Charter schools must be accountable

The escalating investigation at Myron B. Thompson Academy should serve as a reminder to all charter school administrators that the semi-autonomous institutions may seem like private schools to the relatively small communities they serve, but they remain fully accountable to the public — funded as they are by the taxpayers.

Allegations of theft and nepotism against Academy administrators certainly sully the reputation of the 10-year-old school, which helped pioneer online education in Hawaii, but should not deter expansion of that innovative mode of instruction for public-school students. Distance-learning utilizing the latest technology is a vital alternative for kids unsuited for conventional campuses, and holds great promise for all types of students.

Legislature comes to shipper’s rescue

It’s disconcerting that a bill was pushed through the Legislature in 2011, ever so quietly, that effectively restricts interisland cargo shipping to just one company.

Young Brothers, of course, is the beneficiary of the law, Act 213 (271G), which allegedly "clarified" earlier legislation regarding what is required for companies to engage in cargo shipping between the islands.

It was enacted shortly after the state Public Utilities Commission granted Pasha Hawaii Transport Lines a temporary, three-year certificate to conduct such business. The certificate was temporary so the PUC could study whether Young Brothers’ fears about competition would bear out. But the revised law made the rules so tough that Pasha decided to just quit the interisland trade rather than go for a permanent certificate.

Another effect of the law: The PUC may no longer grant interim certificates unless it’s a state emergency.