Lex Brodie cites health
in resigning from BOE
Board of Education members said a big "thank you very much" to senior member Lex Brodie after his resignation was announced yesterday.
Brodie, 89, told the Star-Bulletin that he is stepping down after serving for the past 11 years because of health problems and personal frustrations with the board and public school system.
"When we want information, the board goes to the Department (of Education), and the department tells us what they think we need to know," Brodie said yesterday.
"We don't go for ourselves to find out. We don't have an independent system for monitoring. That's our problem."
However, Brodie, the son of two teachers, said Hawaii's education is still important in his life and that he will be back to help out one way or another. It just won't be with the BOE.
"I have found that going through the board has not been the answer to taking care of problems in our schools ... but I still want to be very active in improving Hawaii's education, though I have not determined yet just when and how and what I should do about it."
Another factor in his decision to resign is his failing eyesight due to macular degeneration in his left retina, he said.
"My left eye is very, very poor," he said, "and I have to do a lot of reading at the board. There's all kinds of materials coming in. ... There are days that I can't read, so I find it difficult to participate."
Brodie, the former owner of Lex Brodie's Tire Co., began serving on the board in 1992 and quickly made a name for himself by visiting every public school in the state.
He also led a campaign for fire safety inspections in the schools.
"He was a real champion for safe schools," said BOE member Denise Matsumoto. "He followed through on that and I applaud him for it."
Brodie was an at-large member of the board, and his term was due to expire next year.
His seat will remain vacant until Gov. Linda Lingle appoints a replacement.
Chairman Herbert Watanabe announced the resignation at the afternoon session of the board meeting, which Brodie did not attend.
The resignation was effective yesterday.
"We will miss him," Watanabe said, then grinned as he echoed Brodie's famous TV commercial slogan, "Thank you very much."
Star-Bulletin reporter Susan Essoyan contributed to this report.