HSTA

CONTRACT VIOLATES FOURTH AMENDMENT

Several years ago, in my classroom, a Department of Education employee who was working with one of my students seemed to be acting strange and out of it.

The DOE has a procedure to address such concerns, so I contacted the school administration. They responded quickly, observed the employee and removed the person from my classroom. I am glad a system is in place that addresses suspicious behaviors.

Last week, the teachers of Hawai'i had to decide whether to ratify a contract that included random drug testing. Yes, random. No suspicious behavior, no probable cause. Gov. Linda Lingle stated it was non-negotiable.

No contract in my 30 years as a teacher has ever included a violation of the Constitution of the United States. The Fourth Amendment says, "The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized."

BLAME GOV. LINGLE, NOT UNION, FOR PROVISION

Those who criticize the Hawai'i State Teachers Association as having "bargained away" their civil rights are misguided.

What HSTA bargained for teachers was a contract proposal that included a pay raise.

It was Gov. Linda Lingle's idea to tie that pay raise to random drug testing on a take-it-or-leave-it basis.

If the controversial package had not been submitted to the rank and file, thousands of teachers would have been disappointed they were not given a chance to decide for themselves whether to accept or reject it.

The decision to send it out to teachers for a vote was entirely reasonable. Instead of criticizing HSTA, those upset with random drug testing should direct their anger at the true source of their frustration.

WAR NEWS

OUR TROOPS ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN MIDEAST

Every day, we hear of the bad things that are happening to our military in Iraq and Afghanistan. The constant news of roadside bombs and shootings is depressing and discouraging.

It is hard for us in America to keep up our morale and support our troops when it looks like no progress is being made.

I know that our military is doing things in those places that we never hear about. Good things that are helping the people in those war-torn countries. Things like getting supplies sent for schools or sports equipment for neighborhoods.

I challenge you, The Honolulu Advertiser, to tell these stories, too. Give them the front page, print them in bold and show the American people that we are making a difference, one story at a time.

U.S. LEADERS CREATED FORMULA FOR DISASTER

Sen. John McCain is right about where things stand in Iraq today.

Sen. McCain is correct when he says he has "No Plan B," because neither he nor the president has any idea what to do next.

If their surge doesn't work, current U.S. policy in Iraq and much of the Middle East is a massive train wreck.

How can Iraq be fixed? It cannot be "fixed."

No one wishes America to fail, but we cannot continue to bury our heads in the sand. What we must fix is our degraded Army and our cannibalized National Guard, and we need to do it before the next hurricane comes.

The plain fact is, there is no military solution to the problems of Iraq. Nor are there any wholly satisfactory political options, although politics will eventually determine the outcome.

The truculence, incompetence, and prevarication of the principal actors in this national tragedy — indeed, the hubris of Bush and Cheney — have managed to produce a formula for disaster.

The Balkans of the early 20th century have now been replaced by Middle East of the early 21st century as the mother of future world wars.

RX AUTHORITY

MUST BE MORE SLOTS FOR RURAL PSYCHIATRISTS

I am writing regarding SB 1004, relating to psychologists obtaining prescriptive privileges. I oppose this bill.

The psychologists who support this bill state there is a shortage of psychiatrists to prescribe medications in rural areas.

Actually, there are many psychiatrists who serve rural areas. I fly to Moloka'i once a week to provide child and adolescent psychiatric services in the public schools there.

What the proponents of the bill fail to reveal is that there are psychologists, and not psychiatrists, in certain rural areas because there are funded jobs for psychologists, but not for psychiatrists.

Long before my current job on Moloka'i, I tried to get a psychiatric job there. But, none of the established clinics on the island had any jobs for psychiatrists, even though they had positions available for psychologists.

There need to be more jobs created in rural areas for psychiatrists.

Or, perhaps, more psychologists could go to medical school to learn to safely prescribe medications.

Let's not discriminate against the people living in rural areas by giving them lesser medical care than people in Honolulu.

RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY

SOMETHING'S NOT RIGHT IN DETERMINING VALUE

Something smells about the how the value of a home is determined.

In the April 26 Advertiser, Mr. Ted Kanemori says that he bought his home 36 years ago for $25,000. That $25,000 in 2007 dollars is $125,309. If he has lived in his home all those years, he should be taxed only on the home's actual value. However, his tax rate might be higher, because the tax rate is based on the budget.

Now, if someone is nuts enough to pay $849,000 for Mr. Kanemori's house, then that's the value the new owner accepts as the value he will pay taxes on.

If we added 8 percent a year to the value of Mr. Kanemori's house since 1971, that would come to about $400,000. That would be a fair selling price, and Mr. Kanemori would have made a very good profit on his original $25,000 investment.

The question is, how much influence does the real estate industry have on the current system we use to set a value on someone's home? How much they make depends on the highest value possible.

BENNETT CONFIRMATION

NEPOTISM COMMENTS WERE IRRESPONSIBLE

In the online article, "Bennett reconfirmed as Hawai'i attorney general" (April 24), The Advertiser, under the guise of reporting the "only criticism of Bennett," intimates there may be real concern about nepotism because Mark Bennett's wife, Patricia Ohara, works in the Attorney General's Office. That is incorrect and irresponsible.

Ohara has been a highly regarded deputy attorney general since 1984 — almost two decades before Bennett became attorney general.

She was a deputy before she married Bennett.

She is a qualified attorney who stands on her own merits. Ohara does not need, nor ask for, special treatment from the attorney general.

The April 24 article devoted as many column inches to the innuendo about nepotism as it did to the real news — that the Senate unanimously confirmed Bennett's second term upon overwhelming supporting testimony.

TRAFFIC SAFETY

TO SAVE LIVES, DRIVE ACTIVELY, NOT PASSIVELY

Although the law requiring cars to yield to pedestrians at intersections has good intentions, recent pedestrian fatalities seemed to involve drivers who never saw the pedestrian in the first place.

Education is key to prevent such accidents.

Drivers should make it a habit to look in the direction they are traveling. When making a right turn, for example, don't keep looking at the oncoming car to your left. Look to your right before your car rolls to the right. Ditto when making a left turn. Don't just watch the oncoming cars, but actually look to your left before turning.

Also, be aware of the blind spot in front of the left or right pillar of your windshield. A pedestrian can be walking right there. When approaching a crosswalk in the middle of the road, scan the crosswalk from left to right. Drive actively, not passively.

Finally, rushing tends to make you go first and look later. If you don't see the pedestrian when turning a corner, 30 miles per hour is likely fatal, while 5 miles an hour could be survivable.

MUSICIANS

PARADE OF ORCHESTRAS SHOWED YOUNG TALENT

Hawai'i can be very proud of the fine talent of so many students. The Parade of Orchestras held on Saturday, April 21, displayed what passionate teachers can draw from their students.

These dedicated teachers kindled the talent of these fine, young musicians, who played not only with their hands and heads, but more with their hearts.

Every student and instructor who performed must be congratulated for their outstanding performances.

Elden Seta, conductor from Moanalua High School, has instilled in each student that "they can do it!"

Mr. Seta draws the best from each student, and makes everyone in the audience proud that these students are making such wonderful music.

Thank you, teachers, thank you, students, for a job well done.