Stop smoking on campus -- it's the law

I am appalled that union contracts require that custodial and cafeteria workers be allowed to smoke on Hawaii's "tobacco free" campuses. As the Star-Bulletin's March 8 editorial pointed out, this is a blatant violation of the 1994 federal Pro-Children Act, which bans smoking in all schools that receive federal money. Maybe the threat of a $1,000-a-day fine against the state will be enough of a wake-up call to correct this embarrassing violation.

Allowing smoking areas on campuses for a select group of employees at schools is ridiculous. This simply gives others on campus not covered by such negotiated contracts -- visitors, security guards, teachers and office workers -- an unspoken invitation to also smoke.

So whether through legislation or a responsibly negotiated employee contract, let's fix this problem now. We need to send a clear message that schools are truly tobacco free.

Beth Davidann
Kailua

Shall we cap the price of other things on tap?

Let's implement gasoline price caps now. Once they are in place we can begin to address the most blatant example of consumer gouging and corporate profiteering in Hawaii -- the price of bottled water. I have paid as much as $2.50 for 16 ounces of this life-sustaining liquid. That's $20 per gallon!

The state Legislature must address this important matter. Like gasoline, the money being ripped off by these greedy pirates of H2O is leaving our state to buy mansions and jets for their unscrupulous CEOs. Ever notice how all the brands of bottled water are the same price? If that is not in violation of some anti-trade law, call me crazy. I want to see price caps tied to the price of bottled water in Minnesota, the land of 10,000 lakes. Since that state has a lot of water, it must be cheap.

Let's not stop at price caps for gasoline and bottled water. Imported beer is too expensive, too. Our work has just begun.

Mark Middleton
Kapolei

Gasoline price cap will reduce competition

The gasoline price-cap law is a faulty concept by definition and won't lower prices for Hawaii consumers.

A key argument for tying Hawaii gasoline prices to national prices has been a concern over a lack of competition. But the consequence of the price cap will be to drive service station dealers and refiners away, the very thing we should prevent.

For those who worry about not having enough competition in Hawaii, the cap law will surely create less competition.

Fereidun Fesharaki
Honolulu

Let's declare gasoline a public utility

I live in West Hawaii. We have the lowest gasoline taxes in the state: 8 cents a gallon. Conversely, our gas prices are the highest in the state, $2.299, $2.399 and $2.499 a gallon. A few stations are a penny higher. We have our own distilleries, so we don't bring in refined gasoline from out of state.

"Big Oil" has been stealing us blind for more than 40 years. They tell us they charge us so much because there's no law against it. They should be made a public utility.

Robert G. Devine
Ocean View, Hawaii

Suspending cartoon sends chilling message

A Star-Bulletin March 18 story, "Student newspaper suspends cartoon," quoted Ka Leo editor Lori Ann Saeki saying the student editors discussed "that line between freedom of the press and journalistic responsibility."

If we take away the ability of anyone to express an opinion that we disagree with or that might offend someone, we lose some of our basic rights. The student editors' stance hamstrings them and their writers from expressing dissenting views.

The only reason that the Star-Bulletin exists today is that it publishes the truth, and isn't afraid to expose wrongdoing, and people want to read the dissenting view. Removing the cartoon sends a very chilling message to other journalists and writers.

Bill Martin
Kurtistown, Hawaii

Allow voters to decide on education reform

We are the parents of five children in Kailua and have witnessed firsthand professional, caring public school teachers and principals handcuffed by "the system." Simple things like ordering paper or having fans installed in a hot room require jumping through incredible hoops and can take months or require the parents pay for necessities through fundraising to get it done in a timely manner. We can only imagine the challenges a principal has to overcome in hiring and firing staff and developing curriculum.

Our school system doesn't work. When anyone speaks up for change they are labeled "liars," put down with "you don't understand," or even told they violate codes of behavior for speaking out.

Linda Lingles' CARE package is an intelligent, well-thought-out education reform program that will help principals and teachers provide our keiki the best possible education. We ask the people of Hawaii to demand from their legislators that the governor's reform plan be put on the November election ballot and voted on.

Mike and Donna Stott
Kailua

Trying to silence Thielen is appalling

The citizens of Hawaii should be appalled that the duplicitous Board of Education members are trying to silence their colleague Laura Thielen for speaking the truth. The truth is that our supposedly statewide egalitarian education system is not egalitarian at all when it comes to funding schools.

Schools Superintendent Pat Hamamoto has publicly admitted that the system is "obsolete." We are seeing the same business-as-usual mentality at the Legislature being displayed by the educational status quo. What is really sad is that many of the people at the helm of our failing statewide BOE are themselves perpetuators of falsehoods.

How dare they denounce a courageous board member whose only crime is that she refuses to defend a failed system.

Stand tall, Laura Thielen. The people are listening to you and the truth about education. The teachers' union and the BOE and DOE lunas are the purveyors of falsehoods and failure. Hawaii's public educational system and the deeds of the BOE speak louder than their deception.

Sen. Fred Hemmings
(R, Lanikai-Waimanalo)