Hawaii teachers agree to 17 furlough days — a 7.9% loss in pay
- Honolulu Advertiser
Teachers' contract calls for 7.9 percent pay cut via furloughs
- Honolulu Star Bulletin
This is not an attack on any public school teacher in our state. I admire their work, and I appreciate all that they do for our children. They were put in a tough position yesterday and they did what they had to do. I do not blame the teachers. They were placed between a rock and a hard place. Thank you teachers for all that you do.
My feelings, however, towards the government leaders that have allowed this to happen is quite different. I simply cannot believe that this is even happening. I cannot believe that our state has reached the point that we are now making our children pay for the inefficiencies and irresponsible spending of their government. Are we that short-sighted that we cannot see the harm that this will bring? Are we that blind that we cannot see the impacts that this will have on our children? Come on leaders.
It baffles me how the state makes such a big deal about the mandatory attendance policies for students today. Of course, we must all comply with No Child Left Behind. There must be butts in seats for us to get credit. But, when the state gets in a bind, 17 days of school really is not important anymore. 17 days are a lot of classes. Think about it. That is equal to 3 full weeks, plus 2 more days of school. That is a lot of instructions that won't be given. That is a lot of pages that won't be read. That is a lot of guidance that won't be provided. How will these days be made up? They will have to be made up to meet the requirements. What happens to the seniors that need to "qualify" for graduation? I'm sure someone has figured this out.
What I have not seen yet is any opposition to this shameful act by any of our elected officials. If I missed any, I sincerely apologize. I was hoping to hear at least some opposition to this but as of this posting, I have not heard a thing. A lot has been posted on social networks, blogs and online newspapers, but nothing in the open public. Why? Am I to believe that this will be supported by all of our leaders? I sure hope not.
Next year is an election year. Please remember those that forgot about our children. They don't deserve to be in office. Harsh words? Damn right. This is a serious matter and we must hold our leaders accountable. Our children are our future. What is happening is not acceptable. No Child Left Behind? In Hawaii, it is All Children Left Behind! God help our children.
Aloha Mel,
ReplyDeleteI would rather they give me a school voucher and let me send my kid to private school. This is a shame that no one has looked to rework the budget to keep the kids in school. Hawaii is rank 43rd out of 50 states so missing more days will not help this! This is what happens when you elect people who never had to work for a living or run their own business. They believe just because they have checks in their check book they have money. lol
Ranking so low, you would think the government would want to elevate the level of knowledge, instead we cut an additional 17 days. Did anyone ask the kids for their input before the decision was placed on a ballot?
ReplyDeleteIn today's Star Bulletin article "Plan to trim school year attacked", it became quite clear about the priority that has been placed on education in this fine state. This is from the artcle,
ReplyDelete"Hawaii State Teachers Association President Wil Okabe said the decision was based on selecting days that would have the most cost-cutting impact. "It basically came down to dollars and cents," Okabe said."
Wow. I guess it is all about the money. Education takes a back seat to the "dollars and cents." The article further states,
"Schools Superintendent Patricia Hamamoto decided yesterday to allow previously scheduled athletic competitions and practices to take place on Friday, including canoe and swim meets in the morning."
I guess we know the value placed on education versus athletics. I wonder why? Could it be that athletics generate revenue and the classrooms don't? This is a total shame.
Politicians always say things like "our children are our future" and education comes first then this happens. They are full of XXXX! The whole circus which is the legislature has to be flushed next year. No one deserves to be re-elected. Whether we like it or not taxes will have to be raised. If we want certain things, we need to be ready to pay for it.
ReplyDeleteMel, you must have been reading my mind. I believe the law says that parents and or guardians can be penalized if children don't attend school. Now, it's ok to do so because of the budget? It's never ok to sacrifice our children's education. As it is, children lack superior education. Even the "no child left behind" program is not working; if anyone follows the child after graduation, one will verify that. Did anyone THINK about the repercussions of this action? Does anyone care? How many latch key children will come about because of this decision? What kind of message and impact will this send to the already struggling children who actually require more school attendance TO MAKE IT THROUGH THEIR FUTURE? sHAME ON THOSE WHO SUPPORTED THIS BAD DECISION. pERHAPS, THIS IS INTENTIONAL. A FRIEND AND I was DISCUSSING THE IDEA OF GOVERNMENT WANTING THE "dumbing down of the population". Think about that.
ReplyDeleteIn today's Advertiser, the priorities become clearer:
ReplyDelete"HAWAII TEACHER FURLOUGHS WILL CUT CLASS TIME, NOT PREPARATION DAYS" - School districts in some states to use training days for furloughs
In scheduling 17 furlough days that will shut down Hawai'i's public schools, the Department of Education and the Hawaii State Teachers Association agreed not to use any of the six available waiver and professional development days to offset the loss of instructional time or relieve parents of child-care worries.
Ed Muir, deputy director of research for the American Federation of Teachers in Washington, D.C., said canceling teacher preparation and training days is the first step many school districts take when scheduling furloughs, but it's not a sustainable solution.
In Hawai'i, school principals may submit a request, in consultation with the teachers union, to the Board of Education to cancel any of the six waiver or training days. They could do that this year, and that would make up for some of the days lost to furloughs. The union would not say yesterday if it favored that option.
Union and DOE officials also would not say if they opposed scheduling teacher furloughs on waiver days during recent contract negotiations. "Negotiation discussions are confidential," DOE Superintendent Pat Hamamoto said yesterday in an e-mail to The Advertiser.
Very sad to see when poor budget decisions lead to Hawaii's keiki suffering. We will all suffer when our kids today become our future leaders. How they will lead without the proper education (every educational hour counts!) our public school system is supposed to provide?
ReplyDeletemel, pls. send your original post to all the newspapers! we need more parent outcry to overturn this shameful attack on public education. personally, i would like to see protests etc... it is my understanding that gov. lingle was asking for 36 furlough days per year. when hsta settled for 17, our union thought it was getting a deal. ha!
ReplyDeleteit's time parents and and politicians do what is needed to fix one of the worst (if not the worst) education systems in the country.
sad but true.
cfulks