HSTA to Teachers: “NO”
It’s official: The Hawaii State Teachers Association has taken its stance on the ballot initiative for an appointed board of education. And it has told its 13,000 members to “Vote NO on Ballot Question.”
This wouldn’t surprise Gov. Linda Lingle, who said as much at a Smart Business Hawaii meeting Thursday morning. The reason the union loves an elected board, she said, is because it can control elected board members.
“Labor unions control a large part of that board,” she said. “The (Hawaii Government Employees Association), (Hawaii State Teachers Association) and (United Public Workers) union — they have a vested interest in who sits on that board. This is the organization that every year we take $2 billion and hand it off to them out of a $5 billion general fund to spend as they want. I support you voting yes. Then you have someone to hold accountable.”
The HSTA put out , under a banner that states, “Cast Your Vote For Education.”
The second page is dedicated solely to the amendment question: “Ballot question on appointed Board of Education: VOTE NO.”
One of the ways the union can influence elected board members is through campaign endorsements. Former Gov. Ben Cayetano shared similar sentiments to Lingle’s at a forum on the ballot measure last month. He, along with former Democratic Govs. George Ariyoshi and John Waihee, are running an aggressive grassroots campaign called Hawaii Children First to have the amendment passed this November.
A former executive director of HSTA said the union’s alleged power is a myth.
“I wish we controlled the (board of education),” said Joan Husted, adding that the union has lost many battles. “I keep wondering where all our power is that people keep telling us that we have.”
