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Monday, February 1, 2010
Finnegan: DoE needs "real change, not fake reform"
By News Release @ 5:33 PM :: 5129 Views :: Energy, Environment

Student’s First, No Excuses

 

by Jonah Kaauwai, Chair Hawaii Republican Party 

Former Hawai'i Governors George Ariyoshi, John Waihe'e and Ben Cayetano affirmed that, despite HSTA attempts to pin Furlough Fridays entirely on Governor Lingle, education reform has to come from Hawai'i’s state legislature.  Until legislators push the agenda of the people instead of the agenda of the unions, Hawai'i’s families and children will continue to get the short end of the stick.

Lack of funding is not the problem.  Hawai'i spends the 11th highest per pupil but has not delivered anything more than 47th worst education system to our students.  The lack of accountability is what is plaguing Hawai'i’s Department of Education

Republican Governor Linda Lingle has the same goals as her predecessors for improving the education system.  However, the “R” next to her name has made her an unwarranted bull’s eye for Democrats looking to stop the Republican message of efficient government, fiscal accountability and putting people above politics.

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YOU TUBE: GOP News Conference

Students first, no excuses: News Release from House Minority Caucus

Honolulu – "The legislature won't face the facts.  We need to put our students first, no more excuses. 

We agree with the Governors' statement yesterday that we are not equipping public school students for jobs or college," said House Minority Leader Lynn Finnegan.  "Hawaii is consistently near the bottom in terms of national ranking.  This is a fact we've known for many years.  We rank 13th in the country in terms of per pupil spending.  We are expending, on the average, about $11,000 per student.  And this is without debt service or fringe benefits. 

We know that principals, and teachers, and students, and parents, and communities are frustrated with the system we've given them," stated Representative Finnegan (R-32nd District, Lower Pearlridge, Aiea, Halawa, Hickam, Pearl Harbor, Moanalua Gardens)

"There is no accountability right now in the system.  The Governor said it best when she said, the buck stops nowhere.  We are promoting and advocating for not only eliminating the Board of Education, but instead replacing that with the Governor's cabinet having the Superintendent.  Lack of transparency is also the cause of many of the results we've had," continued Rep. Finnegan. 

"We strongly agree with the previous Governors that lack of funding is not the problem.  The U.S. Census ranks Hawaii 13th highest in terms of per student operating expenditures."

Today, the House and Senate are poised to move bills that raise taxes and raid the Hurricane Relief Fund to increase funding to public education.  Late last year, the House Republicans proposed measures to fix the public education system and end 'Furlough Fridays', including a comprehensive audit of the Department of Education, support for charter schools, increasing accountability in the public education system by making the Superintendent a cabinet position, and mandating a minimum number of school days and hours.  Those measures have since been introduced as part of the House Minority Package, as the "KIDS (Keiki Investment and Development) Act."

"We need to enact real change, and not fake reform," concluded Rep. Finnegan. 

###

Statement by House Minority Leader Lynn Finnegan  

We have a great opportunity to make effective changes to our state educational system that will result in a better education for our keiki. Unfortunately, the Democrats have excluded the Lingle-Aiona proposals that best represent clear and direct accountability. We should not stand for these arrogant tactics. Given that the Democrats have control of the scheduling, our best response at this time is to push for the language from our proposals to replace the language in the bills being heard tomorrow by proposing amendments.

Two key bills are being heard February 1, 2010 on education governance.

HB2552 RELATING TO EDUCATION GOVERNANCE - Establishes accountability for public education by making the Department of Education a cabinet agency headed by a superintendent appointed by and responsible to the governor of the State of Hawai‘i.

HB2553 PROPOSING AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF HAWAI‘I TO MAKE THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION A PRINCIPAL DEPARTMENT OF STATE GOVERNMENT - Allows the voters of Hawai‘i to decide in November 2010 whether they would like to abolish the elected Board of Education and make the Department of Education answerable to the governor and headed by an appointed superintendent.

Hawaii’s public school system sorely lacks direct and clear responsibility and accountability. Decade after decade the legislature has promised to change public education and each time enacted fake reform. In an article in the Honolulu Advertiser 1/29/10 entitled, "Hawaii's school board needs to be fixed, say three ex-governors", Governors Ariyoshi, Waihee, and Cayetano state all the problems that Republicans have fought to fix for years. Unlike the previous Governors, the elected Hawaii Republicans are pushing for more direct accountability.

Please support HB1988, HB1989, HB 2177, HB 2178, HB 2376, HB 2377, HB 2424, and HB 2428. All of these bills call for changes to the Board of Education and are on the agenda today.

With Aloha and passion for the education of our keiki,

Representative Lynn Finnegan

replynnfinnegan@gmail.com

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RELATED: Fake Reforms proposed by three ex-governors  ,  Hamamoto's DoE resignation: To block Lingle's constitutional amendment

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