Substitute teachers get no respect from the DOE
As a regular substitute teacher for the Department of Education, I was denied unemployment benefits this summer. My wife and I have no income and cannot pay our rent, phone bill, electric bill or car insurance. We have no money for food but don't qualify for food stamps or assistance or for Quest health care.Therefore, we are being forced to leave this island to go home and live with family.
During the 10-month school year, my employer refuses to allow me basic Hawaii health care, claiming that I am a "casual hire." But during the two-month summer break, when there is no work, my employer refuses to allow me to collect unemployment benefits, claiming that I am "assured" of a job when school resumes.
This can only make sense in Hawaii, where $3 million is budgeted by the Legislature to fund teachers' unemployment benefits but is then diverted to "other school needs." Politicians, the unions and the press don't raise a single objection.
I guess the DOE had to find the money somewhere to pay for the new superintendent's salary and moving expenses. You don't suppose they'd pay for my moving expenses, do you?
Mark Kanae Smith
Use money for Con Con and spent it on schools
The phrase that supposedly justifies spending $5-15 million in hard-earned tax dollars to put on a constitutional convention is, "Let the people decide." When special-interest groups spend a lot of money to elect their delegates, do "the people" really decide?What say we take that Con Con money and turn it into education and books for the keiki? Now that's an expenditure people can agree on.
Scottie Shelton
Kuliouou
(Via the Internet)
Palehua Terrace project was never kept secret
In response to Marilyn Walsh's July 25 letter about the Palehua Terrace project, the facts are as follows:
Palehua Terrace, located in upper Makakilo and intended to fulfill affordable housing requirements for Kapolei Knolls, was never a secret. These plans were publicly discussed at the City Council in 1982 and have periodically been the subject of discussion within the Palehua Community Association for the past four to five years.
Howard Y. Murai
Senior Vice President
Finance Realty Ltd.
Late George Fujita had great influence on others
Your Aug. 4 article on George Fujita, "Hope for the dying," triggered memories from long ago and far away.As a student at the University of Hawaii in the 1970s, trying to figure out who I was and where I was going, I came upon his gentle strength in counseling sessions, aikido demonstrations and during group sessions with other students.
Your article helped me remember old lessons from George and provided new ones.
Aaron T. Ebata
University of Illinois
Champaign-Urbana, Ill.
HPU does not own Fort Street Mall
In 1983, Hawaii Pacific University moved into 1166 Fort Street Mall, an area HPU must have known was populated with Oahu's homeless citizens, some of whom are mentally ill. Nearby Hotel Street is heavily populated with drug addicts and pushers, prostitutes and gamblers, as well as hostess bars, "adult" stores, peep shows and formerly a gay bathhouse.If safety is an issue, and if HPU is concerned about the safety of its students, it should have demonstrated its concern by not moving into such a frayed tapestry of humanity.
I cannot imagine the enormity of arrogance behind HPU Senior Vice President Jim Hochberg's statement that the Fort Street Mall area "is not really a business district. It is a college campus" ("Officials oppose facility for mentally ill", July 12). If he is correct, then HPU ought to post a "Private Property" sign and prosecute unwanted mall-users for trespassing.
Until that happens, Fort Street Mall and its surrounding area are open to the public, including the mentally ill homeless people the university seeks to remove from the area.
Tana-Lee Rebhan
Aiea
(Via the Internet)
Sage quote from Cicero still holds true today
Please print this as a reminder that we should be vigilant in our choice of who we vote into public office: "The budget should be balanced; the treasury should be refilled; public debt should be reduced; and the arrogance of public officials should be controlled." -- Cicero, 106-43 B.C.Bruce Wong
(Via the Internet)
Mental health programs had a friend in Kihano
Former legislator Daniel Kihano contributed to Central Oahu during his term of office. He was much concerned about the mental health aspects of the needy youths and adults in this area and did yeoman's work to ensure that their concerns were serviced.Those of us who serve these youths appreciated his interest in this area. To date, only a few current legislators have demonstrated similar devotion.
Had Representative Kihano remained in office, the state of Hawaii would not be in the predicament it finds itself in as set forth in the Felix-Waihee edict.
Edward Tonaki
Wahiawa
(Via the Internet)<P>
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