Kokua Line

By June Watanabe

Thursday, March 13, 1997

Focus on discipline issue,
not where student is from

My daughter goes to school in Aiea. There is a boy who is constantly tardy and hurts other children. The faculty and staff know this child is a real problem, but he has a geographical exception to attend this school. I was told he can't be taken from the school because his geographical exception is good until the sixth grade. Is this a state law or policy? How do you get a G.E. and why is it permanent?

The state Department of Education's policy allows students who have been granted geographical exceptions to remain in their schools until the last grade, said department spokesman Greg Knudsen. For elementary schools that would be the fifth or sixth grade. That policy was made to simplify the process, Knudsen said, so that a student doesn't need to apply to a school every year.

"Once a child is admitted on a geographical exception, there is no difference between them and any other enrolled student from the area," he said.

If there is a discipline problem, you should explore other ways with the school on how to deal with it. "But you cannot just revoke someone's G.E." because of behavior problems, Knudsen said.

Students who want to attend a school other than their home school can apply for a geographic exception at the school of choice. If that school has space, outside students usually can be accommodated. If there are more applications than space, the school will hold a "fair lottery," Knudsen said.

Aina Haina update

It's an uphill battle, for both sides, in the problem of maintaining 26 vacant lots the city owns in the Aina Haina slide area.

The bottom line is that city parks workers will get to the lots when they can, doing as much as they can each time, but the lots probably won't be all cleared of overgrowth unless neighborhood residents pitch in.

Resident Gayle Nakama, in the Feb. 18 Kokua Line column, outlined her frustrations and safety concerns, especially about rats and fire. She said the problem remains.

But with only six workers in the East Honolulu district responsible for maintaining those "land bank" lots, it comes down to a matter of priorities, said deputy parks director Alvin Au.

Courtney Harrington, an aide to Mayor Jeremy Harris, said crews cleaned the lot adjacent to Nakama's property and are cutting firebreaks, doing a little more each time. But it is "unreasonable and unfair" to demand that all lots be immediately cut back, especially with other areas in need of maintenance, he said.

"I don't have time to constantly fight City Hall," Nakama said of the city's response.

"I guess this is the end of the line and perhaps after there is a fire or someone dies, something will be done."

Au said the department has explored other options, including using herbicide (rejected because of erosion concerns).

There also is no chance of getting inmate work crews back, since the governor decided they should be used for state projects, he said.

The city is asking Nakama to work with the neighborhood board or other residents to see if they could do some of the labor.

"It's a matter of economics," Au said. With budget cutbacks, "government just can't do it alone."

The grass around Kaleipohaku Park in St. Louis Heights is really overgrown. After calling for two weeks, some workers finally showed up one day. But they only cut part of it. Can you help?

That area is outside the East Honolulu district referred to above. It looks like workers did return, but again, it's a matter of not having enough workers to do everything in a timely manner. There has been a hiring freeze for three years and that situation is not expected to change soon, said deputy parks director Alvin Au.