Hard lesson

Students are protesting that the 18-year principal cares about them, while a teacher says 85 percent of faculty support her

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Teachers and students are protesting the sudden reassignment of Kalani High School Principal Randiann Porras-Tang.

They also object to the "frightening implication that five or six parents have the power to remove a principal," according to social studies teacher Rita Kalaukoa.

Porras-Tang's removal by state schools Superintendent Pat Hamamoto appears to be the result of complaints by a handful of parents over the past two years, the protesters said.

The parents objected to the inception of the Small Learning Communities program, which puts gifted students in the same class with others of varying learning capabilities, including those in special education. The program is also offered at 15 other schools in the state.

At a schoolwide assembly yesterday, her last day at the school, the 18-year principal bade farewell to her students, who cheered her throughout the meeting and had waved signs and banners along the highway in her support earlier that morning. Bedecked with leis, Porras-Tang said Monday morning would be the beginning of "a new journey" for all and not a time of "mourning."

Porras-Tang repeatedly declined comment on the swiftness of her transfer, but she said she and the teachers in the Small Communities Learning program had tried to address the complaints of some parents and brought in consultants to help with problems.

"I am not trying to be wimpy (in accepting the decision without protest). I am part of the DOE; if it has flaws ... I still love working," she said.

Porras-Tang said her new assignment is to help college graduates become certified special-education teachers.

A group of seniors circulated a petition calling for her return. By yesterday afternoon they had collected 500, but they needed 700 to be taken seriously by the state Board of Education, said Yoko Thompson, a senior. She said the students are upset at Porras-Tang's leaving "because she cares about the students more than anything. She walks around the school and talks to us about school and our personal lives."

Chaude Bonifacio said, "She comes to our games and is always there to support us. She is fair to all the different clubs."

About 25 teachers and a few students attended a Thursday night Board of Education meeting, with several testifying on the principal's behalf, according to Kalaukoa. About 85 percent of Kalani's 75 teachers support the principal, Kalaukoa said.

Teacher Muriel Gurlach said the teachers received no warning that this was in the works. "We were blindsided and feel so railroaded," she said. No one checked with the faculty. We don't know what they are objecting to. ... It's the injustice of it all!"

Laurie Seu, head of Kalani's special-education department, said Porras-Tang is popular because "she is so genuine. She wants the best for the kids, and she's willing to take risks. The kids know she truly cares about them and will stick her neck out for them."

Kalaukoa said parents complained about the SLC format, which requires that students have the same three teachers from their freshman to sophomore years so closer relationships can be developed. Parents object when a student is not getting along with a teacher and grades suffer, but Kalaukoa said there is a mediation process they can go through.

In written testimony to the BOE dated June 8, parent Grant Kashiwadara said, "It seems that the focus of Kalani's and other SLC's is to bring the bottom students up at the expense of gifted and talented students and at the expense of undermotivating or demoralizing possible future high achievers."

Melanie Hite testified at a school board meeting July 20 that her son was not getting along with his teachers and that a lot of other kids in his class felt the same way. In spite of trying to work things out between teachers and his counselor, he was not allowed to change teachers, his grades suffered and Hite eventually removed him from Kalani.

Department of Education spokesman Greg Knudsen said Hamamoto would not comment on the reassignment because it is a "personnel matter" and her reasons are "privileged information" to protect the privacy of the individuals involved.

Louise Wolcott, a retired complex-area superintendent from the Windward District, will act as an interim principal, he said.