No one who knows why Gov. Josh Green removed Bruce Voss as chair of the state Board of Education is talking openly about the reasons. And observers say the lack of transparency over Voss’ replacement with business leader Warren Haruki is a troubling sign for the board that oversees Hawaii’s nearly 300 public schools.

The Education Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawaii is expected today to finalize a letter to Green pressing for an explanation. The caucus also expects to issue a resolution calling on the board under Haruki to push hard on major initiatives created during Voss’ tenure, such as a new six-year strategic plan for the public schools.

Haruki “comes from a very corporate background,” said state Rep. Jeanne Kapela (D-Naalehu-­Captain Cook-Keauhou), a member of the state House Education Committee and vice chair of the Higher Education and Technology Committee. “These people that serve on the Board of Education are stakeholders for public education across the state, and he has never served in that capacity. … How will that impact his decisions? And will he put all children’s interests before his business interests or before the interests of his powerful friends in the Senate or in the Legislature?”

Hawaii political analyst Neal Milner said the absence of sunshine on Voss’ removal and Haruki’s installment “is harmful” because it leaves residents to buy into conspiracy theories or disparage the development as political deal-making. “In a situation in which thousands of kids and their parents are affected and you’re making a sort of major change … it would be essential (for the public) to know why,” Milner said.

Green announced via a news release June 2 that he is appointing three interim members to the unpaid nine-member volunteer board that sets statewide educational policy for Hawaii’s public school system. Along with Haruki, they are Kahele Dukelow, dean of arts and sciences at the University of Hawaii’s Maui College, and Shanty Asher of Honolulu, a current BOE member who would be serving a second consecutive term.

The fact that Haruki would replace Voss as chair was buried at the end of the second paragraph in Green’s news release.

While Green’s announcement also said that Voss would “continue to serve as an at-large member,” Voss told the Honolulu Star-­Advertiser late that day that he in fact will resign June 30 so Green can choose another board member.

Voss’ board term was supposed to run until June 30, 2025. He has served seven years on the board, one as chair. The last regular BOE meeting Voss will run takes place Thursday. The appointments are effective July 1, but considered interim until they are approved by the state Senate at its next session in 2024.

Haruki and Dukelow will succeed board members Lynn Fallin (at-large) and Kili Namau‘u (Maui County), whose terms end June 30. The departures of Voss, Fallin and Namau‘u at once are expected to shift the tone of the board, since they have often asked tough questions of DOE officials, and emphasized clarity and accountability.

Voss’ sudden replacement with Haruki “was jarring,” said Kris Coffield, chair of the Democratic education caucus, especially because Voss had just led the board in completing the yearlong process of creating the new strategic plan that sets the improvement goals for the public schools for the next six years. “Out of nowhere, there’s this new chair (Haruki) who comes in with no real education background, aside from the (nonprofit Public Schools of Hawaii) Foundation,” Coffield said.

Kapela also said Voss would have been the logical choice to remain board chair to keep the state Department of Education accountable as the strategic plan is implemented. “Now he is being replaced by someone who has had no role in that process,” she said.

Whether Voss offended by making tough demands for accountability on state Schools Superintendent Keith Hayashi and other DOE officials, or whether certain legislators asked for a new board chair, are among questions being discussed by political observers, Coffield and others said.

Green’s office did not address questions from the Star-Advertiser about why Voss was replaced, or what kinds of changes Green wants Haruki to bring to the board, department or public schools.

Green’s response to the Star-Advertiser’s request for comment was a written statement attributed to Green, sent by spokesperson Erika Engle: “Chair Voss successfully led the board’s transition to a new superintendent, oversaw the development of a six-year strategic plan, and secured approval for the implementation plan. We commend his leadership and now believe it’s the perfect time for Warren Haruki to lead the board in elevating Hawaii’s public education system, given his demonstrated skills and experience.”

Green said in a separate media interview that Haruki was “highly recommended by some of the legislative leadership.”

State Sen. Michelle Kidani, chair of the Senate Education Committee, did not immediately respond Tuesday to an emailed request for comment. State Sen. Donovan Dela Cruz, chair of the Senate Ways and Means Committee, was traveling on Tuesday and was not immediately available to comment, a staff member said.

Voss, an attorney and former TV journalist, was a strong advocate for Hayashi in May 2022 when a divided Board of Education in an often-contentious 12-hour session ultimately chose Hayashi over two other finalists to become permanent state superintendent of Hawaii’s public schools.

To the question of whether Hayashi asked Green to appoint a new board chair, DOE communications director Nanea Kalani responded with an emailed statement from Hayashi: “The governor appoints the board chair and the department works collaboratively with whoever is appointed to lead the Board of Education. Board Chair Voss and all of the members of the board have high expectations of the department — as is their role and responsibility — to best serve our students and schools.

“I’ve worked hard to strengthen my relationships with all board members during my tenure, including with the board chair. I’ve appreciated his leadership and service and I look forward to continuing to work with the board to elevate public education.”

Voss has declined to comment on his removal and Haruki’s appointment.

Haruki did not respond to Star-Advertiser requests for an interview. BOE Executive Director Alison Kunishige said by email that since Haruki’s term as chair begins July 1, “he is not providing statements as board chairperson at this time.”

“The Board has adopted a strategic plan and vision for public education in Hawaii and an implementation plan, which provides ample information on the direction that the board and department will be moving in going forward,” Kunishige continued.

She quoted Haruki as saying, “The current chair Bruce Voss remains as chair until June 30th. Till then, my role is to learn more about the strategic plan and its implementation, board governance matters, to familiarize myself with the DOE leadership, and to listen to the numerous stakeholders, all of whom are passionate about the need for quality and meaningful public education.”

The stakes are high for the position of chair of the state Board of Education. Hawaii’s statewide system of 258 public schools serves 156,500 students, with nearly 40,000 full- and part-time employees, with an operating budget of $2.6 billion and a capital improvement budget of $576 million.

The board also selects and evaluates the state schools superintendent, as well as the state librarian, who heads the state’s 51 library branches. In addition, the board appoints members of the Hawaii State Public Charter School Commission, which oversees 37 public charter schools with 12,100 students statewide.

And Hawaii’s public schools are at a critical juncture.

Among the myriad challenges: pandemic learning loss; persistent student absenteeism; a chronic teacher shortage; deep disparities in learning for disadvantaged student populations; large cuts to the public-school budget in this year’s Legislature; looming deadlines to spend millions of dollars in federal pandemic aid; and pressure to keep Hawaii one of the few places in the nation with no school shootings.

Green’s announcement said Haruki has a reputation as an “effective collaborator and data-driven decision­-maker” and “has led several companies to improved performance and financial success, including most recently for Grove Farm on Kauai.” Haruki also was CEO of Maui Land and Pineapple Co. from 2009 to this year; trustee and chair of the Parker Ranch Foundation Trust from 2004 to 2012; a founding member of the Public Schools of Hawaii Foundation; and a member of various corporate and nonprofit boards.

Milner said Green, like nearly any incoming top executive, appears to be trying to make his mark by making key organizational changes.

But even Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke and several other community leaders said they were caught off guard by Green’s abrupt announcement of the change in board leadership.

“The move was a surprise for me,” Luke said in a recent Star-Advertiser interview. Voss “had already been attending Ready Keiki (preschool) initiative meetings and he has been a strong supporter, and for the first time I felt with the Ready Keiki initiative that everybody was aligned. … So we’re hopeful that whoever ends up coming to the Ready Keiki meetings on behalf of the board will be just as supportive and excited to be a partner.”

Osa Tui Jr., president of the Hawaii State Teachers Association, said the union also was “unaware this was coming” and shared the concern that Haruki’s background in the public schools is scant. “We’re not sure what brought this about. But we look forward to working with the incoming chair to address issues that have been long-standing,” such as special education and the teacher shortage, Tui said.