In his first public response to an escalating labor dispute with the teachers union, Board of Education Chairman Don Horner said Tuesday the board is "fully committed" to supporting teachers and is grateful for the sacrifices they’re making during a time of significant budget cuts.

"Our state is experiencing reduced revenues which has resulted in substantial budget reductions," Horner said in an email to the Star-Advertiser. "The board has continued to work to minimize the impact of these reductions on our employees and our overall mission."

Horner added the board’s goal remains student achievement, which would not be possible without the help of teachers. The BOE is "committed to support our teachers and … are grateful for their sacrifice and dedication during an unprecedented economic cycle," he said.

Horner released the statement as relations between the Hawaii State Teachers Association and the state continue to deteriorate, more than a month after the state imposed a contract on Hawaii teachers that includes pay cuts and furloughs.

The latest wrinkle in the dispute happened Sunday when HSTA announced plans to file an ethics complaint over an Aug. 10 letter the governor, superintendent and Horner sent to the labor board and union, agreeing to mediation but asking that the parameters of talks be set up beforehand and that all parties be given authority to make proposals.

HSTA argued the letter constituted unauthorized, ex parte communications aimed at influencing the labor board. HLRB responded to the charges Monday by postponing proceedings on HSTA’s prohibited-practice complaint to instead examine whether the letter was inappropriate. The labor board also said it had "serious concerns" over the union’s challenge to its impartiality.

A hearing on the matter is set for Thursday.

The state says its letter to the labor board was not ex parte communications because the union was provided a copy. In a letter Monday to the union, the governor, superintendent and Horner said the labor board also invited such communications at a previous hearing.

"We will not withdraw the letter," the three told HSTA.

Meanwhile, HSTA President Wil Okabe wrote in a Monday letter to the state that he does believe the communication was an improper attempt to influence HLRB.

"If you sent a private letter to a judge to ask that a pending case (involving you) not proceed as scheduled or to ask the judge not to rule in a major motion for injunctive relief … don’t you think that would violate the statute?" he said, adding that HLRB serves in a "quasi-judicial" capacity.