Proposed contract was insult to teachers

The resounding rejection of the proposed six-year teacher contract sends a strong message to the powers that be: Teachers will not be bullied, misled, threatened or intimidated by the governor, the Board of Education or even their own Hawaii State Teachers Association leadership; the current leadership of the teachers’ union is grossly out of touch with its membership; and even normally polite and compliant teachers have a breaking point.

Let’s be clear about two things: Nobody goes into teaching for the money and nobody — most of all, teachers — wants a strike. But this contract was a slap in the face for anyone who cares about our public school system.

Hats off to the teachers who voted their conscience and were not afraid to say that the emperor has no clothes.

There is a point at which continuous budget cuts can render any company or organization dysfunctional.

I hope that the federal "Race to the Top" officials will not join the inevitable chorus of blame that will be targeted at teachers, but will instead applaud their courage, sacrifice and continued advocacy for our schools and students.

Matt Nakamura
Hawaii Kai

Students are scored; why not teachers?

Teachers continue to contend that they are the only profession that cannot have their performance evaluated. Nonsense. Every business, big or small, evaluates its workers. Some are promoted, some get raises, some are fired.

There are many fine teachers. There are also a number of incompetents, impervious to the possibility of dismissal.

Any principal who is unaware of the identity of the inadequate teachers in his or her school should be fired.

John Nippolt demonizes the concept that part of any evaluation of the teachers should include test scores ("Proposed contract is poor deal for teachers but apparently that’s too bad," Star-Advertiser, Island Voices, Jan. 19).

The students certainly are evaluated based on those scores. A high school senior with a "C" average looks for work. An "A+" average might get you a four-year scholarship at a fine university.

Some suggest that teachers deemed inadequate should be trained and counseled. What about the children they teach in the meantime? Poor early education can destroy the young child’s future.

Richard Saas
Honolulu

Rail will lower costs for Waikiki workers

Development of the Oahu railway system is largely a matter of societal and environmental justice. Here is my take:

» Waikiki’s tourism industry is the economic engine of the state and affects us all.

» Waikiki is absolutely dependent on a reliable and reasonably inexpensive labor force.

» Most of this labor force cannot afford housing in East Honolulu. They live on Oahu’s west side, because housing in that area is less expensive.

» This labor force endures an unbearable daily commute through traffic congestion, and pays brutally regressive taxes linked to gasoline usage.

» Taxpayers should be willing to either promote development of affordable worker housing near Waikiki or subsidize the proposed rail system in order to ensure the availability of this labor force to service the visitor industry.

» Those who believe that rail will not pay for its own operations miss the point. It is only fair that the labor force to whom we owe so much economically has a reasonable way to get to work.

Jonathan Durrett
West Loch

Short-term solutions needed for traffic

We have a severe traffic problem now.

How bad will it be in 10 years?

The present problem is a severe drag on the economy and on people’s lives now. It must be dealt with now. We seem to be paralyzed by fear of criticism for whatever we do.

The current problem should be dealt with as a separate issue from rail. Rail is in the works but is long term.

The short-term problem is the next 10 years and should be solved as a separate issue.

The powers that be should take courageous and decisive action now. Set up dedicated lanes and get more buses now to alleviate the present problem.

The new buses will be all worn out in 10 years anyway.

Bill Miller
Pearl City

Isles can expect more visitors from Taiwan

Hawaii is famous worldwide for its aloha spirit and its beautiful landscape. It is a top U.S. destination for foreign visitors. Due to its geographic proximity and its air-link convenience, Hawaii is always the top choice for Taiwan tourists.

Taiwan is on the list to be considered for the U.S. Visa Waiver Programadmission, based on the island’s significant efforts to improve its law enforcement and document security standards to meet strict requirements for VWP eligibility. It includes issuance of e-passports, exchange of information on lost and stolen passports and low visa refusal rate below the 3 percent threshold.

With the VMP approval, increase of Taiwanese visitors to Hawaii can be expected.

John Lee
Senior press officer, Press Division, Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Los Angeles