Schools board urged to save JV athletics

Officials are planning a $9.2 million budget cut for next year

Dozens of people protested a plan to slash $9.2 million from public schools, including a $1 million cut to athletics that would essentially eliminate junior varsity sports.

More than 60 people signed up to speak and at least 30 written statements were submitted as the Board of Education met last night at a packed Waipahu Intermediate School cafeteria.

Among speakers opposing the sports cuts were Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann, at least four state lawmakers and University of Hawaii football coach Greg McMackin.

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Supporters of public school sports convinced the Board of Education late last night to back off a plan to slash $1 million from athletics, a move that officials predicted would have essentially eliminated junior varsity programs.

After more than four hours of testimony and debate, the school board voted 7-4 just before midnight to spare sports and four other programs from $9.2 million it needs to cut to comply with state spending restrictions triggered by the slowing economy.

Dozens of people crowded Waipahu Intermediate's cafeteria to urge the board to leave sports money intact.

"Don't destroy kids' dreams," said David McHugh, athletic director at Lanai High and Elementary. He said up to 77 percent of his budget is spent on air, sea and ground transportation.

Among speakers opposing the sports cuts were Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann, at least four state lawmakers and University of Hawaii football coach Greg McMackin.

"To me, this is more important than a game," McMackin said about his decision to leave practice and miss a meeting with his players so he could testify.

State Rep. James Tokioka pressed the board to defer on the athletic cuts, saying that perhaps a funding deal could be reached with the Legislature to preserve junior varsity.

"For us on Kauai, (public school) sports is all we have," Tokioka, who represents the island, said. "These kids would have nowhere else to go."

Yesterday's vote prevents the school board from reconsidering the $1 million in cuts to sports, as well as $255,732 from the Challenger Center at Barbers Point Elementary, more than $69,000 from the Onizuka Memorial Space Museum at Konawaena High, almost $74,000 from the Nanaikapono community school museum, and another $78,496 for space education.

School board chairwoman Donna Ikeda criticized the decision to keep sports and the other programs off-limits to the board -- an idea that came from board member John Penebacker, who was part of an University of Hawaii basketball team in the early 70s that became known as the "Fabulous Five."

"We are creating sacred cows," Ikeda complained. "I think everything has to be on the table."

The school board instructed the Education Department to return with more information about how proposed cuts would impact the 18 other programs it had picked to absorb the shortfall. The board is considering eliminating vacant jobs, pulling $667,001 from the A+ afterschool program and slashing funds for numerous resource teacher positions, including more than $1 million for 10 instructors and workshops on how to teach special-education students how to read and write.

They also asked education officials to consider alternative ways to lower expenses.

"I think we need more information, and I think the department needs to gather it," said school board member Maggie Cox.

The state Department of Education suggested the $9.2 million in cuts, which would take effect in the 2009-10 academic year, to the school board in order to comply with a 4 percent spending restriction Gov. Linda Lingle imposed on all state departments because of slowing revenue growth.

Schools Chief Financial Officer James Brese said those programs were recommended to the school board because they had the least impact on classroom teaching, which he called "the core" mission of schools. However, a number of educators said athletics encourage children to stay in school and away from trouble, and helps fight obesity, leading to savings in social and health costs down the road.

Kathy Wines, whose son goes to Hilo High, called the school's track team and junior varsity football "the driving force" behind her child's academic success during his freshman year.

"This move to cut J.V. sports and cut the salary of coaches is a pathetic, easy way out move," she wrote in testimony.

Keith Amemiya, executive director of the Hawaii High School Athletic Association, said had sports funding been cut, it would have forced schools to discontinue junior varsity sports, which serve about 6,000 students who play everything from football to bowling.

He said the bulk of the $13.3 million school sports budget is set aside for athletic directors, trainers and toward gender equity requirements. Each year, athletic directors must raise more than $1 million to pay for transportation, uniforms and equipment, Amemiya added.

"Our public high school athletics budget should be significantly increased, and not decreased," he said.