Sometimes, there is victory in not being endorsed. For Sherwood Hara of Hanapepe, seeking to return to the state Board of Education after a several-year absence, the fact that the Hawai’i State Teachers Association did not endorse the Kaua’i incumbent,
Sometimes, there is victory in not being endorsed.
For Sherwood Hara of
Hanapepe, seeking to return to the state Board of Education after a
several-year absence, the fact that the Hawai’i State Teachers Association did
not endorse the Kaua’i incumbent, Dr. Mitsugi Nakashima of Kalaheo, the board
chairman, is a win.
“I see it as a very positive thing,” Hara said of the
teacher union’s decision to not endorse any of the three candidates (the third
is Bill Georgi of Kalaheo) vying for the Kaua’i board seat.
Hara sees a
plus in the fact the union would not endorse the incumbent, adding that during
his face-to-face interview, the Kaua’i HSTA board felt “I was in their
corner.”
“I guess I’m disappointed,” Nakashima said of not being endorsed.
“I guess I didn’t say the things they wanted to hear” during his
interview.
While he supports smaller class sizes, he said he told the
teachers that the 18-to-1 student-teacher ratio is probably an unrealistic goal
in the face of other “crying needs” in public education.
He knows that
wasn’t a popular answer with the teachers, but it is the way he feels, he
said.
Georgi couldn’t be reached for comment.
According to Danielle
Lum, HSTA spokeswoman, none of the Kaua’i candidates interviewed fit the
criteria for “political recommendations.”
“For the time being, we couldn’t
support any of the candidates,” said Lum.
She said willingness to work with
teachers, how the candidates did during the interview process, whether or not
the candidates sought HSTA endorsement, and other factors are combined when a
selection is to be made.
The candidates were evaluated on how they answered
questions on issues important to teachers, like strengthening public education,
ensuring the health and safety of children, maximizing student learning and
respecting school employees.
Candidates also filled out a
questionnaire.
The endorsement process will be resumed before the general
election, she said. In the primary election Sept. 23, one of the three Kaua’i
candidates will be eliminated, as the top two vote-getters advance to the
general in November.
Local HSTA boards interview candidates, then make
recommendations to the state board of directors, Lum explained. If candidates
pass state board muster, the names are sent out for affirmation or rejection by
the entire statewide membership of around 13,000 public-school
teachers.
There are about 1,000 public-school teachers on Kaua’i, and here
and statewide some 97 percent of all public-school teachers are HSTA members,
Lum noted.
In addition to Board of Education reviews, the three Kaua’i
incumbents in the state House of Representatives all gained HSTA endorsement:
Rep. Mina Morita (D-12th District), Rep. Ezra Kanoho (D-13th District), and
Rep. Bertha Kawakami (D-14th District.
“Every educational decision is a
political decision, so it is vitally important for teachers to support and help
elect candidates who will operate in the best interests of children and
teachers,” said Karen Ginoza, HSTA president.
HSTA also endorsed Big Island
Board of Education incumbent Herbert Watanabe. He is challenged by Nani
Quintana-Davies.
According to Board of Education voting rules, all voters
may cast votes for neighbor island candidates, meaning Kaua’i voters during
both the primary and general will be able to vote for the Big Island, Maui and
Kaua’i candidates.
The Maui board member, Mike Victorino, resigned to seek
a seat on the Maui County Council. The candidacy filing deadline for those
interested in seeking the Maui board seat is Sept. 18. As of Tuesday morning,
Brian K. Blundell, Meyer M. Ueoka (who has held that seat before) and William
Myers had filed.
Staff writer Paul C. Curtis can be reached at
245-3681 (ext. 224) and [
HREF=”mailto:pcurtis@pulitzer.net”>pcurtis@pulitzer.net]
