Yes, there are more ways to support teachers besides just increasing salaries (“More ways to support teachers besides just increasing salaries,” Star-Advertiser, Island Voices, Dec. 8).
I left teaching high school years ago for two reasons: lack of support from administrators in the matter of classroom discipline, and the trend toward giving power over educational policy to non-teachers.
Teachers are trained and skilled, but inadequately paid for their expertise, it is true. However, their teaching time has been reduced by offloading the job of paperwork and student discipline on their work time. Discipline is the job of the school administration, which is politically averse to set boundaries on kids in fear of parental blowback. Paperwork should be done by secretarial and aide help.
Teaching has historically been a female job and thus underpaid and undervalued. Salaries will not support a family or a mortgage. Subsidize teacher housing and you will fill positions.
Jean E. Rosenfeld
Downtown Honolulu
Delicate balance of aina needed for green energy
It has been heartbreaking to watch very respectable members in my community in handcuffs because they are trying to protect our children from the giant wind turbines in Kahuku.
AES can repeatedly say that it got a permit; however, the Land Board and the state have made many, many mistakes before in granting permits. I hope our communities can remember what happened to Leilani Estates and Puna — green energy can only be renewable if it’s safe to coexist in a fragile ecosystem/environment.
As the winds bring forth the Kahuku community together with Kalaeloa, Mauna A Wakea, Hanapepe and Hunananiho, allow us to respect the winds of our ancestors the ahamanu to gather the birds rather than use this ahamanu for profit. Let’s be gentle and safe when utilizing green energy, and be careful with our steps so we do not trample over the sacred.
Kaylene Sheldon
Kaaawa
Wahine win deserved better than Warriors loss
The front page of Sunday’s Star- Advertiser had about a quarter-inch banner at the top announcing that the victorious Wahine volleyball team is headed to the Sweet 16 — quite an accomplishment — but nearly 5 inches were devoted to announcing the loss of the University of Hawaii football team with a large photo from the game.
On the sports page, the Wahine victory was covered in about 3 inches, with a photo, but except for a few items on the bottom of the page, the rest of the page was devoted to the football loss, with a huge headline and a large photo. The Wahine’s win, continuing in a national tournament, is more significant than playing in a conference championship.
Perhaps since this is a local paper, the Wahine volleyball team victory could get more coverage than the Warrior football team loss. Let’s emphasize the positive, shall we?
James Metz
Makiki
Limiting city prosecutor to 2 terms would go far
We need to limit the term of the Honolulu prosecutor to only two terms. I would like to know which candidates are willing to put the people in front of their own political and financial gain.
Also, it would be nice to have a member of the prosecutor’s office attend neighborhood board meetings. We see the Police Department and Fire Department at every neighborhood board meeting; why not the prosecutor’s office?
Hopefully, the candidates for the Honolulu prosecutor’s office will consider some of these idea to make the office something that we can be proud of again.
Radford Fujioka
Pearl City
Gabbard is missing key votes, so should resign
As a former supporter of U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, I believe she should resign her position as representative from Hawaii in her run for president. She continues to consistently miss votes on key isssues.
We should have a representative who can represent Hawaii who is able to consistently vote on key issues.
Thomas Yagi
Kailua
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SHARE YOUR RANDOM ACT OF KINDNESS
“Pay it forward”: a situation in which the recipient of an unexpected good deed pays forward a kindness to someone else.
In this season of goodwill, think about it: Have you ever benefited from a “pay it forward” gesture, which in turn inspired you to bestow a random act of kindness?
If so, let us know in a 150-word letter to the editor, or in a well-written essay (500-600 words) — and submit it by Dec. 16 via email to letters@staradvertiser.com, or via snail mail to 500 Ala Moana Blvd., #7-210, Honolulu, HI, 96813, c/o Letters. A collection of these will run on Dec. 22.
