The fifth day of a protest to end Furlough Fridays closed yesterday with bubbles, musicians, art and slam poetry at the state Capitol's rotunda as parents and students urged the governor to find a solution.

From signs and stickers the message was clear: “;Fix it now”;—and protesters called on Gov. Linda Lingle as the one with the most power to find that fix.

“;She can't just not do anything,”; said Marguerite Higa, a member of Save Our Schools. “;If she doesn't like it, she's got to come up with something better. That's what a leader is supposed to do.”;

More than 100 adults and children gathered at the Capitol after waving signs along South King Street. Joining the activists were state legislators, Board of Education members and gubernatorial candidate Neil Abercrombie.

  Lingle letter accuses furlough protestors

 

Governor Linda Lingle released a letter to the demonstrators accusing them of being misinformed.

 

[ Watch ]

 

 

 

 

Members of the self-described “;Citation Seven”;—the seven adults cited for trespassing in the governor's office Friday night—wore tags that said, “;Cited for caring about education in Hawaii.”;

Lingle did not attend yesterday's rally, but she sent a letter to Save Our Schools about an hour earlier.

Her letter said the group's comments in a letter to her were “;misinformed,”; and she encouraged them to redirect their energy to the leaders of the Hawaii State Teachers Association, who have said they will no longer negotiate a solution.

HSTA and the Board of Education want to end furloughs by bringing back all staff at a cost of $92 million. Lingle wants to bring back only “;essential”; workers for $62 million.

Evan Anderson, 35, one of those cited, said Lingle's letter is a list of excuses and not ideas to patch the budget gap and meet the $30 million difference.

He said Lingle should find creative solutions, not throw her hands up. He added that the HSTA does not have to answer to the public as the governor does.

Higa said participating in the protest over several days has been “;exhausting”; but worth it because the movement grew.

She said the governor's refusal to meet the citizens group illustrates why she is having trouble reaching a consensus.

“;We're just asking her to please lead, be the one to lead us out of this situation,”; she said. “;We're going to continue until she finds a way to get through this. We're going to pour the pressure on.”;

The protesters returned to Washington Place, the governor's former residence, last night and plan to return to the Capitol again at 7:45 a.m. today.

Coe Trevorrow, 9, of Manoa, who is affected by the furloughs, said Lingle would be better off just giving the money to the schools.

“;Right now she's just sitting back relaxing,”; he said. “;I don't get to go to school. I don't get to learn.”;