Republicans criticize failure of reform bill

By Lynda Arakawa
Advertiser Capitol Bureau

A bill that would have abolished the state Board of Education to make way for local school boards failed yesterday, prompting quick criticism from House and Senate Republicans.

Both Democrats and Republicans have touted the measure as a critical component in improving the state's beleaguered school system, although some critics said lawmakers were rushing to pass education reform bills that lacked detail.

"This is a pathetic, weak-kneed caving in to institutional interests," Rep. Joe Gomes, R-51st (Lanikai, Waimanalo), said of the failure of the bill. "Instead of this 21st Legislature going out with something really great for the state and the schools, all we're going to be known for is repealing the traffic cams."

House-Senate negotiators failed to reach a resolution on Senate Bill 2102 by yesterday's deadline for bills that involve a constitutional amendment. The bill would have placed a question on the ballot asking voters whether the state constitution should be amended to abolish the statewide Board of Education and establish local boards.

The deal-breaker appeared to be in the Senate, with Senate Education Committee Chairman Norman Sakamoto instead proposing a task force to study the issue further even after House negotiators offered to agree to the Senate's version of the bill. Sakamoto said even though the Senate previously approved the reform package, some senators supported it only to keep the issue alive for further discussion. He said the task force would make recommendations to the Legislature before next session.

Sakamoto, D-16th (Moanalua, Salt Lake), said that in addition to the task force he wants to create advisory councils to oversee K-12 school complexes or give current BOE members more responsibility over the areas they were elected from. It was unclear what effect it would have for at-large members.

But House Minority Leader Galen Fox, R-21st (Waikiki, Ala Wai), said: "They're trying to paper over the failure of reform. Let's not be ambiguous about it. They squashed a legitimate reform effort."

House Education Chairman Ken Ito, who led House negotiations on the bill, also said he was disappointed but that lawmakers will revisit the issue again after this session. "It was a bipartisan effort," said Ito, D-48th (Kane'ohe). "We spent almost nine months on this bill, we did research, we talked to people all around the nation. I'm very disappointed that we couldn't bring this bill out and let the voters decide once and for all."