The in box. From Hawaii.

Fred,

I appreciate your dedication to our schools, students, parents, community, and to the advancement of public education nationwide. I live in Hawaii. We are generally behind the curve of what happens on the Mainland and, more specifically, what happens in traditionally strong teachers’ unions in NYC and Chicago.

What your latest blog indicates is a move by your politicians to narrow the negotiations through misinformation through public statements to the community at-large. To image bargaining of teachers and other ed staff as a threat to the budgetary welfare. Obviously, nothing could be further from the truth.

It is clear that Rahm and his cohorts’ goal is to wrest control of public education away from the CPS system, and install a corporate charter model whereby charter CEOs, the mayor, and other appointed and elected officials can benefit financially by conflating their cronyism.

Things are just starting to heat up here in Hawaii. We have a unique system of a confluence of state, city & county operating ostensibly as one. That is, our governor appoints all BOE members, holds final decision-making power on last, best, and final offers to the HSTA, Hawaii’s teachers’ union. While your CPS leaked some information to a major newspaper, our teachers’ union dropped the ball by not communicating to teachers what was behind a yes or no vote on a negotiated agreement. Therefore, a first vote was passed to not accept Governor Neil Abercombie’s best and final offer. It was only after this first vote that the damage by the HSTA’s lack of communication was realized. There was a re-vote. With less than half the votes cast in the first vote, it passed with a yes vote.

Seeing the weakness in teacher solidarity, the general lack of interest, the lack of the teachers’ union being more active in informing teachers of the details of contract negotiations, the governor has declared the re-vote null and void. How long the current new contract issued by HSTA will stand is anyone’s guess.

Longer hours, more outside agency scrutiny, Danielson’s evaluation rubric, etc., applies only to those schools in “Zones of Innovation.” Some politician’s idea of tagging the Title I schools in the high poverty areas as failing schools. The innovations are designed to narrow curriculum, help the growth of a meritocracy, and an eventual corporate takeover. As it is, site principals are required to consider TFA candidates for a teaching positions as they complete staffing needs.

What has not come to Hawaii yet, is a strong push back as is witnessed by the actions of the CTU. The biggest issue here has been one of teacher apathy and complacency. A long tradition in Hawaii. We received $75 million RTTT money and our governor is hell-bent on keeping it. And now, in an upper hand bargaining position, what comes down may finally bring some stronger push back from our union and teachers.

I follow your comments as they are so well informed. I am encouraged by your efforts, and the efforts of the CTU. While I am seeing more and more ads on the local TV stations inviting parents to “choose the right school for your children this coming year,” I’m hoping that your example will make its way to Hawaii.

I wish you the greatest of success in your fight for public schools and the communities that depend upon them.

-Kukiokane