Hawaii Teachers Kick Off ‘Do-Or-Die’ Campaign For Education Reform
Legislative proposals would dramatically change public education in Hawaii, but paying for them is a problem.
The聽odds may be against the Hawaii State Teachers Association’s bold proposal for聽education reform, but that didn’t dampen聽the enthusiasm of educators on聽Friday as they gathered by the hundreds to rally in support of the bill.
“Who can make this happen?” HSTA President Corey Rosenlee called out to a crowd of teachers in red T-shirts gathered in the atrium of the Capitol.
“We can make this happen,” the teachers chanted in a chorus.
The union’s proposed legislation calls聽for raising聽the state’s general excise tax by 1 percent to fund a number聽of聽education reforms 鈥 from installing air conditioning in all classrooms in the state over the next five years to establishing universal preschool, reducing class sizes, and increasing the amount of time spent on arts education.
The union has been planning the event since it announced its聽ambitious omnibus package in December.
Political observers say the proposed legislation has little chance of聽passing, but have praised the union for聽coming up with a proposal that could spark meaningful conversations about how to fund needed improvements to the school system.
And that’s what many teachers聽at the rally聽said they were most enthusiastic about 鈥 the chance to raise awareness about what they say are crippling issues in the state’s education system.
“We are at a breaking point,” said Amber Riel, a Waianae High School math teacher and HSTA Leeward Chapter president. “It’s do-or-die. We have to act or we will all fail.”
Several hundred teachers showed up for the event, lining聽South Beretania Street in front of the Capitol and waiving signs like “make schools a priority,” “no more toxic testing,” and “public preschools now.”
Although the omnibus bill was聽introduced in its entirety in both the House and Senate, it has also been聽split into numerous individual bills that address specific facets of the plan.
The most important part of the bill 鈥 and the hardest to get passed 鈥 is 鈥渇ully funding our schools,鈥 聽Rosenlee said. In other words, the tax increase.
Union leaders aren’t the only ones聽to suggest raising the聽GET tax this year.聽Another proposal calls for a 0.5 percent increase to provide long-term care benefits for the elderly.
Both the Senate and House education committees are expected to hold hearings on the union’s omnibus bill on Feb. 10.
Rosenlee said the聽next step for the union will making sure聽teachers and parents to come and testify in support of the bill.
“This is the first step of a prolonged campaign,” Rosenlee said. “We are not going away.”
