Gathering Places
Gathering Places
An ambiguous law, a power-hungry Board of Education, a lethargic Department of Education and the unwillingness of union leaders to represent fairly its teachers at Lanikai Elementary School and other charter schools is threatening the future of those schools. An uncooperative educational
system threatens to sink
isle charter schoolsLanikai Elementary, one of two converted charter schools, is facing a situation in which its teachers may be unable to gain tenure and accrue seniority just because they teach at a charter school. Simply put, the BOE is penalizing teachers who want to teach at charter schools.
Furthermore, the Hawaii State Teachers Association has apparently turned its back on these union-dues paying teachers, and have not, to date, offered any sort of help assistance to them. This tenuous and unfair situation is causing Lanikai Elementary School teachers to have to choose between a job that they love and being able to provide for their families.
To add insult to injury, the DOE has come up with a convoluted formula for per pupil funding for charter schools that is far less than that allocated to other schools. And, of course, the perpetrators have convoluted excuses for their deeds.
The public school system as it exists is the problem, not the solution. Any attempt to become independent of the red tape in the DOE and the BOE results in punitive action, as this situation clearly demonstrates. What is being done to the Lanikai Elementary school teachers is proof of the arrogance and uncaring nature of the BOE and the DOE.
Is it a conspiracy of the DOE, the BOE and the HSTA to kill the charter school movement? Their deeds speak louder than their denials. The charter school movement is the most expeditious opportunity to reform the system as we know it. The system is circling the wagons and protecting its power and money in an attempt to maintain the status quo.
The lame excuse is that members of the BOE claims they have no accountability over the charter school teachers. That is precisely why charter schools are great. They bypass BOE/DOE accountability. Parents and principals make accountability real in charter schools.
The DOE must recognize that Lanikai Elementary School teachers are certified teachers and should be given the same status regarding seniority, probation and tenure as teachers at other public schools. The HSTA must recognize that they are bound to represent the Lanikai school teachers and protect their status as public school teachers and as dues-paying members of the union.
Ironically, Lanikai School was recently named the first educational recipient of the Hoelo Po'okela award in the Hawaii State Award of Excellence Program. The nominees were evaluated using the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award criteria; Baldrige was a former Secretary of Commerce from 1981 until his death in 1987.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology says Congress named this award in Baldrige's honor for his "contributions and strong support of quality management as a key to the county's prosperity and long term strength." The Lanikai school was evaluated in seven categories: leadership, strategic planning, customer and market focus, information and analysis, human resource focus, process management and business results. It seems unfathomable that a successful program such as that at Lanikai Elementary would be penalized for success.
We must join to make a bold statement that this kind of mismanagement will not be tolerated by the parents, teachers and students. If necessary, we may have to look into a legal remedy, such as a temporary injunction, to prevent qualified teachers from leaving an excellent educational environment.
Charter schools are proof that the state system does not work. The remedy is more charter schools. We here at the Legislature must pass, with bipartisan support, legislation that is clear, fair and immediately protects and nourishes the charter school movement in Hawaii.
Fred Hemmings, a Republican, represents Kailua and Waimanalo in the state Senate.