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November, 1979 | December, 1979 |
 Season's Hottest Ticket - Maka Maka MixerCalendarFrom Our President (Jean Ko)Pass the WordNovember Units: Juvenile JusticeTransportation Update (Dorothy Lum)Looking at Consolidation (Jean Aoki)Question of Procedure (Karla Telfer)Membership |
A Question of ProcedureWhat is the question? The BOE will be voting on the following question: Should Noelani and Manoa be consolidated? A separate question is yet to be considered. Will Noelani become the site of the permanent home for the University of Hawaii Law School? The District School Advisory Council of Honolulu on Friday, October 19th, voted 3-2 recommending consolidation. Valerie Mendes, DSAC member, said, "The state's economic situation must be considered..."* Marvin Dang, DSAC member and attorney, voted for consolidation saying, "I believe that I represent not only the interest of Manoa, but also the interests of all of Hawaii's parents, teachers, students, and other taxpayers." A reason for consolidation is to reduce school expenses. This may be an excellent way to reduce costs, but are we sure? What studies have been done deciding how to use empty classrooms? Although school populations have been decreasing, the need for classroom space has not. Coming into the schools are handicapped children. Educators are looking into the need for public programs for 3 to 5 year olds. Older adults would like classrooms available during the day because they fear going out at night. '.Where will these new programs be located? Why, of all the schools with decreasing enrollment, is Noelani being selected to be the first to go? The proposal did not come from the BOE. Senator Ben Cayetano, chairman of the Senate Ways and Leans Committee originally made the proposal to locate the law school on the Noelani site.* It seems only logical that a state plan be constructed re- garding what to do about decreasing enrollment taking into consideration fiscal responsibility, new programs, and what the public wants and expects from public education. The BOE has a committee studying decreasing enrollment. Its first meeting was September 21, 1979, with a target date of late December, 1979, to compile a report with recommendations based on its studies and hearings. A precedent may be set by the decision of Manoa and Noelani. This is an important decision. Barbara Yuen, DSAC member, opposed the consolidation saying that it is a "matter which should not be rushed into."* The problem, it seems, is not whether Noelani should or should not become the site of the law school, but the procedures used and lack of studies to support these procedures.
Karla Telfer * Quotes and information from an article by Hildegard Verploegen, Honolulu Star Bulletin (October 20, 1979) |
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