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Renewed Committment

I'm excited about the opportunity to continue my service on the Board of Education as an advocate for students.

During the last four years on the State Board of Education, I have had the honor of working to improve education for our students.  I consistently put the best interest of our students first.  I continually spoke against furloughing teachers and DOE personnel on student instructional days.  I voted for more inclusive protections for students against harassment and discrimination.  I advocated for providing increased funding to schools via the Weighted Student Formula.

On a personal level, I gained a wealth of knowledge about public education in Hawai`i: what works, what isn’t working, and most importantly, why.  This information, insight and analysis should not go to waste.

Four years ago I committed myself to keep the interest of students first.  I have to admit, the political process has been frustrating at times: weathering severe budget cuts by the Legislature and Governor, watching seasoned politicians play to headlines and sound bites at the expense of students, and protecting the constitutional rights of students, teachers and families from those very officials who took an oath to defend the Constitution.  

These challenges have affirmed my reason for serving: empowering students to become leaders in a community that values education.

I look forward to continuing to set and enforce policies that maximize educational opportunities for all students. I look forward to working with a legislature that has the courage to do what it must to fully fund a high-performing public education system. And, perhaps most importantly, I look forward to working with a governor who has the wisdom to recognize that the long-term investment in our future begins with our children and their education.