SHAPIRO MISLEADS ABOUT CHARTERS

In his Sept. 30 blog, David Shapiro misinforms his readers about Hawaii's charter schools, the Department and Board of Education.

Shapiro claims "the DOE has slashed per-pupil funding to the charter schools this year to about $5,530, down 33 percent from the $8,149 they received in 2007-08" and below the $11,000 given to DOE students.

The Legislature, not the DOE, determines the charter school funding. Also, Shapiro fails to account for millions of dollars charters receive from sources such as Office of Hawaiian Affairs and DOE expenditures on charters such as special education services and payment of the state's share of health insurance and retirement benefits for their employees.

Shapiro is wrong that charters "have been socked with a 14 percent furlough restriction, even though furloughs in the DOE were only 7.9 percent."

As separate agencies, the charters and the DOE were each restricted 14 percent of their budgets by Governor Lingle. The Board, the Department, the Hawaii State Teachers Association and the governor agreed to furloughs in a contract that translates to a 7.9 percent pay cut for teachers. The Board cut millions of dollars more from the Department to meet the 14 percent restriction.

Similarly, charters must work with local school boards to comply with the 14 percent shortfall, as well as legislative restrictions that lowered charters' per-pupil spending this year to $5,530 from $7,588, excluding DOE sources.

Finally, Shapiro writes "(a) series of charter school administrators have either quit or been fired by the Board of Education in an endlessly contentious working relationship." Local school boards, not the BOE, are in charge of personnel actions regarding charter administrators and staff, while the Charter School Review Panel selects the Executive Director of the Charter School Administrative Office.

The relationship between charter schools and the BOE continues to evolve with all of us working toward the same goal of a good public education for all children.

Carol Mon Lee, Chairwoman, Board of Education Committee on Legislation, Public Charter Schools & Public Libraries

Alvin Parker, Chair, Hawaii Charter School Review Panel | Honolulu

'CASSOWARY'

PLAY FOR KIDS MUCH BETTER THAN 'SO-SO'

I read with interest Joseph Rozmiarek's "so-so" review of "When the Cassowary Pooped," since I too attended the play with my preschooler. The next time Mr. Rozmiarek is reviewing a play intended for children ages 4 to 8, I will lend him one of my kids.

Glaringly absent from the review was the fact that the children were absolutely mesmerized by the production, which kept them squealing and laughing in delight for the full hour — no small feat for this young age group. The adults savored the children's pure joy and joined them in their laughter since the play was genuinely funny.

Perhaps more telling of the play's success is the fact that my son talked about it for the rest of the week. He sang the catchy "Gotta Catch a Cassowary" song and was able to recount the entire story line in vivid detail. He totally understood that the reason for the poop was to make the trees grow, and that the cassowary in particular produced the biggest poop, which made the biggest trees, so shelter could be provided for all of the animals.

As a parent of four children, I highly recommend this play.

Inger Kwaku | Hawaii Kai

FISHING MEETING

ARTICLE MISSED CONTEXT, DISCUSSION

I take exception to the article (Sept. 27) by your staff regarding the Oahu meeting at the Department of Land and Natural Resources regarding size limits and bag limits.

In the audience were four Oahu fishermen, two biologists, your staffer and HDAR staff. Yet comments by Mr. Harp of the Big Island and Mr. Tanaka of Maui are included in the article. They were not there, and the context and discussion of the meeting were completely missed!

Your paper continues to foist a campaign against those who seek to improve the process of managing our marine resources through interagency responsibility and much-needed science and brand them as being freedom-to-fish zealots. Give us a break! Investigate the habitat destruction that continues unabated in the pursuit of the almighty dollar and don't just blame the fishermen.

Roy N. Morioka | Honolulu

FISHERIES

MANY VOICES NEEDED TO MANAGE OCEANS

Mahalo to The Honolulu Advertiser for its Sept. 29 editorial advocating for an approach to ocean resources management that emphasizes fishing as a vital factor of life in the Pacific.

The Advertiser's editorial advances the newspaper's leadership role in seeking a balance among economic, cultural, recreational and conservation priorities with respect to the ocean's uses.

The editorial perceptively notes the cultural traditions that support continuation of fishing as a source of family food and economic livelihood in these islands and others in the Western Pacific.

It also relates that heritage to the community participation in decision-making process that continues today in the ahupuaa system of grassroots-level policy input.

The Hawaii State Legislature and Gov. Lingle supported this approach by forming the Aha Kiole Advisory Committee. The Western Pacific Fishery Management Council convened the Puwalu of cultural practitioners who called for the renaissance of the aha moku system of resource management that this committee is pursuing.

Throughout the Pacific, the debate that is taking place among fishing and environmental interests should be guided by The Advertiser's advocacy of good sense today and respect for the wisdom of the past in ensuring that fishing and its consumers keep their place at the table.

Kitty M. Simonds | Executive Director, Western Pacific Fishery Management Council