No alternatives? Really now - Hawaii Editorials

Recently, in all the furor surrounding furloughs, some education officials have been quoted as saying that while "alternatives other than furloughing teachers were considered ... none of them were viable options." Really, guys? Really.

[2much]

Of course there were alternatives to furloughs, paycuts. But, the powers that be are beholding to the unions so they rather make the public suffer than to have the public workers take reasonable pay cuts to help in the crisis.

By the way we cannot tax our way out of the problem. Tax revenue down almost 11% even with the increase in TAT. Furthermore a turnaround will not happen for at least a year or two.

[Kill the Unions]

HSTA should be disbanded, unionizing of teachers prohibited, and the collective bargaining provision in our state constitution stripped out by its skin.

This is totally OUTRAGEOUS and makes Hawaii the laughing stock of not only the United States, but the World.

How can the HSTA, Lingle, BOE, DOE, Hamamoto and that nerd Bennett allow this to happen?

UN effin Real.

[Haleiwa Dad]

The entire situation, making us a laughing stock for the world, is a power play by the HSTA and their politician insider friends, to skew the playing field in favor of more taxes.
Teachers were not asked and had no real say in the choices offered, they were just trying to be cooperative to resolve the situation when they voted for this.
I recall attending a legislative hearing 2 years ago about a matter that involved my industry in possible public education curricula improvements, but was part of another, bigger education bill. It was an eye opener. The room was crowded with intense, steely-eyed people watching the proceedings as if their livelihoods depended upon it. I had the feeling of sitting under an old tree in the desert, covered with vultures sitting there watching something beginning to die so they could get their pecks in when it weakened sufficiently. It was chilling.
Don't underestimate the pecking order and rank-climbing education civil service system we have created. Teachers get sinecures and raises based on time served in a credentialing-collecting process, and the system of school days and institute days is primarily about helping teachers and administrators climb the ladder and stay on the gravy train, it's not primarily about the kids.
I agree, close down the whole system, put 'em all on 5-year performance contracts, and run it in smaller education districts with locally elected Boards and their own taxing authority. Stop this centralized State legislature-manipulating boondoggle of so-called professional educators. Everyone in universities knows the school of education is where the poor performers tend to go, and education academics is mostly a joke. Get people who know and love their subject matter to teach, not this crowd of rank-seeking, credentials-gathering time servers, condemned by centralization to manipulate the legislature and public with cynical power plays to stay in power.
Hit the re-set button!

[Concerned Parent]

A fourth alternative: put administrators in the classroom, with them either serving as substitutes, or taking permanent teaching positions.
Hawaii middle and high schools skimped on academics before the furlough. Teachers come before students.
Now, students receive even less. It seems that as people involved in a service occupation, educators (including administrators) need to get back into the classroom if that it what it takes to give our children an education that will qualify them for the 21st century.

[wendell]

Haleiwa Dad wrote:

The entire situation, making us a laughing stock for the world, is a power play by the HSTA and their politician insider friends, to skew the playing field in favor of more taxes.

Teachers were not asked and had no real say in the choices offered, they were just trying to be cooperative to resolve the situation when they voted for this.

I recall attending a legislative hearing 2 years ago about a matter that involved my industry in possible public education curricula improvements, but was part of another, bigger education bill. It was an eye opener. The room was crowded with intense, steely-eyed people watching the proceedings as if their livelihoods depended upon it. I had the feeling of sitting under an old tree in the desert, covered with vultures sitting there watching something beginning to die so they could get their pecks in when it weakened sufficiently. It was chilling.

Don't underestimate the pecking order and rank-climbing education civil service system we have created. Teachers get sinecures and raises based on time served in a credentialing-collecting process, and the system of school days and institute days is primarily about helping teachers and administrators climb the ladder and stay on the gravy train, it's not primarily about the kids.

I agree, close down the whole system, put 'em all on 5-year performance contracts, and run it in smaller education districts with locally elected Boards and their own taxing authority. Stop this centralized State legislature-manipulating boondoggle of so-called professional educators. Everyone in universities knows the school of education is where the poor performers tend to go, and education academics is mostly a joke. Get people who know and love their subject matter to teach, not this crowd of rank-seeking, credentials-gathering time servers, condemned by centralization to manipulate the legislature and public with cynical power plays to stay in power.
Hit the re-set button!

Great post!

[Wrat Tayle]

Nice try Hoglens. This is Hawaii not Cuba. Good ideas, initiative and government streamlining is not permitted here. Who do you think you are concerned parents? Taxpayers? Why come to Hawaii and 'make waves' just because your children aren't getting a good education? This has been status quo for a long time. Let your children get Cs, a few D's now and then. Furlough days are great for catching up on TV and drinking soda and who knows with a little luck and lots of friends, they can get nice comfy jobs with the state, county or even DOE. IMAU!~

[Flexo]

Haleiwa Dad wrote:

The entire situation, making us a laughing stock for the world, is a power play by the HSTA and their politician insider friends, to skew the playing field in favor of more taxes.
Teachers were not asked and had no real say in the choices offered, they were just trying to be cooperative to resolve the situation when they voted for this.
I recall attending a legislative hearing 2 years ago about a matter that involved my industry in possible public education curricula improvements, but was part of another, bigger education bill. It was an eye opener. The room was crowded with intense, steely-eyed people watching the proceedings as if their livelihoods depended upon it. I had the feeling of sitting under an old tree in the desert, covered with vultures sitting there watching something beginning to die so they could get their pecks in when it weakened sufficiently. It was chilling.
Don't underestimate the pecking order and rank-climbing education civil service system we have created. Teachers get sinecures and raises based on time served in a credentialing-collecting process, and the system of school days and institute days is primarily about helping teachers and administrators climb the ladder and stay on the gravy train, it's not primarily about the kids.
I agree, close down the whole system, put 'em all on 5-year performance contracts, and run it in smaller education districts with locally elected Boards and their own taxing authority. Stop this centralized State legislature-manipulating boondoggle of so-called professional educators. Everyone in universities knows the school of education is where the poor performers tend to go, and education academics is mostly a joke. Get people who know and love their subject matter to teach, not this crowd of rank-seeking, credentials-gathering time servers, condemned by centralization to manipulate the legislature and public with cynical power plays to stay in power.
Hit the re-set button!

This is a pretty interesting post and I could agree with it but for one thing. The suggestion that we have locally elected school boards with taxing authority is wrong minded. That would soon result in a situation of wealthy and poor school districts. As a resident of Haleiwa, you would live in a poor school district because your population density is very low, either that or you will have a higher per capita tax rate to keep up with the wealtheir areas. Maybe you can affor that and if so, good for you. But not everyone has the extra money your proposal would require. And you wouldn't see a commensurate drop in the state taxes you currently pay.

[ESW]

Good article, I would like to add to delete the central DOE office on Oahu. That would leave still all the districts around Oahu and around the state with full staffing for Curriculum, resource teachers and superintendents. Also the whole state has many crooks giving contracts to their friends and rubbing each other shoulders. Ask any good guy in the state who tries to change things.

[Pat]

But that would be to easy, to common sense a solution!

[yeah wrong]

i can see the logic in cutting back on substitute teachers, but then who will cover the classes if a teacher is out?

do we just let class sizes go up to 50 or 60?

as far as cutting back on the principals, vice principals, etc... i agree. there are many VPs that do absolutely nothing but throw their weight around schools and micromanage without knowing what they are doing anyway.

[School Daze]

Wow, these two have all the answers. Those who spout off without knowing all the details and heckle from the sidelines usually do.

[yeah wrong]

School Daze wrote:

Wow, these two have all the answers. Those who spout off without knowing all the details and heckle from the sidelines usually do.

and those who like to criticize without knowing how to use the quote function to identify their targets just confuse people.

[MOLO]

yeah wrong wrote:

<quoted text>
and those who like to criticize without knowing how to use the quote function to identify their targets just confuse people.

Uhh... the two people he was referring to are obviously the two writers of the article. Did that confuse you too much?

[MOLO]

I put to many o's in to... oh well. Public school cuz. Somebody help me.

[HSTA Sucks]

School Daze wrote:

Wow, these two have all the answers. Those who spout off without knowing all the details and heckle from the sidelines usually do.

So concerned parents who offer viable alternatives to the idiotic furlough fridays implemented by the DOE honchos, BOE and HSTA, are clueless hecklers. The DOE/HSTA wants the parents obey without questioning - just like the vast majority of the teachers did. Sorry - it ain't gonna happen. There are some parents who do genuinely care about our public school students and want to put students before all else.

[alice]

When the teachers demoted themselves to become union hacks, they lost standing in the community. They are in the same status now as any other laborer. They have become a disgrace

[oldfart]

The real solution is unacceptable to the Unions. Private sector does it all the time.

Everyone takes a 10% cut. That's it. Nothing else changes. No change in schedule, no furloughs, no reduction in hours, no nothing. Everyone does the same amount of work for less.

Now isn't that a new idea.

[Unbiased]

Easy solution---No teacher development days (paid days off) and a pay cut to fill the rest.

So easy, even a Caveman could think of it

[good ideas]

good ideas---too bad the union is greedy

[m-ikea]

Really great op-ed! The DoE should consider getting input from parents and building consensus before letting us know what they've decided and what we should think about it! Thanks Star-Bulletin! Anyone know if the DoE has read this or considered any of these alternatives? Care to respond?