Below is testimony I’ve submitted for a special committee hearing to consider approaches to deal with the teacher furloughs.
Aloha Senators,
I am here, testifying before you today, on behalf of the Progressive Democrats of Hawaii (PDH).
Let me begin by applauding those Senators who have signed the petition to convene a Special Session of the Legislature to immediately address the financial crisis that continues to plague our state. I believe those Senators truly understand the immediate urgency resulting from the teacher furloughs and that this issue cannot wait to be addressed by the Legislature during the next regular session.
When times were good, our Department of Education (DOE) was struggling to provide a decent education for our children. Test scores in Hawaii repeatedly posted below the national average. And now (more…)