• Commend Kalalau Trail volunteer, don’t punish him • Teachers are professionals, not criminals Commend Kalalau Trail volunteer, don’t punish him Every year, my friends and I visit Hawai‘i for two weeks, normally during the Christmas Season. This year was
• Commend Kalalau Trail volunteer, don’t punish him
• Teachers are professionals, not criminals
Commend Kalalau Trail volunteer, don’t punish him
Every year, my friends and I visit Hawai‘i for two weeks, normally during the Christmas Season. This year was no different. A number of us decided to hike part, or all, of the Kalalau Trail along Na Pali Coast of Kaua‘i.
We have all hiked the Kalalau Trail in the past, and have found it in the following condition: not well maintained, extremely narrow in areas, washed out at many locations, filled with thousands of pounds of trash at camping locations, and in complete disarray. This is very sad, and frankly pathetic, as most trails in third-world countries are in better shape than this world-famous trail. In fact, this trail is one of the highlights promoted by your state.
The permits to hike this year cost $90 and with the thousands of hikers who obtain permits each year the state collects hundreds of thousands of dollars in fees. And yet there is no evidence whatsoever that maintenance is being done on the trail.
Yes, there is a new bathroom being built at the head of the trail (which does nothing for hikers who travel the trail), when the old one was just fine. There have been hikers who have been injured, and killed, because of the horrid trail conditions.
In a guidebook I recently read for preparation for this year’s trip, the authors mentioned that a former Marine was spending months on the trail repairing it. I read this with great enthusiasm, not knowing that I would actually get to meet this selfless individual and see him doing maintenance in person.
On the trail, at approximately the 9-mile mark, I found former Marine William “Bill” Summers widening and stabilizing the trail. For over a year and a half he has worked 10, 12 or 14 hours per day. Although most parts of the trail are a mere two-feet wide, Bill had over half a dozen heavy tools (including shovels, picks, axes and sledgehammers) and even a large, heavy wheel barrow. Just bringing these tools 9 miles down the trail is unbelievable. For over half a year now, Bill has been repairing and replacing parts of the trail, all at no compensation whatsoever. In addition, he’s moved over 10 tons of earth (over 17 months) to recreate a helicopter pad to help evacuate injured hikers.
In addition, the state knows that feral goats have been denuding the cliffs along the Kalalau trail, making the trail ugly, destroying the land, and creating conditions for rock and mud slides. Has the state done anything? Of course not. But again, Bill did. He brought along a bow and arrow, and hunted them down when he came across them.
So, what has the great state of Hawai‘i done to support, commend or acknowledge his selfless and very hard work making the trail safe for residents and visitors alike? Paid him? No. Given him a plaque and letter of appreciation? No. Made him a small hut to stay in while he does his work (that the state should be doing)? No. They’ve given him three tickets.
No, you say, this is simply impossible. No state official, considering the spirit of the law, would dare give him a ticket. But yes. In fact, to add massive insult to injury, they landed their helicopter on the helicopter pad he rebuilt to give him the ticket. For shame.
By the way, there are over a dozen people who live in the Kalalau Valley (at the end of the trail) illegally, and nothing is ever done besides issuing tickets twice a year. Their illegal camps aren’t even moved or destroyed, because officials who issue tickets are so lazy. If the government wants to go after people who destroy the land living back there, they should go after these squatters who live there illegally all year long. One guy has been back there over 20 years.
Six of us, who have all signed below, are asking the court to throw out all three tickets (two for being on the trail without a permit and one for having a bow and arrow without permit). We are also asking the court to have his bow and arrows returned.
If the court decides to act differently, the six of us vow to stop visiting the Hawaiian Islands permanently (and all six of us visit every single year for the last 15-plus years, at least once a year). Each of us spends almost $10,000 on the local Hawaiian economy, so that will result in a loss of over $60,000 per year, at a time when tourism is down approximately 40 percent.
We also urge the court to thank him for his service, and instruct the Parks Department, and any other department that tickets violators, to leave Bill alone.
We all look forward to hearing from the court, and will be watching the decision of the court with great interest.
• Allan Abbott, Monterey, Calif.
• Gregory Abbott, Monterey, Calif.
• Ingrid Abbott, Monterey, Calif.
• Michael Abbott, Pebble Beach, Calif.
• Susan Coleman, Pebble Beach, Calif.
• Carl Chase, Seaside, Calif.
Teachers are professionals, not criminals
I applaud Jeff Knope for his letter about teachers and his rebuttal to Howard Tolbe’s previous letter (“Love, not pay, draws teachers,” Letters, Dec. 31).
I am a teacher, and I was deeply insulted by the letter written suggesting teachers pay for their own drug testing and that we are in a “high paying profession.” He is obviously misinformed.
I received my bachelor’s degree with honors, went on to earn my teaching credential and then a master’s degree. Most of my colleagues have done the same.
We work for low pay in a job that is extremely demanding and taxing (the job doesn’t end at 5 p.m.). I work countless hours, spend my own money on supplies, and spend much of my time disciplining students when I should be using that time for teaching.
I do indeed love my seventh-graders, and I work hard to teach them the standards of education and to help mold them as individuals who can think critically and believe in themselves.
Teachers are often underappreciated in our culture, while they are objects of respect and honor in other cultures. It does indeed add insult to injury to suggest that we are drug tested.
In my opinion, drug testing is only warranted if an individual is under suspicion or has been cited for an indiscretion of some sort. Otherwise, it has no place in this profession, and that is the key word — profession.
Most teachers are extremely educated individuals who have spent years preparing for this profession, and we should be treated as the professionals that we are.
How about drug testing the parents of some disrespectful and unmotivated students instead of placing the burden on hard-working individuals who really do care and show it every day?
Teachers are entitled to respect and should be regarded as professionals, not criminals.
• Diane Gray, San Diego, Calif.
