• Test preparation risks • ‘Watchyootink?’ • Audit administration’s mismanagement of path • Democrats lie too Test preparation risks Recently, Mr. Jose Bulatao Jr. wrote a fine letter questioning the wisdom of the No Child Left Behind Act and its
• Test preparation risks
• ‘Watchyootink?’
• Audit administration’s mismanagement of path
• Democrats lie too
Test preparation risks
Recently, Mr. Jose Bulatao Jr. wrote a fine letter questioning the wisdom of the No Child Left Behind Act and its application (“Let’s do it right,” Letters, Oct. 16). I happen to agree with his concern that focusing myopically on testable standards and measurable student learning outcomes can be problematic. One of the dangers, of course, is that students and teachers who resist learning and teaching exclusively in preparation for the next test risk falling behind any competition offering no such resistance. This can create a stifling homogeneity of teaching and learning, and ultimately to a homogeneity of teachers and students.
But then, that’s just my view. As Mr. Bulatao’s letter suggests, not everyone thinks alike. There are as many definitions of a proper education as there are parents, a fact which has led to all sorts of disagreement and controversy over public education, forced teachers to adhere to incompatible directives, and created a cottage industry of alternative schooling to address the variety of needs. One of the obvious trends in education, aside from the full-court press toward “accountability,” is that parents are demanding more personal choice when it comes to their child’s education.
What if, as a temporary experiment, we gave it to them? The state and federal government could return all tax money collected in the name of education back to the taxpayer. Then every parent could dedicate these released funds to the education of their children as they see fit. To make the idea more palatable, we could even call these returned tax dollars “vouchers,” which could be spent on home schooling materials, or a denominational school, or whatever alternative best fits each parent’s plans for their kids. Maybe the financial investment in their kid’s education might foster a greater emotional investment, more parent involvement in schools, and allow parents to take charge of the way their child’s school is being run.
Alistair McManis
Lawa‘i
‘Watchyootink?’
Some people saying ony haoles protesing da Supaferry.
As not true. So if you born and raised preemuch, especially if you one ol taima, I like discuss dis issue wid you.
Kaua‘i wen shua change yeh? I rememba, small keed time, when da choo choo trains used to pull cane between the houses in Waipouli an den cross da road right by wea Chevron service station stay now. I rememba when had rice growing in Wailua Valley, when da ony traffic light was in da Kekaha cane feel.
Rememba? When had plenny maile, mokihana an limu kohu, when had da small, sweet, purple lilikoi, Japanese family stoas and Filipino babas all ova.
Den pineapple an shuga stahted dying out. Tourism and hotels stahted coming up. Now get beeg stoas and beeg developments. Open space disappearing, traffic I no need tell you, infrastrukcha ovaloaded.
None of dis da Supaferry fault. But da Supaferry coming widout one EIS, as the last straw. As disrespectful to da ocean an da aina. Rememba da ol Hawaiian song, “Kaua‘i, hemolele i ka malie,” perfect in da calm? I no like Kaua‘i come like eryplace else. So I going continue to, peacefully, protes da Supaferry, unless dey do da right ting.
How about you? Watchyootink?
Lloyd Miyashiro
Kapa‘a
Audit administration’s mismanagement of path
It’s the Administration’s own mismanagement that leads folks like council members Mel Rapozo and Shaylene Iseri-Carvalho to call for an audit on our behalf.
If there aren’t any more “mistakes” that need to be corrected, than why oppose an audit? The citizens of Kaua‘i, if you ask me, deserve an audit as much as we deserve (and want) a path. In the end, nobody wants a good thing like a citizen’s path, to be put back in our faces by developers to get around our permitting processes. No after-the-fact permitting. No exceptions. Not even for a good thing like our citizens’ path. And, surely not for our own County Administration approved by its own internal departments.
Additionally, who’s regulating the path right now while it’s officially “not open” — but, being used extensively? Who’s liable? Why are we (the county) being sued over a Glover employee who hurt his leg while working on the path?
I’ve been watching the council meetings. Good people who support the path need to stop going after good councilmembers like Rapozo and Iseri-Carvalho who are brave and “pono” in their attempts to stand up to the administration on behalf of us citizens; and more importantly, on behalf of future citizens.
Let’s open our minds and think of a distant, truly sustainable future where the county leads by being a good, responsible and totally transparent example.
Please think this through, good people of Kaua‘i. Doing it right only strengthens the investment we’re making for our distant futures. An audit is simply a tool of transparency and accountability that helps assure us.
Let’s do this right. Support the audit.
P.S. With the way The Garden Island has misrepresented this issue and targeted Rapozo and Iseri-Carvalho, I’m not hopeful that this letter will even be printed. We’ll see.
KipuKai Kuali‘i
Lihu‘e
Democrats lie too
I found it very interesting that when Rush Limbaugh made a remark about a phony soldier, (one who had faked his service and had never been to Iraq) 44 Democrats whined and cried that he was demeaning all of our military and signed a letter to Clear Channel Communications that he publicly apologize and or be fired.
Had it been true their complaint would have been worthy.
Obviously not true.
I recall that when Rep. Jack Murtha loudly proclaimed that a bunch of Marines butchered a group of innocent Iraqis that they were guilty of murder. When all charges were dropped not a word from Murtha or the Democrats. Perhaps I’m just biased, but murder versus insulting or demeaning someone just seems comparing apples versus oranges. To my best recollection not one single Democrat including Murtha apologized. That somehow seems that a lie is not worthy of issue unless it’s a Republican.
Bob Yount
Kalaheo
