Part of the faculty, from primary school to university, teach for the love of Hawai'i and they work to educate our population, overcoming the endless challenges. However, for the leader of the state to insult the faculty by attempting to cut benefits and retirement credit goes far beyond ignorance of the worth of educators. It is blindly vindictive and dangerous to the future of Hawai'i. One of the most distressing moments in the dialogue is the proposal by the governor to raise the salary of the executive officials while refusing to recognize the rights of the educators. We must prioritize.
Education is vital to our ethical, economic and ecological future.
With students organizing around Hawai'i, there is a legitimate demand for our democracy to stand up for the importance of education. From elementary school to college, the effects of a strike will cripple our community. Both institutions of education have been struggling with lack of funds to meet the core requirements and to function for the last five years. The actions this month will signal the death of education, or its humble first steps toward a new culture of empowerment. All of the educators throughout my life have had a profound impact.