by Andrew Walden

Are rank and file teachers, principals, and even some elements of the DoE bureaucracy ready to walk away from BoE Chair Toguchi and the HSTA? 

Apparently Governor Lingle has heard from enough principals, teachers, "and education officials" she believes are ready to revolt against the HSTA and BoE by reopening their schools on the remaining three Furlough Fridays.  Many schools have already individually arranged to remain open on Furlough Fridays, now we will see how many of the rest come along. 

Even SoS/HEM have praised the governor’s plan.  And interestingly, there is not a peep from Sup’t Matyoshi--is that related to the "and education officials" inclusion? 

Notably, this comes immediately after the Leg voted to mandate a 180 day minimum DoE schedule--a move designed to break the ability of the HSTA/BoE/DoE to employ the "Washington Monument gambit" by shortening school schedules to extort money.

Toguchi and the HSTA may be left out in the cold demanding that teachers and principals quit working.   Teachers, principals, Matayoshi and the DoE upper echelons, and even SoS/HEM have abandoned them.

If successful, this will be a masterstroke which shatters the power of the HSTA and BoE to extort more money by holding students hostage.  

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GOVERNOR LINGLE STATEMENT ON LEGISLATION TO USE HURRICANE RELIEF FUND TO RESTORE SCHOOL DAYS

April 25, 2010

“I believe it is still possible to return children to their classrooms both this school year and next.

“On Wednesday the Legislature will vote on a bill, SB 2124, that appropriates up to $67 million to restore instructional days for the 2010-2011 school year.  I urge them to pass this measure. Without this bill we will be facing 17 school furlough days when school resumes in the fall.

“The Hawai‘i State Teachers Association has stated they will agree to allowing children back into the classroom for six days when teachers are paid, but children are not present. I am glad the teachers union has offered this.

“I am prepared to release up to $57.2 million to restore the remaining 11 days next school year so that children can come back to school. Further, in the spirit of recognizing that each school knows what is best for their students, I am encouraging schools to make the decision on what personnel they need or do not need to reopen their campuses.

“Unfortunately the pending legislation does not make hurricane relief money available to me to end furloughs until July 1, 2010. This still leaves us with three school furlough days this year.

“I have met teachers, principals, and education officials who tell me they want to return to the classroom. This is encouraging. I therefore am calling upon teachers and principals to voluntarily agree to come back for the remaining three days this school year.  This would be a welcome and significant gesture to heal our community.

“I also believe any hurricane relief funds not used to end school furloughs should be returned to the hurricane relief account. Sooner or later there will be another hurricane in Hawai‘i. When that happens, we will be glad to realize that there is adequate money in that account.”

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ADV:  Hawaii governor asks teachers to return

"We're thrilled she supports returning the children to school this year," said Marguerite Higa, of Save Our Schools. "We're very glad she wants to get the kids back to school this year and next. We're excited and hopeful that this will be a win-win for everyone."

But Board of Education Chairman Garrett Toguchi said Lingle's proposal gives parents a false sense of hope that all teachers will return to the classroom to work for free this school year.

"A school operation isn't a voluntary activity," Toguchi said. "You can't rely on people's choice if they want to come to work."

If not all teachers show up to work for free, Toguchi feared that some children could be in classrooms with no teachers or supervisors.

"In the spirit of recognizing that each school knows what is best for their students, I am encouraging schools to make the decision on what personnel they need or do not need to reopen their campuses," Lingle said in a statement. "I have met teachers, principals and education officials who tell me they want to return to the classroom. This is encouraging.

"I therefore am calling upon teachers and principals to voluntarily agree to come back for the remaining three days this school year. This would be a welcome and significant gesture to heal our community."

read more

CIVIL BEAT: Lingle Asks Teachers to Return to Work Without Pay  (Omidyar’s Bloggers Still spinning it even after SoS jumps ship.)