Gov. Linda Lingle suggested yesterday that the problem of Furlough Fridays in the state's public schools is a result of having an elected Board of Education.

In a meeting with reporters at the state Capitol, Lingle said she wants a solution to school furlough days tied to a “;restructuring of the Department of Education.”;

Earlier in the day, about a dozen schoolchildren with the group Save Our Schools Hawaii gathered in Lingle's office to ask that she end furlough days.

“;It's about really looking for a solution, which no one seems to be doing,”; said Olga Boric-Lubecke, with Save Our Schools.

The governor was in a meeting at the time, but the group submitted 600 poems, letters and pictures created by students. Yesterday was the 13th furlough day of 17 this school year.

In a news release, Linda Smith, Lingle's chief of staff, encouraged parents to talk to teachers and the Hawaii State Teachers Association to urge them to allow children to return to campus on noninstructional days.

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“;Turning noninstructional days into classroom days would move us closer to a final resolution of this situation,”; she said.

Several bills are moving through the Legislature that mandate a certain amount of school days or use part of the Hawaii Hurricane Relief Fund to restore school days.

Another bill moving through the Legislature would abolish the elected Board of Education and replace it by one appointed by the governor.

“;I don't think it is responsible to spend more money under the current structure, knowing that things won't get better under the current structure,”; Lingle said. “;It is just not fair to taxpayers.”;

“;We really need to have the bills move forward that would do away with the elected school board, let the next governor appoint the superintendent of education,”; she said.

Board of Education Chairman Garrett Toguchi said the governor is using furloughs as an excuse for eliminating the elected school board because she cannot get her way.

He said while Lingle had pushed for 36 furlough days a year for two years for state employees under her control, the Board of Education cut its own budget to reduce teacher furloughs to 17 a year.

“;To imply that the furlough day is a result of having a Board of Education is basically dishonest to what she would have done if there were no Board of Education,”; he said.

The Hawaii State Teachers Association was not available for comment.