Abercrombie Takes Cues On Schools From Aiona
Editor’s Note: Read our related coverage of the new appointed board:
In one of life’s inevitable twists of irony, Hawaii Gov. Neil Abercrombie‘s new appointed Board of Education plans to pick up where his former campaign opponent left off last November: By proposing an internal audit of the Department of Education and the board.
Abercrombie derided the same proposal last year when it was presented by Republican gubernatorial candidate James “Duke” Aiona. At that time, Abercrombie said that a true leader should be prepared to take over from day one, and that Aiona appeared “unprepared to take responsibility for rejuvenating and revitalizing our public education system.”
The new Board of Education chairman-to-be, Don Horner, plans not only to do what Aiona proposed, but also to carry the effort one step further by establishing a board committee solely dedicated to internal audits.
Wednesday’s announcement wasn’t the first time Abercrombie had contradicted himself on education issues.
Accountability
During the last six months, Abercrombie has consistently stated that an appointed board would increase accountability for what happens in Hawaii’s schools.
But on Wednesday, he shared two contradictory statements.
“I think that the elected board was always accountable,” he said first during Wednesday’s press conference. “I don’t think that’s ever been an issue — at least not with me. Accountability has never been an issue.”
But just a few minutes later he said that an appointed board will help address some problems inherent with an elected school board.
“It’s not that (the Legislature, governor and board) were necessarily rivals with one another, but rather by political default they could come into competition with one another, when policy should have been merely discussed and not contended,” Abercrombie said. “An appointed board offers a more direct line of authority and responsibility over the state’s school system.”
Early on, the governor waffled on the issue of an appointed board.
During last year’s campaign, he couldn’t decide whether he wanted an appointed school board at all.
At first he didn’t. Then he took no position. Then he didn’t again. Finally, he decided he did — and claimed he had wanted one all along.
Horner In Charge
Uncertainties aside, it’s clear who will be setting the new board’s agenda. On Wednesday, the governor was already deferring questions about the administration’s agenda to chairman-to-be Horner.
“I wouldn’t rule anything out for this board,” Abercrombie said when he was asked whether the board would retain Superintendent Kathryn Matayoshi. “They’re going to conduct themselves as they see fit.”
(He added that his appointees all seemed to support Matayoshi “because she’s doing such a great job.”)
It also appears Horner had an influence in selecting the nominees.
At least one of the appointees told Civil Beat that her priorities on the board would be guided by Horner’s, and added that she spoke with him at length before her nomination.
“I’ve talked in great detail — I talked in really long detail, for days and days, with Don Horner about what he envisions the board to be,” said Kim Gennaula.
