Brainstorm! Challenge

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Public school system is failing Hawaii's kids

Recent test scores show that our children are suffering in a broken public education system ("Scores on SATs worsen in isles," Star-Bulletin Oct. 3). Gov. Linda Lingle is proposing major reforms that would fundamentally change how our schools operate, but many stakeholders are desperately resisting change.

For years, many in the system have blamed the children's circumstances (low-income, non-English speaking) for low scores. However, at a recent education forum at the state Capitol, experts who successfully reformed their school districts showed that these factors are not insurmountable barriers to student achievement. In Houston and Seattle, where rates of poverty and non-native English speakers are much higher than Hawaii's, reforms have produced dramatic improvement in test scores.

The time for making excuses has past. It is not our children who are failing, but a system that has failed our children. That system needs to change.

Naomi Cole
Honolulu

Let's vote to break up single school district

There's been much public debate over the last several years about how lousy the public school system is. Then last week I read in the paper about how deplorable achievement test scores of Hawaii's students are. I finally had to do a little research of my own.

I found out that the Task Force on Educational Governance (whose chairman was then-Lt. Gov. Ben Cayetano), created in 1991 by the state Legislature, stated in its final report that the state's highly centralized system of public education had distanced the people from their schools and had become unable to respond to the state's continually changing and developing educational needs.

The task force also recommended the system of educational governance be directed to place the major share of authority, responsibility and accountability where it can do the most good -- at the local schools -- by decentralizing the top-heavy educational system.

Hawaii's system doesn't work. That fact has been known for a long time. What we need now is for the Legislature to put the question on the ballot.

James Chesterson
Hawaii Kai

Bus strike was about saving what we earned

I am a mechanic for Oahu Transit Services. I've been with OTS since 1977. I read the letter on Oct. 2 from a reader who wanted to know how OTS employees felt about the strike. Well, no one really wanted to walk. It was a long frustrating process that amounted to us voting on OTS's "last, best and final" offer.

We went on strike to protect the benefits that we and those bus employees who came before us had already earned. Layoffs and cutbacks were still on the table up until Bill 53 was passed on Sept. 24.

We were happy to improve our retirement situation, and our medical benefits will remain intact for the next five years. We still all lost a lot of wages being on strike, and it will take years to get that back. Add that to the public's view on the strike and you have a bunch of mechanics and maintenance personal upset.

You would think we'd get a little more respect being one of the top transit facilities in the nation. We see other unions enjoying the support of the public and elected officials. I'm just curious to see how many OTS employees still have the drive to stay No. 1.

Frank Butcher
Honolulu

Punishment will curb illegal donations

It is impossible to totally stop illegal campaign donations, but there is a way to discourage the participants. Guilty parties should face: 1. mandatory fines, 2. mandatory jail times, and 3. no future city contracts, ever.

As a deterrent for any crime, punishment needs to be severe.

Clark Himeda
Honolulu

Bush's lies cost us more than Clinton's

In response to James Roller's letter "Bush is improvement over lying predecessor" (Star-Bulletin, Sept 27), it should be noted that President Clinton's lies, while clearly a national disgrace, did not result in the loss of thousands of lives and billions of dollars.

It is even more insane that we as a nation have allowed President Bush and his rich cronies to lie the nation into a war of choice, the cost of which in lives and treasure continues to be huge and endless.

In addition, Bush's lies continue to seep into every aspect of our national life -- the economy, environment, civil rights and our international reputation. This is immorality on a monumental scale.

Let us pray in 2004 America's voters put an end to their "immoral overtolerance" of the lying, self-serving Bushies and their right-wing spin-meisters and effect a regime change in Washington. Maybe then we will have a president and administration with at least a shred of decency.

Willis E. Dunne
Honolulu

California Democrats reveal their hypocrisy

While watching the news over the weekend, I was shocked and disgusted at the lengths to which frightened Democrats in California went to ensure that a Republican would not be voted governor. These are the same Democrats who stood behind former President Bill Clinton when he outright lied to the American public regarding his relationship with a former intern.

Why was Clinton's indecent behavior irrelevant to his ability to be president of the United States? Gubernatorial candidate Arnold Schwarzenegger never lied about his past indecencies. Unlike the Democrats' savior, Clinton, who went on national television and lied to the entire country, Schwarzenegger admitted to making mistakes in his past.

Here's a message to the Democrats who want to have their party completely monopolize our government: The public is beginning to catch on with your hypocrisy and partisanship, and we're not liking what we're seeing, so watch out.

Tatiana Parent
Honolulu

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