?
Kudo''s James for a well written analysis of the situation. You are correct that unless the broader public engages the issue...the policy gridlock may very well continue. You are also correct that "it does not have to be this way". The state has $185,000,000 in the Hurricane Fund alone...it is my understanding that it will cost about $5 million per day for every furlough day we eliminate...this includes the cost for all government employees working at the schools...not just the teachers. Losing 17 instructional days in our schools is simply not acceptable. For those who are interested, here is a link to my position paper on the use of the Hurricane Fund and eliminating the 17 days of furlough in our schools, published last week in the Honolulu Advertiser http://bit.ly/16MWPI
Taken from Tech Hui from a tech entrepreneur....
The issue that keeps coming back to haunt me is the near rock-bottom quality of the public education system. This really hurts in a few key ways.
1. We get a poorly educated workforce.
2. Any parent that wants a decent education for their kids has to pay about $10-15k/yr/child with after tax money.
#2 is a killer on two fronts: first it lowers one's standard of living. If you have 2 kids, that's $30k/yr, every year. from K-12.
Secondly, #2 really puts the brakes on getting talented people to move here. A given mainland executive might swallow a 20% pay cut to live in Paradise. He might even take the hit on housing costs. But if you tell him he's going to take yet another hit to pay for private education (e.g. 4 kids at $60k/yr!), the camel's back gets broken.
I see the poor educational system as the #1 thing that hurt our business again and again, forcing us to import expertise and ultimately throttling growth.
The final insult to injury is that paradoxically our state has the highest concentration of private schools and also some of the best private schools. So on one side we have one of the worst education systems costing about $15k/child right next to some of the best educational systems costing about $15k/child. hmm...
Has anyone looked into streamlining the way the DOE and BOE runs our educational system? We haven't even addressed those issues yet. How many years do we need to raid funds to pay for a defunct system? The buck has to stop here and our leaders such as you Mr. Hoosier needs to delve in to the more pervasive issue beyond funding and days lost. This is tough issue to face but it has to start somewhere, and now is a good time.
I agree with James' analysis about how Furlough Fridays has been a failure of leadership. This is a bitter pill to swallow to recognize my role in the failure of elected leadership. Like my colleague, Senator Gary Hooser, I too agree that broader public engagement may result in finding solutions - so I urge people to sign HEM's petition, exercise your voices at rallies and through letters and demand that our children's education cannot be sacrificed as it is an essential service and fundamental building block in a democratic society.
Just one clarification to James' post above - I believe it is the DOE/BOE and HSTA that are responsible for negotiating the HSTA contract - not the HSTA and the Governor. The real point of this clarification is also to hold the BOE accountable. If a long-term solution is to be crafted for alleviating furloughs, it will be the BOE as our elected school leaders who will definitely need to be part of the conversation.
Hope to see Kanu members at the rally!
Signing petitions, participating in rallies, and writing letters are all good. The real issue other that grassroots movement is what specific problems are there, and what are the specific solutions? The HOW is important.
For example, we have a traffic problem. HOW do we solve it? I don't agree with rail. I am a bigger supporter of bikes, walking, carpooling and better bus system.
We need to go beyond just more funding and giving the kids the days back. We need to know how IT WILL BE DIFFERENT this time. You need to fundamentally change BEHAVIOR and INSTITUTIONS to effect a lasting long-term positive change.
Same goes with green movement. What we really need is a TAX, or a SURCHARGE to fossil fuels, or a oil price floor, to guarantee a "green clean energy" marketplace. It's not really which green technology we should use, it's more about making it economically viable to switch from dirty energy to clean energy. The problem is clear, the solution is many, but the best is approaching from the $ angle.
We can blame certain parts of the system, all of the system, or just cover the wound/symptom with a bandaid or Tylenol, but we NEED serious change. The more philosophical question is "is it really necessary to be more educated to obtain many of the jobs in Hawaii?" It seems to me, many smart, gifted and talented locally born and raised and educated have a hard time find a job locally they like with a good boss/coworkers. Many leave for the mainland. My experience seems there is a lot of jobs that require little/no education with little experience, or lots of education MS/Ph.D with lots of experience 10+ yrs or more. Analyzing the post-education experience is important too. You don't need that much of an education to get into the union (any union) or military. And if you want to run a company, you need to have lots of brains, power, money, or connections.
Thanks for the clarification, Della. I've changed the post to reflect this important point.
I see a different point of view for this situation than most. I see that teachers are losing time to teach but who has ever asked about what we as parents can do to support our child's education more? We can blame less school days for a decline in the educational system but is it really the days lost that is the problem? Couldn't it also be that parents rely on others to teach their children and don't put enough time to teach them ourselves? Some parents are so busy with getting kids in sports and other activities but when it comes down to really teaching them whether it be academics or plain old right and wrong, many don't even do that.
My mom is a teacher and most of the time she is dealing with behavioral problems with kids and parents who don't support the school or the teacher and blame her for they way their kids are. If more kids were well behaved, the other kids wouldn't lose out on teaching time.
There is and never will be enough money to support a bureaucracy and maybe we have to look further than just the budget cuts and rethink the entire system to make it run more efficiently and maybe this is the situation may be the tipping point to really focus on that. We can keep throwing money at the system but if it keeps running the way it does, nothing can really streamline it or improve it for the future of our keiki. The problem lies deeper than you know and if we never address the root issue, nothing will change for the better.
Joni. I agree with you. I think teaching a kid shouldn't be the whole responsibility of the teacher. In my own experience of education, I was taught by excellent teachers at Maemae and Punahou, but my parents also stressed good education over friends, sports, work, etc. They even gave me $ for bringing in an A. They behaved me well (although it involved hitting me), and I think I turned out ok...(self-analysis) In short, parents are 50% of the problem/solution, and if they had a bad education, it's likely the kids will too when they get home. The only way really is to have classes for adults too! Or else separate the kids from their parents as much as possible when it comes to education. Have the kids to "homework" outside of the home. My mom was an exception to the rule rather than the norm. In an ideal world, all parents would enforce kids to "do homework" sleep early, study hard, and be involved in the school and support it. Reality is, it's not like that. Throwing money in a fire, is not ideal, we need to really study the issue, and I think this blog/discussion is a good starting point. We need to look at each part: student, teacher, admin, parent, politicians, 3rd party consultants, after-school care, etc.
Aloha Joni ~
Well written and excellent points! Both my parents were teachers (retired now) and I taught for years. Parents must do more to support both teachers and administrators, particularly with discipline and enforcing homework.
I would like to add to your general discussion. Class sizes should never exceed 10-12 Keiki per teacher and sessions should be longer to facilitate project-based learning.
As a professional trainer, I never work with more than 10-12 adults ... who behave, listen and are respectful. They aren't bouncing off walls full of crazy hormones or youthful, zestful energy (gotta luv kids though).
Schools are far too chaotic today, which decreases learning efficiency particularly in our younger Keiki. I cannot believe society continues to pretend a sole teacher can bring our Keiki to mastery levels with 30-40 students in a 45 minute session with limited resources and little parental support.
A*L*O*H*A
An important point, Joni. We expect schools to do everything - teach academic subjects, discipline, values, and keep kids out of trouble. But, a child's learning requires the support of family and community. Issues we'll try to keep in mind as we craft Part II of this series.
Joni, I find relief in the fact that there ARE people out there (like you!) who acknowledge this as the TRUE root issue. As a teacher, this furlough experience has been extremely disheartening. I feel sometimes that I am almost on the defense, trying justify why teachers, as a group, chose furloughs over paycuts...if you can call that a "choice." It became quite clear how many perceive the role of a teacher (just read some of the comments on the Advertiser website for example): someone who should be willing to give up day and night to take care of someone else's child's education and upbringing. I find myself teaching my students about character, morals, and decision-making (things they SHOULD be learning at home) MORE than the actual subject matter that I am supposed to be "highly qualified" and paid to teach. I understand that character education will always be a part of my job and role as a teacher, but when a majority of my students come lacking basic manners and respect for others AND themselves, it takes up class time and energy that could be used more efficiently for actual LEARNING and higher-level thinking. My class sizes are between 27-31 students (13 year-olds, by the way), and I often find that I cannot implement the trendy pedagogy (socratic methods, small group learning, project-based learning, etc.) that is pushed so hard because the students don't come with the necessary skills and intrinsic motivation that would allow those strategies to be successful and effective. I teach in the leeward district, not the most popular of districts, but (like any teacher in our state) our biggest problems in the classroom are always tied to the home situation, NOT because our students are less capable of achieving success than those from more affluent areas. Like you said, no amount of money will fix this, unless we address the root issue...accountability of the parents and the students. Holding just teachers accountable for test scores, grades and progress is not going to change the downward spiral that our education system finds itself in. Success will come when the community we serve understands that the family holds the biggest influence over a child's progress and success, NOT teachers or schools. Without support and personal investment from parents, we could have school 7 days a week and nothing would change. Yes, furloughs put our students at an even greater disadvantage and make it very difficult for teachers to address the standards that we are required to teach, but it has become a sad reflection of the values that our community holds in terms of raising children, educating youth, and protecting schools/teachers. We need more people who want REAL change, not bandaid solutions. This situation has exposed the real problem with education, and it goes way beyond the state's economic crisis. My hope is that in the near future, the ropes that are binding the hands of teachers in Hawaii will be severed so that real change and progress can be made, and that strong partnerships between families and schools are fostered so that accountability is shared by all stakeholders.
I had a feeling the economy was going to crash a few years ago (due to USA invasion in Afganhistan & Iraq.) So now Americans are in bad shape. I just took a teaching job in Saudi Arabia, and got a raise. I found the job on the Interent, and I suggest that other teachers start looking for overseas jobs.
Impressive...forward thinking.. what part of Saudi Arabia? Int'l school? I know someone teaching in Dubai. She says the kids are so spoiled, drive Hummers, and oil is dirt cheap there. How's your experience. Don't you need 3-5 years teaching experience? I agree that local teachers should work abroad. Actually I suggest all local people, if they don't like their job to live/work abroad. There is lots of opportunity.
Aloha Donna ~
Yes, impressive, forward thinking ... it wasn't just war expenditures though. Our federal govt also returned trillions in tax revenues to our nation's most wealthy. National debt was around $5T in 2000; it was over $10T in 2008. The middle class cashed out equity in their homes where possible or ran up large sums of debt in other cases just to keep up (and also to keep our consumer economy afloat). States are generally in difficult positions as well.
We must face the fact we are bankrupt as a nation and people. When our top educated citizens are fleeing to other countries to find decent work, what does that say about our future? Aue ...
A*L*O*H*A
Hi Roger, sorry to take so long to reply. The International School I teach at has mostly Pakistani and Egyptian students. Their parent value their education, and they behave in the classroom. That's why I like my job. I recommend Teachers of Hawaii to teach overseas because foreign currency in the bank is a wise thing to have, as the dollar is plummeting, thanks to USA military spending in senseless wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Hi Roger, sorry to take so long to reply. The International School I teach at has mostly Pakistani and Egyptian students. Their parent value their education, and they behave in the classroom. That's why I like my job. I recommend Teachers of Hawaii to teach overseas because foreign currency in the bank is a wise thing to have, as the dollar is plummeting, thanks to USA military spending in senseless wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
I don't know all the facts here but, We export roughly 6 million dollars in Trash off the island, about 8,000 tons. If everyone reduced waste by a 2 pounds per week, we would save that 6 million dollars to create 200 teacher jobs (or possible eliminate furlough friday). Maybe it's time for Kanu High School?
Tyler. Would love the source you got those numbers and facts from.
Hey Roger - sorry just saw this. My sources is Kevin Nesnow the recycling specialist for OPALA. And I was wrong, the actual cost is more like 10 million per year.
Thanks for all of your input... The discussion must delver further into the problem and we must face the difficult tasks of really looking in to changing the root problem and not just the surface problem of the economics of education. In the US unfortunately many perceive education to be a right and not a privilege and that has to change. Growing up and going to public school, I know how unruly some kids and their parents can be and how the good kids can suffer as a result. To me, if they don't want to be in school, give them something else to do so that they can have the skills to be productive. I hope that Kanu can help not only to look at the surface issue of the furloughs but push beyond that to really make change in our thinking and educational system. It is a lot to ask but that is the challenge for this organization to really enact true change in large systems that impact our lives.
Joni, again I agree with you. We need to go beyond the surface and to the root of the issue. This is a good start. Open free dialogue amongst many different perspectives. It would be good to get the perspective of BOE and union leaders
My dad had a great idea last night at dinner... How about charging each parent $500 for each kid in public school creating an incentive program of sorts and a quasi-private school system. If your kid does well, you get it back at the end of the year. If your kid fails or gets into trouble, you lose that money. He said that something like that could really make parents really keep some pressure on their child to do well and excel hopefully and be responsible for them. He also mentioned that back when I was in school, how many parents really participated in the PTA's some 20 years ago? Not may back them and it is less now. That is also reflective on parental involvement in schools now. More parents go to sporting events of their children than participate in the governing aspects of school, which is quite a sad state of things...
Aloha Joni ~
Your dad made a good point but it would be illegal, as poorer families cannot be required to pay. Public education MUST be free. There would be nothing wrong with part 2 - creating an incentive system. Yet the money would have to come from taxpayers and they have indicated they are unwilling to give any more at this time.
A*L*O*H*A
Hi Scott,
Basically, how can we create a system to emphasize education and maximizing potential? How to we get parents to be more responsible for their children? The public school system must be free but why does it have to burdened by those who don't perform or parents who don't support it. That wastes taxpayer money and the time of teachers who want to do a good job.
Aloha Joni ~
What a great question, "how can we create a system to emphasize education and maximize potential?" I consider Thomas Jefferson to be a great leader of public education (not to forget Horace Mann). I hope everyone can visit UVa someday to see his vision. There is a large quad on the campus ringed by small dorm-type rooms. Teachers and students lived and studied together. There was a tremendous amount of quiet time for discussion and contemplation. Minds meeting minds which led to inspiration and wisdom.
Our public schools are somewhat "industrial based." They can seem like assembly lines as we push Keiki from room to room in 45-minute blocks. We focus on memorization and evaluate by standardized testing. Now this is a cold, summary of the system but I'm making a point.
If one wants to maximize potential, then reduce class size first of all. We have great and talented teachers yet they spend too much time on discipline and behavioral issues. There is little time for contemplation and discussion. Second, allow for longer classes in a project-based learning environment. Teachers and Keiki working together to find solutions, which really is learning.
It seems we try to pass "facts" to students who then are required to pass this information back to us to earn their grade or meet a federal/state requirement. This type of learning is boring for adults and maddening for those less mature. Frequently students can remember this information for a test but can't recall much after a week or so.
Such a plan would REALLY cost money. It might double the cost of education ... and therein lies the problem. We say we stand behind education, but we don't. We want Wal*Mart education - on the cheap.
I saw an interesting bumper sticker on a car at Koloa elementary school recently. It read:
Wouldn't it be wonderful if education was fully funded and the Pentagon had to hold bake sales to finance their next bomber.
We dedicate $600B+ for our military each year. With our wars and veteran costs, this annual burden exceeds a trillion dollars. Could you imagine what we could do with half of this amount each year for education? Books, computers, multi-media technologies ... and small groups of Keiki working with their top-rated teachers.
Teachers would have the time to understand problems that were affecting the student; we can't control their home life, but teachers can compensate once we know the details. No longer would Keiki fall behind, as the teacher would know immediately when a student was faltering. We could teach to the most gifted; those in the middle; and those who need special attention - at the same time.
Look to war strategies - we don't fight marching in long lines anymore. We use small, highly trained surgical specialists to accomplish missions. Our classrooms should mirror the advances we see in other sectors of our society. This structure would allow us to maximize potential ...
A*L*O*H*A
Thanks Scott for your reply again... Yes, we need to change how we look at our educational system. Not just fact teaching but learning to love learning, plain and simple. How can each individual become a meaningful contributor to society in whatever way matches them? School is mandated for all folks but some are not able to make it through college but they too have to be a contributor to society. The more we can change this attitude and mentality of public school, the more we can change society as a whole, for the better!
Some of the goals promoted here seem pretty reactionary. First you say that it would be good for the keiki if workers, instead of standing strong for their hard earned gains, voluntarily gave up holidays and planning days, for no pay. I'm sure Linda Lingle would love that. Elsewhere you say the solution could involve working class parents reaching into their pocket books, already being hit by the depression, and cough up their own funds to keep schools open on furlough days. How is that not regressive?
Also, you have a criticism of the union. The problem to you is that the union was too selfish. The opposite is true. It looks more like this "compromise" with the furloughs and pay cuts for teachers represents a union that is too weak to stand up to employers, as has been the trend for the last 5 decades as labor, business, and government move more and more in lock step.
I fail to see how us being even bigger pushovers, giving up more of our hard earned gains, is going to make the world a better place for our kids.
And this nonsense about extending the school year to make more competitive workers. The obvious end point of this argument is to have school 365 days a year to "maximize educational efficiency." Owners and employers have two basic ways of getting more out of employees. They can speed them up, or make them work longer. These things lessen the quality of life for workers, and they have been the front lines of the battle between the working class and the exploiting class.
Working class solidarity, across racial lines, across private and public sectors, is what will give us the strength to demand the kind of world we want for us and our kids.
Mahalo for your comment Samuel.
I think you may have misunderstood some of the points of the post. The point was not to ask teachers to give up new days for no pay, but rather to use planning days and holidays instead of the instructional days which the union has already given up to the furlough.
Also, we were not promoting the idea of parents paying for supplemental services, but merely pointing out that some parents have taken this action. In fact, the solution we point to involves the State coming up with more money for schools and the union doing its part by switching planning days for instructional days.
I respect the work of unions and the role they have played in securing important rights for working people in Hawaii. But, my opinion is that in this case the union leadership was focused on bargaining tactics, and not on the outcome for kids.
Finally, regarding a longer school year being "nonsense" I'd encourage you to check out the mounting body of educational research which suggests otherwise. A link is in the post.
With aloha,
James
James, in your reply to me, here’s what you are saying. Teachers could have taken the 8% paycut [thus saving the state the money] but instead of having the pay cut correspond to less work days, work the same amount and simply refuse pay for planning days and holidays. So they would have the same amount of work days as their regular schedule, but with less pay. I hope you can see you are asking teachers to give something for nothing, and I hope you can see the extremely anti-working class message you want to send the kids. You would be teaching them to roll over and play dead, to give up to any demands by employers, instead of fighting to keep gains, and to keep pushing for more, a fairer share of the wealth they create as workers.
It seems to me that you are utterly unaware of labor history, and of the fact that we live in a class society. You want to turn the teachers standing up trying to defend their contract into a moral failing, and this is straight out of the Right’s playbook. You cloak your critique in the “both sides were wrong” clothing to appear objective, but your stance is still an attack on the working class.
Workers have been facing a decline for decades. There is a wealth of academic writing on the subject you seem unaware of. Real wages have been in decline, benefits under attack, and job security fading, even as unions have been centralized and power removed (through legislation like Taft-Hartley) from the rank and file, and put in the hands of pro-business leadership. With the attack on workers increasing so visibly, it seems very odd to ask workers to voluntarily give up more for less. But to claim this will somehow help our children is fallacious at best. In case you hadn’t noticed, No Child Left Behind already gears them toward learning to tests, and this reflects the diminishing value of a well rounded education, and capital’s need for a compliant workforce that knows how to conform and follow orders.
Your entire stance is predicated on the belief that teachers and other workers owe some kind of debt out of their remuneration for working to help balance the budget (and in that way your piece even contradicts itself). But the current economic crisis, and the others before it were not caused by workers, but by investing classes, the top 5% who own close to 90% of stock wealth and the means of production. The boom and bust cycles inherent in the casino economy are exacerbated by extreme speculation and the creation of financial instruments that package debt and other items in ways that generate fictitious value on paper, as a means of funneling wealth upward, but leading to the economic bubbles we’ve seen and will see again. When the bubbles burst, it is not the owning class who gets hit (there are some exceptions). For the most part, they escape with golden parachutes, or new jobs. Notice that it is the working class who is being asked to pay for the crisis, in the form of an acceleration of roll backs on wages, cutting benefits, rising health costs, layoffs, and so on. So to come out asking workers to voluntarily give up more in the midst of an ongoing assault on our position is repugnant.
It is you who are using students as a “bargaining chip” when you place your bet that people will buy your weird idea that adults standing up for their rights is equivalent to being “greedy” and is also equivalent to the employers greed. It’s not the same thing at all.
I think we have two concerns in common, Samuel: Concern for the future of our unions and concern for student learning.
Regarding the first, I worry about the waning public support of labor unions, and the unions’ own decline in membership and energy. In my opinion, Hawai‘i unions were at their peak – a true movement – when they stood for more than just the wages and job security of their members (though, of course, they must be concerned with these things). Hawai‘i unions were at their greatest when, for example, they led the charge for employer-provided health coverage even though their own members were already covered. They had some of their brightest moments when they stood for civil rights, even when those rights related to voting or to civil unions rather than wages or jobs.
I want our unions to be great. I believe they can be, if they reclaim the kind of leadership role they once exercised – standing for a concept of social justice that reaches beyond the wages of members and looks out for the "little guy." I think it’s clear who the little guys are in this situation.
I also think public unions have a special responsibility in this area, for they represent people whose work is a calling. Serving the public is a calling. Teaching is a calling. Great union leadership will respect the fact that union members care about their work as a calling, and not just as a job.
With regard to our shared concern for student learning. I disagree that the post above sends an anti-working class message to students. On the contrary, I think asking the Legislature and Governor to consider new funding sources is something that will benefit the union, though admittedly that is not my main concern.
You believe that by standing firm on 17 less days of instruction, we are teaching our keiki a lesson about the importance of workers’ rights. I believe that the only lesson we are teaching them is that education is not that important after all. Most of all, I worry that with 17 less days of teaching, students are getting fewer lessons of any kind.
With aloha,
James
James,
You create a straw man version of my argument when you write the following:
“You believe that by standing firm on 17 less days of instruction, we are teaching our keiki a lesson about the importance of workers’ rights. I believe that the only lesson we are teaching them is that education is not that important after all.”
I never argued for standing firm on furlough days. As I wrote, the fact we have them is a sign of our, and the union’s weak position. My point is that what you are advocating is a further weakening of labor’s position, which harms the working class, including the keiki.
In your second sentence above you mention the importance of education. But education is not something that takes place solely in school, stopping once the student leaves the school grounds. Education also is transmitted through our actions when we model behaviors for students.
In your piece, you suggested that the the union and government were equally culpable in creating the situation. You suggested the teachers could have given up planning and paid holidays, (thereby taking the same pay cut) while going in and teaching the same amount of days (or as close to it as possible). The lesson for our kids? You’re telling them to not only give what the bosses want to take from them, but to give MORE, voluntarily!
This is one of the flaws with your approach, which seems to advocate community activism through a spirit of voluntarism. Many of your goals are excellent, as is the spirit of lending a hand for the greater good. But the flaw becomes apparent when we see that your analysis fails to go beyond the surface level appearances of things. You write as if employers, government, and workers were all on the same side, with the same goals, and that if we just all pulled together, things would be better for everyone. This ignores the glaring historical reality of class exploitation, and struggle between the classes. No gain by the working class was ever given as a gift by government or the employing class.
Business is interested in the bottom line, not in community welfare. Attacks on public services are part of an ongoing process to open them up to privatization, or at least to push the losses of the private sector onto the public. Such “structural adjustments” decimate welfare of the people to create investment opportunities for capitalists.
When you call for government reforms to help communities, but combine this with more give backs from labor, you are further weakening the position of labor, thereby strengthening the ability of the employers to demand still more and more. James, you need to read some labor history. These are precisely the positions, promoting “labor peace” over class solidarity that labor took after WWII that got us to the current weak position we’re in now! Surely you can see the keiki have a stake in this.
Most of the children in public schools are from working class families. They will have to deal with the struggle between labor and employers. In your piece you write about less class time for teachers without ever mentioning their pay cut. Pay cuts mean reduction in quality of life for the keiki who are the children of teachers, and all other furloughed workers. Should we be worried about them too? Take some time to think about how pay raises are hard earned, and how they mostly just keep up with inflation. Workers, over the last 40 years have actually seen their real wages decrease. You frame workers’ resistance to increased exploitation as mere greed, as if the teachers have somehow “forgotten” the kids. You do an immense disservice to our keiki when you do that.
Leave Them All Behind.
We must take a stand against what is currently being debated nationwide as violations against our children's right to a quality education. Other communities nationwide are looking at ways to cut spending and if one community allows this type of irresponsible government, others tend to follow. We, Hawaii, are the litmus test to see how long we will allow these infringements of our children’s rights. How we act as a community in regards to this issue will have lasting effects not only in our backyard but across the nation and globally.
We as citizens are overworked and too tired to notice or defend our children as they are being threatened. We have been the ignorant frog happily sitting in boiling water as our children have suffered cutbacks on special education, athletics, after school programs, teachers pay and now days of learning. We must find the strength to stand as one and be the voice for our children who do not know yet how to speak for themselves. We must take a stand and not allow these limits being placed on some of the neediest citizens in our society, our children.
That is absolutely right. We need to do something to get back those 17 days and the 10% loss in class time. I am a student, and I believe that the decrease in school days will affect my education so much that i will have trouble competing with other students of other states and countries. Most states have laws stating minimum amount of school days a year, Hawaii state does not. If we are only getting 163 days a school year for education, we have an extreme disadvantage over the students that are having over 200 days of school. Basically we you go to school less, you recieve less learning. I hope the community can stand up and claim the education back that is rightfully ours.
Right on, Rock. Hope you and other students will speak out in this forum, add their names to the petition, and join the rally this Friday 10am-1pm. Mahalo.
I understand what Furloughs can cause the students and the community, but it wasn't our choice to choose.
Aloha Eileen ~
From my point of view, nobody is blaming you or teachers in general. It was a rational decision: if any of us were asked whether we wanted an 8% pay cut or an 8% pay cut from 17 days off work, most of us would choose the days off. This allows us an opportunity to work and make up some of our lost revenue or do other things with the time.
We know our teachers are extremely dedicated. They put their lives (and money) into our Keiki and I extend a big MAHALO for all that you do.
A*L*O*H*A
I agree with Patrick, the numbers dont lie.
It is too bad that furlough days became the solution to the state running out of money. Teachers and parents will lose money soon after a recession has just hit. Hawaii students will lose instruction time while Hawaii currently has extremely low test scores and less class time per week than most other states. Also, certain students such as myself who are taking AP classes may lose their college credit. If you pass the AP exam, you earn college credit for the course. With 17 days of class time lost, thats 17 days less of practice and learning for the AP exam.
Mahalo, Max. We really appreciate the student voices here. Encourage your classmates to post their thoughts, too, and share stories about how a teacher changed their lives here:
http://www.kanuhawaii.org/group/?id=1255470928293713
I agree, Max, mahalo nui for chiming in. This event is certainly a wake up call; dialogue and action from students will play a huge part during this debacle. I also you to encourage your fellow classmates to post their thoughts or stories of how a teacher(s) impacted their life at:
http://www.facebook.com/kanuhawaii
http://www.twitter.com/kanuhawaii
http://www.kanuhawaii.org/group/?id=1255470928293713
Mahalo nui.
James,
Another point of contention, in your original post, you imply that the education budget should have been preserved in order to protect our keiki, however it should be noted that there are many other state departments that help protect our keiki's welfare -- Department of Human Services, Department of Health and even Department of Public Safety, to name a few. Remember Peter-boy Kema? We cannot single out any state department for being the sole protector of our keiki -- all departments contribute to our citizens' well-being, which include the children of Hawaii. While I agree there are state services and departments that could be streamlined and made more efficient, I do not agree that by preserving one department you ensure the ability of Hawaii's students to compete in global job market. We need ALL the pieces of the puzzle.
Mr. Hooser, are you listening? It's time to call the leg together and fix this mess...
Point taken, Cara. There are many critical services out there, including many that serve our keiki. However, the particular WAY cuts are being implemented in schools have an especially devastating effect on kids (17 lost days of instruction). We know there were other ways to reduce the budget that would have preserved days of schooling. And, I also think both Legislature and Governor could have done a better job of prioritizing funding and cuts, preserving critical services including many that serve children.
I think it's up to the Senate President Colleen Hanabusa and Speaker of the House Calvin Say to call a Special Legislative Session to explore the options. We can urge them to do so by emailing, calling or writing. Here's their contact info:
Sen. Colleen Hanabusa
Hawaii State Capitol, Room 409
415 South Beretania Street
Honolulu, HI 96813
Phone 808-586-7793; Fax 808-586-7797
Email senhanabusa@Capitol.hawaii.gov
Rep. Calvin Say
Hawaii State Capitol, Room 431
415 South Beretania Street
Honolulu, HI 96813
phone 808-586-6100; fax 808-586-6101
e-mail repsay@Capitol.hawaii.gov
Yes Cara, I am listening...and acting. On October 9 the Honolulu Advertiser published my position on the issue http://bit.ly/arkSb I state clearly that the 17 day furlough option is unacceptable and propose both an immediate "fix" (hold a special session now and utilize Hurricane and other special funds), and acknowledge the need and propose some options toward a long term fix (which needs to occur during our upcoming regular session). I agree there are many pieces to the puzzle that need to be preserved and improved...please know that I am on your side and doing what I can to move this discussion forward toward tangible, positive and immediate action that will resolve this issue.
Joni asked, "Has anyone looked into streamlining the way the DOE and BOE runs our educational system?"
I recently wrote an essay on that topic. It can be accessed at http://www.law.hawaii.edu/sites/_files/rroth/Essay.pdf
Great essay Randy... Scary to know all the facts about the system and the problems surrounding it. All the issues mentioned there I have heard through my mother's own experiences with the DOE which is quite sad. Now how to go about addressing these huge systemic issues...
To add to my comment... I say one way to make change is out with the incumbents in the legislature and maybe that will be a start for some real change... We have to all make noise to make change and put pressure on the bodies that make the decisions that will affect our children's future!
Aloha ~
What wonderful minds and great ideas we have here. Good things will be coming ...
I would like to suggest that everyone interested in this discussion read Thomas Friedman's article, The New Untouchables, in the NY Times today (10.20.09).
Speaking about education, he writes, "we need to understand that it is not only our financial system that needs a reboot and an upgrade, but also our public school system. Otherwise, the jobless recovery won’t be just a passing phase, but our future."
Todd Martin adds, “Our education failure is the largest contributing factor to the decline of the American worker’s global competitiveness, particularly at the middle and bottom ranges.”
People "who have the ability to imagine new services, new opportunities and new ways to recruit work were being retained. They are the new untouchables ... Therefore, we not only need a higher percentage of our kids graduating from high school and college -- more education -- but we need more of them with the right education."
As I wrote yesterday responding to Joni, our public school system is overcrowded; teachers have too many students, thus we employ an "assembly line" approach. We require students to memorize facts upon facts and use standardizes tests to have them pass this information back to us.
Lawrence Katz, labor expert, noted, "those with the high-end analytical and problem-solving skills who can compete on the world market or game the financial system or deal with new government regulations, have done great."
We have excellent teachers. They have the skills and are begging for this opportunity. As Friedman summarizes, "our schools have a doubly hard task now -- not just improving reading, writing and arithmetic but entrepreneurship, innovation and creativity."
A*L*O*H*A
I say we all start taking these ideas and discussions to the people who can enact change or at least start the process. If these ideas don't move from here by each of us, there will be no momentum for change. I am going to write my letter to the legislature, DOE, and BOE this week. I did write the the Advertiser already. Anyone with me on this?
I hope that this will shake up the "leadership" of this state. I use the term leadership loosely, because we have been afforded absolutely no leadership in this state from our elected officials. From the governor to the legislature, no leadership at all. They have all found that the "solution" to our state budget crisis is to tax parents with children and the children themselves. Our educator's union has also "sold out" the kids. Their solution for their rank and file was to sell out the children by taking furlough days from instructional days. There's a stroke of genious. The sad thing is none of our elected leaders have had the courage to stand up and advocate doing the right thing.
The funny thing about our leadership in our state is that they seem to know nothing. When you write to them they tell you thanks for writing and pretty much nothing else. That is scary to think we the voters put these fools in office to do what? Twiddle their thumbs I guess. No one wants to standup and face the hard reality that no more status quo with what is going on. No more siding with unions who's interest supercede that of the people who they are supposedly serving... Like a HGEA board member once replied to me, "If you don't like Hawaii being a union state, you'd better leave since that is the way it is here."
Dave and Joni. I agree with you both. Question is who's gonna be the "refreshing" leadership we need? Kanu? James? You? Me?
Is to Hawaii being a union state and getting used to it, I agree 90%, the 10% tells me we can breakdown the unions, but I am known to be dreamy
How would asking teachers to work the same for less pay not be like a tax? Does anyone here on the site believe maybe we should stand up against pay cuts and furlough days? I fail to see how breaking down unions, as Roger calls for, would strengthen our position. It seems to me the problem with the union is that it is too willing to go along with what the government and the employing class (those who refuse to pay higher taxes for the crisis they created) want. How would destroying the one institution that even has a pretense of siding with the working class community help us? Wouldn't that just leave the government and the employing class completely unfettered to accelerate these kinds of rollbacks on our wages, public services, etc.?
The sad fact of the matter is that the "ainokea" rules in Hawaii... Just look at the low voter turn out. That is part of the problem. We continue to vote for the same legislators who continue to do the same old same old. No change ever occurs. Look how strong the alliance is between the Legislature and Unions. How can keeping the Unions lead to any change if they continue to be tied into our decision makers? Yes, they unions appear to be for the working class but with all of these cutbacks, I have yet to hear that the Union is helping their members but cutting back some of the dues charged to them...
As for doing something to refresh the leadership, we need to invigorate the public to get involved and VOTE! One person cannot make change per se but many can. That in itself is a big task to initiate... Did anyone try to register voters at the furlough? That would have been a great opportunity to start the momentum and communicate to our leaders that it is time to change.
I applaud the Governor's plan to shake up the DOE to create the bad A word in government... Accountability!
Aloha ~
It is my hope Kanu Hawai'i members wake up today and collectively and resoundingly demand urgency from our elected officials. This current course of action, which has pushed us into Furlough Fridays and irreparably harms our Keiki and future, is unconscionable. From my point of view only Senator Hooser has demonstrated leadership. He alone has requested a special session to address this issue.
A special session is needed immediately as each party or group representative, to this point, has negotiated from narrow self-interests: the governor and general legislature were focused on balancing the budget not meeting our Keiki's education needs; DOE/BOE acted to satisfy terms set by politicians regardless of impact to parents or students; unions fought for teachers' conditions, not those of students; teachers were placed between a rock and a hard place and asked to vote on straight pay cuts or pay cuts that included days off. Rational self-actors will always chose the latter.
This issue warrants immediate debate in the public arena with all parties present and accountable. Options must be comprehensive; all funding sources, including federal as well as potential tax increases and various fund contributions, must be on the table.
We agree collectively on one thing: while we should be expanding learning opportunities, Hawai'i truly is moving in the exact opposite direction with furloughs.
A*L*O*H*A
Here is the solution to Furlough....and its green!
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1919162,00.html
Aloha Nova ~
Yes, you clearly are a "mover and shaker." Mahalo for your interest and suggestion ... everything must be considered. One issue I have with Utah's mandatory 4-day week is we now have this in our schools (at least 17 times a year). I don't believe Keiki can realistically go longer in the day, particularly young ones, and a longer academic days cause problems with extra-curricular activities.
For me I wouldn't enjoy a 10-hour work day ... which is 11 hours including lunch and close to 12 hours when one factors in drive times. One departs home at 6am to return at 6pm. This leaves little time for exercise or household chores and less to assist our Keiki with homework or share family time. Others of course may disagree. Seems Utah enjoys the program though ...
A*L*O*H*A
What if state union workers and teacher union workers just took a 8% paycut with no less working days, just a straight pay cut.
Scott says, "teachers were placed between a rock and a hard place and asked to vote on straight pay cuts or pay cuts that included days off. Rational self-actors will always chose the latter."
Responsible actors would chose the former. That's what private does. They either layoff or cut pay by 8% if not more.
Just a thought. Maybe it's not fair or logical, but that's how private works.
On behalf of all the teachers represented by the HSTA, I apologize to ALL the parents of children in public schools for not being responsible self-actors and putting your children's needs before our own. It is unfortunate that we have factors like bills, rent, mortgages, loans, and our own families that make it difficult for us as teachers to always put other people's children's needs before ours. It is also unfortunate that we are sometimes unable to take on all the responsibilities of raising our students, and dedicating more time out of our day to spend with these children than their own parents do. At frustrating times like this, it puts teachers like myself in a very difficult position and forces us to be irresponsible in our choices. I advocate privatizing the entire public education system so that we are not put in a position to make these irresponsible choices, and instead have the choices made for us. It upsets me just as much as anyone else, that our state does not consider our positions as "essential," but we are people too, and when given difficult decisions to make, we have to consider how it will affect our own abilities to make ends meet, and how much more we are willing to sacrifice to do a good job with fair compensation. Yes, we should be in this for the students- and I would like to think that MOST of us are. But this is also a JOB, and like any other employed individual, there are limitations to how much you will put up with for what you are paid. This furlough situation has really shown me how some people are completely unable to empathize, when they make comments like, "teachers should sacrifice and take the pay cut" or "if it was me, I would've taken a pay cut for the kids." If this furlough situation is not resolved to those people's liking, perhaps they should take 17 days of leave without pay, and volunteer on those Fridays to educate the youth we have so irresponsibly abandoned.
As a teacher and a tax-paying citizen of Hawaii, I have never felt so left out in the cold before and so unsupported in a time of difficulty. This in itself is a depressing reflection of our communities and how unwilling some are to empathize with those who are put between a rock and a hard place. I do, however, want to thank those who have supported teachers and understood that this problem is not due to our lack of priorities, but that of the politicians who are making decisions on our behalf. I will definitely be paying close attention to these politicians in preparation for the next election.
Roger:
Please don't make this issue about private vs. public workers. I personally know of several private companies which have done exactly as the state offices have -- work shorter hours with corresponding cut in pay. Furthermore, please keep in mind that most public workers earn much less than their private counterparts. It's not about being fair or responsible -- many of us will need to use the time off to work another job to make up for the cut in pay. That is what I am doing. Is that being "irresponsible" -- to use the time in a productive way to make sure our families are taken care of financially? Furthermore, by closing many offices, the state also saves on utility costs. For example, did you know that as of earlier this year the state was several months behind in payments to HECO? I honestly don't know if they've resolved the issue by now, but I doubt it. By closing state offices, not only is the state realizing labor cost savings, but also digging itself out of the hole with utility providers. I'm not advocating these furloughs, but I have to admit that with the current budget situation, this is the reality we face.
So what's the solution then teachers and unions? Who shall pay for it? Parents who got pay cuts or got laid off? $500 a year more? Shall we raise debt to close deficit and pass on the burden to the future generations which is ultimately the children and grandchildren? Or take from the hurricane relief fund? Let's see... It's ok to complain but please offer solutions. If there are none, then we will leave it at that. By the way, entry level engineers get paid $40,000 a year, 2000 hrs a year, 10 paid holidays, and no state holidays. They follow GCA schedule. Entry level public teachers make $35,000 a year and teach 184 days a year or $190 a day. Vacation with no pay is 70 days. It's clear to me which one makes more money per day or per hour. Sick days are also rolled over, unlike private sector. It's true that teachers get paid less than ave private employee. No doubt about it. It requires a second job like summer school or something else. And I understand teachers not wanting to take a pay cut or get laid off, or get 17 less days, but this is also the worst recession since the great depression. What is the solution ?
My apologies if I seem not sympathetic to the situation. It's terrible what's happening to everyone. What I don't understand is why the stimulus funds isn't paying for the gap. I heard there's $500 mil from federal. Maybe we need to rally Akaka and Inouye for federal funds. Create a fund that is paid by % of tourist and military funds. Now we are talking bucks. But my main point was really that everyone is hurting since it is a recession and we all are feeling the pain. Everyone except of course the richest 1% whom own 25% of the wealth. Maybe we can hit them up. Too bad I won't be in Hawaii to witness the rally. The public really needs to get angry at the government for lots of things on national and state level
Roger,
To answer your question about the stimulus funds, I believe at the conference held between Governor Lingle and Senator Inouye, she basically said she didn't know where it was. Of course, I'm really compressing what she said, but that's what it boiled down to -- her office couldn't track exactly where the money is at this point in time because it was filtered to so many different departments. Even more mystifying was Senator Inouye's acceptance of her statement as proper usage of the money. I would think when the federal government gives you millions of dollars, they'd expect you to know where that money is at any given point in time.
As far as solutions, I know my suggestion is unpopular, but I really do think the only way out of it is to raise the GET. I can't even say it would be temporary. The truth of the matter is that the current situation may be just the symptom of having a tax rate that isn't sufficient to support the cost and amount of services provided by the state. The general public complains about redundancy and ineffiency in government, but the truth is there are many offices and programs that are underfunded and therefore cannot provide the most efficient service. We often cannot get the up-to-date ANYTHING because of the lengthy and sometimes stifling procurement process. We can barely get a leaking roof fixed in our own office building -- it's simply not enough of a priority. Operating an office in the public sector is very different from private sector -- and yes, I have worked in the private sector. Also, without a certain level of redundancy, you risk having times when entire services stop altogether unless you expect all public employees to never take sick leave or vacation, which doesn't even happen in the private sector.
Finally, a teacher's day does not stop when they leave the classroom so saying they work only 184 days is terribly unfair. Grading papers doesn't happen during classroom time. Faculty meetings and educational workshops don't happen during classroom time. Most teachers I know spend long hours at home doing all the "extra" stuff that needs to happen so they can teach in the classroom every day; this also happens during the summer, by the way. I even witnessed it firsthand -- my mother taught for about 30 years and spent almost every night grading papers until at least two a.m. -- in addition to making sure we were fed and taken care of every day -- plus spent time in the classroom over the summer to make sure it was clean and organized for the following school year. I know this was a hard decision for the teachers and I don't blame them at all and neither do I think they are abandoning their students. Tracy is right, everyone has to draw the line somewhere as far as what you will put up with for your job. Just how much are public workers supposed to give up before the private sector thinks we've paid up for what we "owe?" Remember, we don't get bonuses when times are good and we don't ask the private workers to donate it to us either.
I am looking forward to know how many people were at the rally, what type of people, and the feedback from all parties
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MMlp1T-tNh0
I really like Tracy Higa's points below about why teachers can both care for the kids, and look out for their own interests. Funny how when right wing libertarians, who are supposedly all about self sufficiency/self interest and rationality, come up against workers fighting for their rights, all of a sudden they demand total altruism and actions based on bourgeois morality (totally devoid of historical or social context).
One thing I would point out is that the general public is probably to the left of the people you see posting their vitriol against teachers on sites like the Honolulu Advertiser. Several speakers at the rally made points about supporting teachers unconditionally, and this in no way went against supporting students.
Also, history provides some insight into situations like these. During World War II, workers overwhelmingly signed "no strike" pledges. One would assume this showed they really supported the idea. But when it came down to it, and employers moved to speed up production and erode workers' rights, they struck anyway! They often engaged in wild cat strikes, meaning the rank and file took action even without Union approval.
If you simply talk to people in the community, which I'm sure you do, I think the level of support for teachers is probably much higher than it would seem just reading blogs or even the mainstream press.
Thanks, Samuel, for your insightful and helpful thread on this discussion. Why have we let Lingle & Co. frame the discussion in a way that will always pit middle-class and working-class against one another on issues of budget? Hawai'i ranks FIRST in the nation in the category of millionaires per 1,000 households.
http://www.netstate.com/states/tables/state_millionaires_household.htm
Add to this any statistics (that others might find) on the wealth that leaves Hawai'i in the form of returns on investments for shareholders in companies that reap profits here, and you have at least two sources for increasing the state budget without undermining the rights of citizens to expect good public education, K-16.
I've posted some photos from the Oct. 23 rally at http://twitpic.com/photos/gergnesdunk.
Great photos Greg, Kanu also has a flickr Group account and would love to have it there: http://www.flickr.com/groups/kanuhawaii/ Aloha!
We need to think in terms of crisis management. DOE workers are (mostly) licensed educators. There are quite a few of them, possibly as many as 1 DOE employee to every 3 or 4 teachers. (I don't have the statistic!!) They could substitute for classroom teachers, on a rotating basis so there are no school closures. DOE projects and planning might have to be postponed as DOE administrators went back to teach classes in this emergency. However the priority is to have teachers in class, otherwise there is no purpose to having a large department such as the DOE. A teacher, a classroom, and students IS education.
Does anyone know this statistic, the number of DOE workers/teacher? According to the governor's website, "The furlough plan does not apply to the Judiciary, Department of Education, University of Hawai`i or the Hawai`i Health Systems Corporation." Could someone please explain how this does not apply to the Department of Education?
(http://hawaii.gov/gov/furlough/maintaining-quality-service-under-fiscal-conditions)
If you haven't had a chance to see our Kona kids protest about not being allowed to go to school, feel free to check it out here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MMlp1T-tNh0
Karen:
The governor's furlough plan does not apply to the DOE because, under Act 51, DOE is considered an autonomous entity from the Executive Branch, similar to the other offices mentioned. However, most, if not all, DOE non-teachers are still being furloughed -- they fall under the HGEA contract. Basically their furlough plans are decided by the Board of Education and Superintendent. Hope this helps...
This Journal made a very big impact on me. I feel that you have such great ideas and insight on this topic. I am a senior at Kealakehe High and we read this in my economics class. Our class discussed this and came to the conclusion that we liked your article. Thank you for speaking out about my education! :)
Wow, Karina. Please thank the folks at Kealakehe, and especially your classmates for considering this perspective. Wish you guys could have been at the rally with us! More action opportunities to come.
As a student at kealakehe high, I have been personaly affected by these fridays. It may save money in the long run but it is robbing many people of a fair education. Our schooling was already short enough and now its the shortest in the nation. And on top of that we have one of the lowest testing scores. As of 2008 the United States have over 100,000 public schools, Hawaii has 284 of those schools. Your education is very important, anyone I have talked to says that to be successful in life, it really boils down to having a good education. And in the current state we are in we can't afford to cut days off of our already short school year.
It's refreshing to see young people get involved in the issues of the day. We need real leadership in this state. I know that real leadership has to have the audacity to examine ALL angles of a problem. The weakness of our current leadership is they are all bound up in the rhetoric of their respective political factions. Governor Lingle as a card carrying Republican has signed a pledge to not raise taxes. Her unwillingness to even entertain a discussion on the issue is just an example of the weak leadership she demonstrates. Don't get me wrong, the Democrats are no better. They are so beholding to the unions that they would allow HSTA to take instructional days instead of prep or developmet days. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that teacher prep time or development is bad. But it's like cutting off your nose to spite the face. Who is education supposed to be for? The kids, not the teachers...Sorry if I offend. I think we need coherent discussion of issues rather than the tendency of politics of "blame" where there is more screaming and histrionics than reasoned debate.
Robert, mahalo for commenting. I'll send you and Karina a message about the latest developments and an idea on how you and your classmates at Kealakehe might have a big impact on this issue right now.
Aloha,
James.
By discussing Furlought Friday in my Economics class i kind of got ideas about the cutting of 17 Fridays. My Question is If these 17 fridays cut out of our calendar how can each of us improved our skills and talents. For us student since we don't really have must time I think the only thing we can do is that on these Furlought Friday we can use it to be our independent study day. Also I don't like the idea about cutting off 17 days out of school day. In order to make our country and our economic to be better in the future students even myself need to established more acknowledgement and get more and more education. By the way i enjoy reading your article about furlought Friday. Thank you so much for dicussing our education.
Marson, thank you for your thoughts. You and other students can take action by contacting the elected officials who represent your area and telling them what you think. If you are from Kealakehe, your representative is probably one of these:
Rep. Denny Coffman
http://capitol.hawaii.gov/site1/house/members/rep6.asp
Rep. Cindy Evans
http://capitol.hawaii.gov/site1/house/members/rep7.asp
Here's some great ideas from our Legislature once again on how they may be planning to address the problem...
http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/20091028/NEWS07/910280340/Options+sought+for+furloughs
As always, a quickie bandaid fix with money is their first solution each time. I look forward to seeing if any of them will really do the right thing and get to the core problems with our educational system in Hawaii. I encourage all of you to write to them all and voice your opinions:
reps@capitol.hawaii.gov and sens@capitol.hawaii.gov
Not many will respond to you sadly to say with any thoughtful insight which makes me sad that they don't listen to their constituents.
For all those on the Big Island, we will be holding our 2nd rally this Friday to oppose the furlough (Kona- corner of Henry and Queen K Hwy -across from Borders, 7:30am - 9:00am). We had a great turnout for our first rally, and would like to see more folks turn out for the second one. It is a sad day indeed when our keiki and families resort to sign waving so that our children may receive the education they deserve. Please join us to voice your opposition!
There will be a hearing this Friday regarding the furloughs. Please plan on attending or submitting your written testimony to help address problem:
THE SENATE
THE TWENTY-FIFTH LEGISLATURE
INTERIM OF 2009
SPECIAL SENATE COMMITTEE TO CONSIDER APPROACHES TO TEACHER FURLOUGHS
Senator Brian Taniguchi, Chair
Senator Will Espero, Vice Chair
NOTICE OF MEETING
DATE:
Friday, October 30, 2009
TIME:
12:30 p.m.
PLACE:
Auditorium
State Capitol
415 South Beretania Street
A G E N D A
The purpose of this meeting is to receive public input regarding the options available to address the issue of teacher furloughs and the loss of instructional days in our public schools.
Testimony will be limited to 4 minutes per person. Written testimony is highly recommended and can be emailed to senespero@capitol.hawaii.gov . Please indicate the measure, date and time of the meeting.
· In person: 1 copy of their testimony to the committee clerk, Room 207, State Capitol.
· By fax: Testimony may be faxed if less than 5 pages in length, to the Senate Sergeant-At-Arms Office at 586-6659 or 1-800-586-6659 (toll free for neighbor islands), at least 24 hours prior to the meeting. When faxing, please indicate to which committee the testimony is being submitted and the date and time of the meeting.
If you require special assistance or auxiliary aids and/or services to participate in the meeting (i.e., sign language interpreter or wheelchair accessibility), please contact the Committee Clerk at 586-6823 to make a request for arrangements at least 24 hours prior to the meeting. Prompt requests help to ensure the availability of qualified individuals and appropriate accommodations.
For further information, please call the Committee Clerk at 586-6823.
________________________________________
Senator Brian T. Taniguchi
Chair
APPROVED:
________________________________________
Senator Colleen Hanabusa
Senate President
Mahalo for your comments, friends. New post with updates and a new call to action at: http://www.kanuhawaii.org/today/article/?id=125676058673055. We can continue our conversation there.
As a senior who goes to one of the 256 schools affected by furlough Fridays, there are positive and negative aspects that are involve and may affect every single 171,000 students in the state.
Furlough Fridays gives us a head start for a three-day weekend. An earlier weekend means more fun to do things, right? Wrong.
Furlough days put a burden on families who have kids that require supervision. Families have to hire babysitters, pay for daycare, or even take their kids to work. A new business has arisen from furlough days, by providing daycare services for $25 dollars a day. Is it just me, or does that sound ridiculous. Especially since, we are in a recession.
Even thought it gives us seventeen Fridays off, it deprives us seventeen days of valuable school hours that could have been use to educate 171,000 students. From my English class I have learned that thanks to furlough days we will now have the fewest school days in the country. In a state where we attain one of the lowest in education, there should not be budget cuts in the education department. Is it fair for students in Hawaii to lack sufficient knowledge that kids in California are getting? Without a Friday for seventeen weeks, we have to make up the missing lesson plans on the week, which means that the schoolwork will accumulate. Leaving us with not enough time for teachers to teach us properly and feeling rushed to finish assigned work.
I am against furlough Fridays because I would rather go to school those seventeen days instead of having seventeen early weekends.
Aloha and Trick or Treat ~
I would like to be the first to extend an apology to the DOE/BOE and Hawai'i's teachers on behalf of all the people in Hawai'i who have had so many negative things to say about our state's education program and performance of students and teachers.
The NY Times reported today that "a new federal study shows that nearly a third of states lowered their academic proficiency standards in recent years, a step that helps schools stay ahead of sanctions under the No Child Left Behind law."
From this report it appears Hawai'i lowered one or more standards but raised one or more as well. Using the revised evaluation system, Hawai'i's fourth-graders would rank 9th nationally in a pool of sixteen states that "met federal basic achievement level."
From an initial review of this report, this appears to be fantastic news and contrasts starkly with previous studies as well as the public's perception that Hawai'i's Keiki consistently rank near the bottom of the class.
I hope this report provides sufficient incentive to jump start the state Senate to find the money to reopen public schools on Furlough Fridays. Apparently we have been wrongly criticizing our Keiki and their teachers; while tolerating sub-par leadership from our state politicians.
Wouldn't it be a neat TRICK to return next week and be TREATED to an end to Furlough Fridays?
Leadership anyone?
[source: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/30/education/30educ.html ]
A*L*O*H*A
This however agrees with the assumption that NCLB is the way to go in education. I agree that NCLB had the intent of creating accountability for educational outcomes, however, the problem becomes when the only measurement is test scores is the phenomenon of teachers teaching students to take tests. That is the problem. What I see is that the educational system is so overly concerned with high test score achievement, we lose sight of things like creativity, arts, music and don't forget physical education. I agree that the legislature and the governor need to provide leadership in this state in this area. We have to keep the pressure on the elected officials to make sure they don't sell out our futures by selling out our kids!
Thank you Scott for shining some light on such a dark situation. It is nice to hear that we are not always put at the bottom of the totem pole, and that the scores we teachers are pressured so heavily to produce have gained some national recognition. But like Dave mentioned, I don't believe that NCLB has had the greatest impact on our educational system. Like a lot of good ideas, it sounds good on paper, was created with good intentions, but the outcome is not necessarily what works best. As teachers, we try our best to not bend to pressures of teaching to the HSA test, and find ways to work with the benchmarks instead of focusing on them alone. However, when officials like our State Superintendent comes out with statements that threatens to disassemble schools who have been in the "restructuring" phase for 5+ years, that puts even greater pressure on admin and staff to focus on scores in order to meet AYP. Now to those in the general public, it may seem like these schools must be failing if they cannot show adequate progress over that much time. But if you look at which schools are targeted, it should shine SOME light on the actual situation. I teach at one of these schools, and I can promise the people of this state that the school staff work their butts off to try and increase the quality of instruction, implement new and innovative programs, and encourage students to perform at their best. But when the bar is constantly raised with numbers that we need to meet, these schools are targeted for not achieving these set numbers and it fails to show that progress is actually being made, just not at the rate that is demanded. People need to realize that the mandates being dished out have a number of "ifs" and "buts", putting some schools at greater disadvantages than others. For example, if a school has a large SPED population, that population will be included in the HSA data and a specific percentage of that subgroup MUST pass in order for the school to meet AYP. That small subgroup alone can affect whether or not the school meets AYP, even if the general population does. If a school has a small enough SPED population, that subgroup might not be counted in the overall scores. Now SPED students have to take the SAME test that regular ed students take, with accommodations like small-group settings or other implementations. Even if their disability causes them to read 4 grade levels below where they're actually at, it doesn't matter- the test is NOT changed. So comparing the scores that come out at the beginning of the year is not always fair. But the biggest reason why the HSA testing is not getting the results that people want is due to accountability. In Hawaii, teachers and school administration are the only ones held accountable for scores. There are no consequences for students and parents for not meeting these set standards. So no matter how hard teachers can push students, there is no real reason (except for those who are intrinsically motivated) to perform well on the HSA test. I had one teacher tell me that one student was making designs with the scantron bubbles on the HSA. Even with prompting and reminders on how the scores affect the kinds of classes they can take and that the school is judged very heavily on scores, it made no difference. I highly doubt that this is an isolated incident. I know that in some states, students are not promoted to the next grade if they do not pass the state assessment test...that is a HUGE consequence, and forces parents and students to take their education and performance on the state assessment much more seriously. The one consequence (IF the school has implemented this) would be that students are not allowed to take an elective, and instead need to take a math or english enrichment/intervention class. I can't say if this is always the best consequence either, because students will be even more disinterested in the material when they have double math or english, and no PE or music or art. That really starts to prioritize what programs are promoted or not, based on the HSA test scores. But again, students and parents have no real consequences for caring or not caring about how they perform on the HSA test. For teachers...well, that could mean our jobs if Pat Hamamoto has her way. I don't think that this is by any means a fair system, and it is really discouraging to always be put down for scores, regardless of the time and energy teachers put into their classrooms to encourage, educate, and prepare students. I just want the public to be more empathetic with situations that some schools find themselves in, and understand that there is NO quick fix...it is something that we as a community need to address so that all stakeholders are accountable and value the education that is being provided. The old adage "you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink" really starts to hit home when these kinds of discussions are sparked. As a teacher, I just want others out there to put themselves in our shoes and not be so harsh and unsympathetic in their criticisms. Yes, the system is FAR from perfect, but this is not the time to point fingers and BLAME one group. We need to come together and find ways that address issues in our local communities which are holding us back from reaching our full potential and REALLY valuing the education of our children.
emailed to: senespero@capitol.hawaii.gov
Aloha,
I am deeply concerned about the closure of school on Furlough Fridays, and the impact it will have on our children, parents, teachers and the entire community.
Please convene a Special Session of the Legislature to address this issue and find an alternative.
Our keiki should be last to be affected by an economic crisis. Furlough Fridays is an unacceptable recourse, for bad economic times.
Mahalo,
Ananda Stone
(single mom of 2 boys)
Thank you students of Kealakehe High School in Kailua-Kona, for your heart felt comments. Your enthusiasm for the subject of economics impresses me everyday.
Any outcome from Friday session?
Hey Roger, I was at the hearing. Honestly, I left a bit disappointed. For one, the DOE did not show up to hear testimony or share their perspective. They were on furlough. Furlough or not, I think DOE leadership would have added value to the hearing if they showed up. Another point is that at least to me, it seemed like a lot of arguments came from the lawmaker(s) on why the DOE already has the money they need to end furloughs rather than a more earnest attempt to hear the public's ideas. James Koshiba hit the nail on the head when he suggested during his testimony that the parties concerned do not appear to have any sense of urgency on solving this crisis. I wrote my rep (Manahan) today asking why he is not on the list of reps that support a special session to try and address this issue. In my opinion, the parties need to try again and come up with a better plan. I can't imagine that the furloughs are the best option for our keiki even given our budgetary crisis.
i support furlough fridays,thank you very much for the entry
It is a sad thing that furlough fridays are affecting every student, teacher and parents. From not barely having enough money to taking out 17 instruction days, hurts the financial cost of having to pay for after school programs like YMCA and the lack of learning of our students. Yes, there are days where I don't want to wake up for school but in the long run, 83 min of class and instruction time, eventually will help not only me, but other students as well. Maybe teachers are able to have instruction days without pay? But all I know is that furlough fridays are very effective among a lot of people, like myself and i hope that we could be able to solve the "money" issue problem that our state faces and not to change the education portion of schools.
James, thank you for your list. We are calling. Go to www.twitter.com/sos808 to see how we have organized!
3 special breaking stories this afternoon!
1) hawaiisenate Hearing is scheduled for Monday, 11/9, at 1pm in Room 329. Public testimony is not being accepted. View hearing notice: http://bit.ly/6ETW6
2) Hawaii teacher furlough talks may occur this week: HONOLULU — A federal judge and lawyers involved in two.. http://bit.ly/1Uz14I
and
3) $75M released for campus repair work at Hawaii's public schools: Gov. Linda Lingle announced today that she has.. http://bit.ly/3FhSw7
Gee, do you think she's finally aware that we won't stop 'til the kids are back in school? www.twitter.com/sos808
Just a clarification -- item no. 3 will not impact the furloughs in any way. That money is strictly for financing improvements to facilities. It won't be used to supplement the shortfall in the school budget to pay for any salaries. What is generally missing from the media's coverage on release of funds of this nature is that these funds are from bonds -- which technically means it is borrowed money. By the media not clarifying this point confuses the general public to the actual state of our budget -- IMHO it's just plain negligent journalism. Just as it wouldn't be prudent for a homeowner to take out a mortgage to pay for household staff (gardener, house cleaner, etc.), likewise the state wouldn't use bond money to pay for teacher and staff salaries. Neither does it mean that releasing these funds will mean that there is more money to play with in the DOE's budget. Money for major school repairs and construction is not included in there since it is appropriated by the legislature separately from the DOE's operating budget, which is where the shortfall lies.
On another point, that story isn't even newsworthy. Releasing funds is just an everyday part of the governor's job. She can't do anything else with it since it's already been appropriated by the leg -- all she does is sign on the dotted line. This press release is akin to a waiter or waitress making an announcement every time they served a customer their order.
Furlough Fridays are working out well for me because it gives me time to catch up on school work and study for quizzes.
Furlough Fridays are very interesting because i get to go to the beach all the time. I don't like it because i have to watch my sister for 17 day of the school year when she dosent have school. I also have double the homework in some of my classes, so the class dosent fall behind in the states expectation for the students education.
I think furlough fridays are cool because i can cruise with my friends and I dont have to go to skool.
Aloha-
Todays court hearing was certainly a disappointment, though, not surprising. That our children's education has been so marginalized that families turn to the courts to restore our school days, only to have their motion denied, is so disheartening. Our legislators failed to convene a special session, and there appears to be no movement towards any resolution, and this is very frustrating.
I believe the focus needs to be refined at this point, and a critical eye needs to be focused on the DOE. I am advocating for a thorough audit of the DOE. There are innumerable discrepancies between monies allocated to the DOE (from the legislature, stimulus funds, etc) and what actually reaches schools. Our state has one of the highest per pupil funding ratio, yet, we can't afford to educate our children 5 days a week? We can't pay our teachers a livable wage, we can't give charter schools sufficient funds to cover their operating costs... we can't fund sports or art or music... why do our kids score so low on achievement tests? I think an audit may support the necessity to decentralize our schools and to implement new models of education to better meet the needs of our keiki.
There are a lot of us wondering what we can do at this point, and it is clear, it is not enough to ask for five days a week of school. An end to the furlough will not ensure adequate funding reaches our schools in the future, and that our kids will be the recipents of a great public education. The culture of the DOE needs to be changed if we are to realize our vision of a thriving public school system. WE plan to hold another rally in Kona on 11/20, 7:30 am to 9:00am, across the street from Borders. We would love to have members of the Kanu community join us to voice our opposition to the furlough.
I have learned from furlough Fridays that kids like holidays but complain they don't have enough school time, politicians delay and ignore problems, and unions are self-serving(like they were designed to be). And if you want to do good, either the cops or the lawyers will prevent you, like teaching kids for free on Friday. Auwe. Hawaii really is no paradise. What happened to the good ol days?!? It's a vicious cycle that began many generations ago. I am just glad I got a good education and I was motivated to learn and still am. If anyone one wants to learn anything, I am willing to teach for free at the privacy of my home. Or over email or Facebook. Thanks Kanu for educating me. I learned a lot. Thanks for taking on controversial issues and letting everyone speak their peace. I feel for the teachers, students and parents. I am just lucky I am none of the above. One day this will also affect me unless they go private school or I leave Hawaii...I feel like others have had these same thoughts for generations. No matter what kind of education u get, Malama Aina, Ke Wai Ma Ke kai, and the air and be nice to those who can't stand up against those who can (animals, sealife, homeless, disabled, elderly, poor, the unborn, etc) connect with nature, connect with a human, connect with god. ALOHA and eat your poi
FYI. It seems all parties have voiced their opinion on this forum except DOE and BOE
My thoughts about furlough Fridays is that students and staff should attend school because we need more education. Education is the key to our future, we need more time to study then having free time on our hands. Students on a regular school Friday will be in class learning, On a furlough Friday a student will most likely be using this as an extra weekend day. As for some students who do take this as an advantage to get caught up in classes and study. With less days to learn in school that means we have more homework and not enough time to turn in all our work, we need more time in school our teachers are making due dates earlier and we are learning till our brains overload. On Fridays now everyone just chills, most of us don't study or do homework. That's why we need school or an alternative thing to go to so we can be on the right track for our educations and future careers. We the students are the future, and we are to try our hardest to succeed and do our best. As for we need more time to study and learn, so if furlough Fridays are going to continue we should make an alternative sources where students can come in to a learning environment. And that's my thoughts on furlough Fridays, Thank Youuuu (:
UPDATE: "School Furloughs Finally Over. Now what?" Kanu blog post at: http://www.kanuhawaii.org/today/article/?id=12750005601.