Past HSTA honchos welcome new pact

As past presidents of the Hawaii State Teachers Association, we have followed the teacher contract negotiations with a special interest.

We are relieved that both parties were able to settle their differences and take further steps toward increasing student learning, recognizing the critical role that teachers play, and advancing Hawaii’s need for a strong public education system.

We hope this new agreement will lay the foundation for an era of cooperation and collaboration that replaces the distrust and animosity evidenced in the past year, soteachers can now focus on their primary interest — helping students learn.

We look forward to increased opportunities for teachers to become active partners in efforts to transform Hawaii’s schools.

Finally, we extend our warmest aloha to every public school teacher with our thanks for your caring!

Odetta Fujimori, Barbara Nagaue, Sharon Mahoe, June Motokawa, Karen Ginoza
Honolulu

Read about ‘42′ at your local library

Now that the Jackie Robinson feature film "42" is playing locally, some may want to do advance reading for deeper enjoyment.

The public library system has 21 titles available, with about half on the teen or children level. One book is oversized and one is available in big print. There are two in fiction: "The Plot to Kill Jackie Robinson" is a mystery and "Double Play," the more popular, is by Robert Parker.

Those with limited reading time will want to request Jim Becker’s "Saints, Sinners & Shortstops," Chapter 5, titled "Breaking In." It is full of insight.

Sylvia Mitchell
Librarian, Liliha Public Library

Israel does not treat Palestinians equally

It isn’t often that one sees something funny in the newspaper these days, but I laughed out loud when I read the editorial excerpt from the Jerusalem Post about the 65th anniversary of the founding of Israel (World View, April 21).

The last paragraph says: "But its accomplishments are mind-boggling considering they were achieved while fighting conventional and nonconventional wars, absorbing a huge immigrant population and providing basic democratic rights to every citizen, regardless of race, creed or religion — including those openly opposed to Israel’s existence."

There is no democracy in Israel for the Palestinians, and those opposing it are rotting in jail with no charges being brought against them.

The Palestinians are not even second-class citizens; they are fifth- or sixth-, and have been persecuted every day for 65 years.

Judith Lutfy
Aiea

Humanity does well in face of disaster

The Boston Marathon will forever be damaged goods. No matter how anyone wants to not think of the tragic day, it will be present subliminally, if not in our immediate thoughts.

During the crisis in Boston, total strangers were opening their homes to runners not able to get home, offering free food and shelter. A few restaurants offered free Wi-Fiand a place to gather. Customers were told to order what they liked and pay what they could, even if was nothing.

There is a beauty in the face of disaster. On Kauai during the aftermath of Hurricane Iniki, the true meaning of aloha was ever present. People become human among all the chaos and evil of disasters, while the true meaning of humanity comes to light.

If only we could learn to act like this every day.

James Rosen
Kapaa

Let riders decide routes of TheBus

The only solution to getting TheBus back on track is to restore all the routes and schedules to how they existed prior to being dismantled by former Mayor Peter Carlisle. Contrary to Mayor Kirk Caldwell’s campaign promises to restore service, he is proposing useless Band-Aid solutions that do nothing for the riding public.

Buses don’t go where riders need to go. They don’t run as frequently as before. They are packed, standing-room-only for all ages. It is a travesty.

The City Council must find funds to immediately restore what was lost, and then let the riders — not the bureaucrats, not Caldwell’s transit staff — decide what changes, if any, should be made.

Not only is Route E an issue, so is the needed restoration of Route B and others.

Council members are listening to their constituents. Unfortunately, Caldwell and his transportation director, Michael Formby, do not have a clue.

Lynne Matusow
Honolulu

Legislators overpaid for work they do

State Rep. Richard Lee Fale misleads the public with his commentary, "Legislators should vote on pay hike" (Star-Advertiser, Island Voices, April 17).

He claims that legislators took a 5 percent pay cut in 2009.

While this is technically true, it conveniently omits that before legislators took the pay cut they got a 36 percent pay increase. Their salaries in 2009 could have gone to $48,708, but with the pay cut went insteadfrom $35,900 to $46,272.This also does not include their expense account of $10,000.With the new pay increases, legislators will be paid $55,896 for working a 60-day session.

Often legislators insist that they work long hours and work out of session.Many of us worked as hard orharderbut never got paid the $1,000 a day legislators will soon make. Additionally they have one of the best retirement plans of any state worker.

Hawaii’s politicians should be paid the average weekly wage, and at the federal level, the average national weekly wage earned by the public they serve.

Earl Arakaki
Ewa Beach