Lihu`e, Kaua`i, HI (October 13, 2009) - All parents, students, teachers, and members of the public are invited to a rally to send a message to the Governor, State Legislature, and the Department of Education, and Hawai`i State Teachers Association that 17 Furlough Fridays this school year are not acceptable. The rally will be held at the State Office Building on Friday, October 16, 2009, from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. The rally is being organized by parents of public school students.
“A special session of the State Legislature is needed to find a long-term funding solution that does not sacrifice instructional days for our youth,” said Tracy Murakami, parent of children attending King Kaumuali`i Elementary and Kapa`a Middle Schools. “Action is needed NOW,” said parent Jack Yatsko, Kapa`a Elementary School PTSA Board Member. “It is unacceptable that Hawaii public schools would have the fewest instructional days in the Nation if the furlough is implemented."
The rally is intended to show public outrage over decisions to reduce 17 instructional days this school year. Rally organizers ask that participants wear school colors and/or uniforms, protest with aloha, and use this as an opportunity to teach our youth about our basic democratic right to free speech. More information about the rally can be found on the Kaua`i Planning and Action Alliance website at: www.kauainetwork.org.
Thank you for posting Mel! -Tracy
ReplyDeleteThe politicians don't give a damn. They had a chance to do something but chose not to. I hope they don't have the gall to show up at that rally. Bunch of hypocrites!
ReplyDeleteThe families of children attending public schools are going to be the ones who pay for the furlough days. Our kids will have a poorer education and we have to take days off on furlough Fridays, losing our own incomes, or paying for child care.
ReplyDeleteI'm a senior who continues to look back in Hawaii's history comparing the past to the present. As a youngster, we were taught that PROGRESS especially in education was beneficial for us especially in Hawaii because of the immigrant population. Yes, we have progressed but it seems to me for the last twenty years or more, the education direction has been reversed and today the governor has decided by her actions to take us back to the plantation era. The UPSETTING thing about this is that the children who are in the PUBLIC schools will suffer greatly as opposed to the children in the PRIVATE schools. This action, in my opinion is a CRIME.
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