2 arrested during school furlough sit-in at Hawaii governor’s office as protest continues

Another day of protest at Hawaii gov’s office

HONOLULU — Parents angry about Hawaii’s shortest-in-the-nation school year entered the seventh day of their sit-in at Gov. Linda Lingle’s office Wednesday despite arrests of two protesters the night before and the issuance of several trespassing citations.

The protesters — camped in the lobby of Lingle’s office for five of the past seven days — are upset about the budget-cutting education furloughs approved last year.

As a result, Hawaii students go to school four days in most weeks, and the state owns the distinction of having the shortest instructional calendar in the nation, with just 163 days.

Lingle warned the demonstrators Tuesday that they risked arrest if they already have been cited twice and tried to remain in her office past closing hours. Later that night, state sheriff’s deputies issued more citations to eight adults and arrested two other adults, both University of Hawaii students.

“It was so revealing of the way that (Lingle) perceives both parents students and community members who are concerned about public education,” Vernadette Gonzalez, one of the cited parents, said Wednesday. “It seems so counterproductive and willfully dismissive of what we are trying to do.”

Twenty-four parents and other adults have been cited at least once, including the two arrested college students, said May Andrade, a spokeswoman for the state Department of Public Safety.

As of noon Wednesday, a half-dozen parents and adults, and one young child, were camped in the governor’s office.

The frustrated parents are hoping to prod the Republican governor into making a more public push to end furloughs.

“We know that she holds the power of the purse. She’s the one who can release emergency funds to get rid of the furloughs for this school year,” said Jill Tao, 45, who has two sons in public school. “We’re parents. We’re tired of having our children furloughed. We want it done now.”

Thirteen days have been lost in the current school year, with four more furlough days slated in the coming weeks. Another 17 days are scheduled for the school year that begins in the fall.

The only state with a statewide school district, Hawaii has been known for its less-than-stellar performance on education. The furloughs have made the situation worse, forcing parents to take days off from work or scramble to find other activities to keep their children educated or entertained.

The furloughs were the result of a labor pact signed last year by state education officials and the Hawaii State Teachers Association after Lingle cut allocations for public education to help close a severe budget shortfall. Lingle signed off on the labor contract.

But the resulting public outcry forced more negotiations to eliminate the furlough days, which have dragged on for months. The stalemate has left the parents who are conducting the sit-in fuming and frustrated — mostly at the governor.

Lingle, the state’s first Republican governor in 40 years, has tried to deflect the parents’ anger toward the teachers union, which she feels is more responsible for the continuing furloughs.

The governor has offered a $62 million deal that would eliminate the remaining 21 furlough days by bringing back teachers, nurses, security guards and other essential workers.

But the union and the state Board of Education have already inked another pact costing $92 million that would bring back all 23,000 education employees. The governor insists the still-strapped state can’t afford it and refuses to release that much money.