Attorney to replace
Lex Brodie on BOEShelton Jim On was rejected earlier
for the UH Board of Regents
Attorney Shelton Jim On, who was rejected by the Senate when Gov. Linda Lingle nominated him as a University of Hawaii regent, will fill the remainder of Lex Brodie's term on the state Board of Education.
Lingle announced his appointment yesterday, saying the public deserved to have the benefit of his experience and abilities regardless of the 14-11 Senate vote against him in April.
"Their poor judgment earlier doesn't influence me now," she said. "I know he'll do an outstanding job. Shelton has a tremendous professional background, a demonstrated commitment to public service and outstanding work ethic."
Brodie resigned from the board, which sets policy for the public schools, last month for health reasons. Jim On will take his place until Brodie's term ends in November 2004. The appointment requires no confirmation.
"I'm going into this with a complete open mind and no agenda," said Jim On, a product of Hawaii's public schools whose parents were public school teachers, along with his sisters and aunts. "I look forward to working closely with the board and the community to find constructive solutions to the many challenges facing our education system, as well as to build upon the strengths of our public schools."
Jim On was born in Paia, Maui, and moved to Wahiawa with his family when he was 11. He had intended to follow his family's teaching tradition, studying education at the University of Hawaii after graduating from Leilehua High School in 1968. But when he graduated from college in 1972, teaching jobs were scarce, he said, and he wound up going into law instead.
"My whole family's in education," he said. "I'm honored to have the opportunity to serve in such a critical position."
A former Republican Party officer who worked on Lingle's campaign, Jim On said he agrees with the governor's desire to create local school boards and to remove principals from the union, but he does not plan to push an agenda.
"My positions are very consistent with what she has set forth as her education platform," he said, "but I want to remain open-minded in all respects. The most important thing for me is to work with each and every member of the board."
In voting earlier against Jim On, senators said they were concerned that he was not prepared to answer questions on university issues, such as autonomy and community colleges. Republicans denounced the nominee's rejection as "petty politics."
Sen. Donna Kim (D, Kalihi Valley-Halawa), a leading opponent of Jim On's nomination as regent, declined to comment on the new appointment yesterday. But Sen. Fred Hemmings (R, Lanikai-Waimanalo) said he expected Jim On to shake things up.
"Shelton Jim On is a man of great courage, and he is not going to be afraid to speak up for honest reform," Hemmings said. "I think Shelton is going to be an agent for change."
Karen Knudsen, vice chairwoman, said she expects Jim On to bring a lot to the board.
"It seems to me that his professional background, his community service commitment and his own personal experience with the public schools will make him a well-rounded, contributing board member," Knudsen said.
A graduate of the University of San Francisco School of Law, Jim On specialized for the past 20 years in insurance defense litigation and professional malpractice cases. He served as deputy attorney general from 1979 to 1983, and he spent two years as a trial lawyer with the Office of the Public Defender.
Jim On also passed the certified public accounting exam, and he said he hopes that background will come in handy as the Department of Education struggles with a tight budget.
"I hope that I can use my skills to find potential areas of financing and pockets of revenue that were not considered," he said. "I have the skill at least to look at the budget and understand where money can be efficiently applied."
His previous experience in civic affairs includes serving on the Makiki Neighborhood Board and as a member of the 2001 Reapportionment Commission.
Jim On expects to be sworn in at the Board of Education's next meeting on Aug. 7.
