Pa'auilo Students Lobby for End to Furloughs

Students from Pa'auilo Elementary and Intermediate were at the Capitol this week to testify before the Senate Education and Housing and Senate Labor Committee on H.B. 2486 which proposes to set a minimum number of instructional hours per school year. This bill was drafted in response to the Governor's agreement to accept school furlough days, leaving Hawaii with the lowest number of instructional days in the United States.

The group take a break from training to take photos with Mark, Senator Takamine and Mayor Kenoi who stopped by to meet with the students. Included in the photo above are Dayson Alip, Kaili Brennamen, Sione Epenesa, Chancis Fernandez, Elle Carvalho, Daisha Acorda, Nathan Tabucbuc, and Johnathan Ancheta. They were accompanied by Advisor Dean Alip.

Ferlow Frydaze Rilly Wurkd fo Meeh

Among the Christmas presents that I received this year was a tee-shirt bring a specific message and a special request that I wear the shirt at the capitol. The message was loud and clear that the school furloughs would have a detrimental impact on the students in our public schools and that eventually we would all pay the price for the want of saving a few dollars.

The Governor, Board of Education, DOE and the HSTA all need to stop the finger pointing and get together on a proposal that they can all agree. That is the only way that the legislature is going to be able to appropriate any money to end this school furlough disaster.

The gift came from Aiea Intermediate Students Chase and Kylie Urasaki. Their dad, Rev. Alan Urasaki is standing next to me in the photo above.