Parents urge action to restore days off - Hawaii News

State Board of Education Chairman Garrett Toguchi said without a doubt, furlough days were adversely affecting students' learning.

Toguchi asked lawmakers to look at using money in the Rainy Day Fund and Hurricane Fund, and increasing the general excise tax.

"We need this short-term relief for students," he said.

-------Eh, Garrett Toguchi, you never go far enough. I want you and the rest of the undereducated occupying space on BOE, to look directly at the Rail Fund.

I want you to Raid the Rail Fund. Spend every last dime in the Rail Fund BEFORE you start talking raising the GE tax.

The Education of the Future of Hawaii is worth far more than a "make-work- project-for-the-politically-co nnected."

At least 4 things should happen to regain the furlough Fridays. 1. Charge parents who have children in school a tuition since they ignore the fact that Hawaii is undergoing a massive financial crisis. 2. All personnel, including teachers take a equivalent pay cut. 3. Noel Kent, who teaches at the University of Hawaii, said "public school students from the islands already lack academic preparation compared with private school students, and that he was shocked by Furlough Fridays". Base any future advances/pay raises on academic achievement. 4. Transfer the amount paid per student to a voucher system so each student has a choice of going to a public or private school (I'm positive the unions would hate this idea).

Half Measures wrote:

State Board of Education Chairman Garrett Toguchi said without a doubt, furlough days were adversely affecting students' learning.
Toguchi asked lawmakers to look at using money in the Rainy Day Fund and Hurricane Fund, and increasing the general excise tax.
"We need this short-term relief for students," he said.
-------Eh, Garrett Toguchi, you never go far enough. I want you and the rest of the undereducated occupying space on BOE, to look directly at the Rail Fund.
I want you to Raid the Rail Fund. Spend every last dime in the Rail Fund BEFORE you start talking raising the GE tax.
The Education of the Future of Hawaii is worth far more than a "make-work- project-for-the-politically-co nnected."

Nope. No raiding of any funds or raising of taxes. Figure out how $2.4B is being spent first and how the DOE administration uses their funds before you start talking about money about taking money from a source only selected people put money in.

If the DOE can't be audited, they don't deserve any more money for their incompetence and mismanagement.

Hiloan wrote:

At least 4 things should happen to regain the furlough Fridays. 1. Charge parents who have children in school a tuition since they ignore the fact that Hawaii is undergoing a massive financial crisis. 2. All personnel, including teachers take a equivalent pay cut. 3. Noel Kent, who teaches at the University of Hawaii, said "public school students from the islands already lack academic preparation compared with private school students, and that he was shocked by Furlough Fridays". Base any future advances/pay raises on academic achievement. 4. Transfer the amount paid per student to a voucher system so each student has a choice of going to a public or private school (I'm positive the unions would hate this idea).

lol. You want to make parents accountable for their kids and unions accountable for how they spend our money?

What a novel idea.

Yeah wrote:

<quoted text>Nope. No raiding of any funds or raising of taxes. Figure out how $2.4B is being spent first and how the DOE administration uses their funds before you start talking about money about taking money from a source only selected people put money in.
If the DOE can't be audited, they don't deserve any more money for their incompetence and mismanagement.

Your isp location says Kihei. If you live Maui, you have no standing to speak on behalf of us tax payers on Oahu who were ripped off of that .5% GE tax increase that is being funneled into mufi's cronies pockets now.

Your proposal is worthless in so far as a SOLUTION.

What you really advocate is CHEATING the educating of our Future.

It is a selfish, self-centered, egoist position that encourages failure for Hawaii's future.

You are dismissed.

Next.

So now it's come down to the children are starving. Parents can't even make their kid a sandwich for lunch? Tell you what, send your kid to your neighbor's house at lunchtime and they will give him something to eat so he won't "starve," ya lazy freeloaders. Better yet, turn your kids over for adoption, it's obvious they are too much of a bother for you.

Half Measures wrote:

State Board of Education Chairman Garrett Toguchi said without a doubt, furlough days were adversely affecting students' learning.
Toguchi asked lawmakers to look at using money in the Rainy Day Fund and Hurricane Fund, and increasing the general excise tax.
"We need this short-term relief for students," he said.
-------Eh, Garrett Toguchi, you never go far enough. I want you and the rest of the undereducated occupying space on BOE, to look directly at the Rail Fund.
I want you to Raid the Rail Fund. Spend every last dime in the Rail Fund BEFORE you start talking raising the GE tax.
The Education of the Future of Hawaii is worth far more than a "make-work- project-for-the-politically-co nnected."

Although I completely oppose rail I am against raiding the rail fund to balance the school budget. The school budget is a statewide problem and shouldn't be balanced by taxes paid into the fund by the residents of Oahu.

Before you get sassy about my location, I am in Haleiwa but my isp shows me in Kapaa.

Tough choice. Education vs. State Financial Crises

Will our teachers be willing to work for less? I don't believe they like that solution because if they did they would have voted to reduce their pay instead of furloughs.

Should the state raise the GE tax? I don't believe the residents of Hawaii will like that solution because that's taking more money from the people and they feel they already pay enough in taxes.

Should the money come from other funds...rainy day fund, hurricane fund, rail fund? Looks like everyones thinking in the NOW, so everybody likes that idea, but, when a hurricane does hit or we have heavy rains and those funds are needed I don't believe the people who have been hit by the hurricane or their home is filled with water, mud or taken by a fast flowing stream will like that solution because they'll be houseless.

Restore furlough days and all will benefit??? Money's got to come from somewhere. So where is this money coming from. I don't think our federal government is going to be coming to our rescue. They have a deficit far deeper than ours.

Why now is there outrage about public schools? The curricula are obsolete, the buildings are obsolete, and there is only compliance to federal laws as the reason for many existing programs. Given the current condition of public schools and the mindlessness of No Child Left Behind, students are better off with a four day school week.

Half Meaures wrote:

<quoted text>
Your isp location says Kihei. If you live Maui, you have no standing to speak on behalf of us tax payers on Oahu who were ripped off of that .5% GE tax increase that is being funneled into mufi's cronies pockets now.
Your proposal is worthless in so far as a SOLUTION.
What you really advocate is CHEATING the educating of our Future.
It is a selfish, self-centered, egoist position that encourages failure for Hawaii's future.
You are dismissed.
Next.

lol! So let's see. What you're really advocating then is taking the rail funds and using it ONLY for schools on Oahu? Not statewide?

No one is cheating the students here except the BOE, DOE and HSTA. Teachers don't receive any money directly from the state. It gets washed through the hands of these organizations before it reaches them. So if you think the kids are failing, you ought to start looking at the beginning where the money first gets funneled into the educational system.

If these people can't be audited to show how they use their existing funds, they don't deserve more of MY money as a reward. If you're going to blame someone, blame the right people.

Flexo wrote:

<quoted text>
Although I completely oppose rail I am against raiding the rail fund to balance the school budget. The school budget is a statewide problem and shouldn't be balanced by taxes paid into the fund by the residents of Oahu.
Before you get sassy about my location, I am in Haleiwa but my isp shows me in Kapaa.

You can't "balance" a budget if you can't audit it.

Before ever cutting school days, someone should disect the BOE budget (an ouutside mainland, non union, non influenced organization). I'm guessing they will find A LOT of $$ being wasted. Use the "rainy day" money for this. I can assure you it would be well spent and very eye opening.

There should be No Cutting of programs with the Education of our Children. There have been too many cuts of Education Programs in the past. The Children of Hawaii deserve the Best Education that we can provided them. Under the Hawaiian Kingdom Law 20% of the Kingdom's revenues was set aside for the Education of the Children of the Hawaiian Kingdom. No Nation understood the importance of the education of it's children then the Hawaiian Kingdom, it's leaders and their people.

Here is a strange idea. Actually spend time with your children and raise them.

What happened to all your stimulus money?

Somebody steal 'em all already?

Too bad. See if Uncle Dan can get more.

"Ignorance costs far more than education," she said.

Well... what they don't know won't hurt them, and ignorance is bliss.

Those two cliches seem to sum this place up perfectly..not only the schools, but the drivers, and the mokes too.

Whaaa cry babies.Schools suck the money out of everybodys property taxes meanwhile the welfare poeple are having ten kids and the schools are nothing more then a day care.Not to mention the kids are vandalizing the hell out of the schools.What about the people who cant have kids?Schools are an endless money pit.

Parents of secondary school students: Urge your school's SCC (School Community Council) to increase the length of school day and/or the number of days your children actually see their teachers. You may be surprised at how little they see their teachers. On a 4-day week, do you think 120 minutes is enough? Schools themselves can't just change schedules, so you have to be part of due process to take action. As for lengthening the school day, it's a tougher sell because the school day revolves around the teachers' contract as to how many minutes they are allowed to teach. But do your research, don't blame anyone, and lend support to whatever needs to be done to enact positive change! This is not just about furloughs.

Go Jo Curran for the sake of children!
Go Jo Curran for Board of Education!