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Hawaii House Minority Leader Lynn Finnegan, a Republican candidate for lieutenant governor, has gubernatorial candidate Neil Abercrombie and other Democrats for continuing to “bow to union leadership and ignore the needs of our keiki.”

She argued that Hawaii’s education problems can’t be solved while leaders prioritize union demands over the needs of children.

“Hawaii needs action-oriented leadership based on bold, innovative solutions which are student-focused and not beholden to any special interests,” she wrote in her statement.

Unions and special interests are not the biggest obstacles to education reform though, said Laurie Au, spokeswoman for the Abercrombie campaign. A lack of leadership is.

“The Furlough Friday situation, where all sides blame each other without anyone taking responsibility, is a perfect example,” Au said. “A simple search of successful school reform efforts across the country would reveal the existence of unionized educators in every case. Good leaders find a way.”

I bring up the two campaign statements not simply to give the candidates another forum for discussion, but because education leadership and unions are important parts of the education accountability issue.

What are your thoughts on the role special interests play in determining educational policy? Share your ideas with other members in our education discussion