I hope that the people of Hawaii realize what the governor is doing. She is not negotiating in good faith with the HSTA. It is an egregious breach of conduct for the governor and her staff to speak to the media during these negotiations. Even going so far as her negotiators publishing an opinion piece on an alternate media site.

It seems deceitful to tell the people of Hawaii that the negotiation with the HSTA on furloughs is a simple task to accomplish. For her proposed solution it would be necessary to negate a contract that is currently in force. It would involve calling in the legislature and the cost that that entails. By the governor requesting a vote by HSTA members and addressing them and the public is a violation of HRS Chapter 89.

How can Eric Seitz be speaking to the media about the negotiations? Is he a party to the negotiations? If he is a party, why is he? He is not a party to the contract. Is he in the room? For that matter is the governor in the room? Is he now saying that the support staff involved with special needs students is no longer needed?

What should be happening is answering these questions. Will there be any unintended consequences? What about the requirements for compliance to NCLB? What about test scores? What about the schools under restructuring?

A few years ago the governor stated her staff had a hard time with the 5th grade HSA test. So here is a little math problem that has bothered me. If teachers give up 15 planning days and they are to replace the 15 furlough days. What then happens to the original planning days? Do teachers now teach on those days also for a total of 30 more days or do the furlough days simply be moved and you still have furlough days and teachers now have no planning time? Or do teachers now work 15 additional days for free?

But there is a simple solution furloughs go away. To paraphrase Ronald Reagan; Governor restore the 14% budget restriction to education.