Posted on: Friday, June 28, 2002

Educators, legislators offer mixed reaction to vouchers

By Jennifer Hiller
Advertiser Education Writer

A U.S. Supreme Court decision yesterday paves the way for school voucher programs, but the idea received a mixed reception in Hawai'i — a state with one of the highest percentages of students in private school and a public school system that has lagged academically and financially.

While private schools have proven a popular option for Hawai'i families, many officials said a voucher program would be a difficult political sell to voters and lawmakers.

"I think most of the legislators wouldn't want to send dollars away from our public system," said Sen. Norman Sakamoto, D-16th (Moanalua, Salt Lake). "I don't see a great amount of money, if any, moving out of the Department of Education."

If vouchers were allowed in Hawai'i, though, the effect could be massive. More than 15 percent of the state's students attend private schools — one of the five highest rates in the country. And displeasure with public school test scores consistently in the national basement has led many parents and politicians to rail against the current system.

Remee Bolante, vice principal at Sacred Hearts Academy, said many parents would support vouchers. "I think it would have a big impact on the population here," Bolante said. "There are many parents that are disenchanted with the public schools. If they're given a choice, I think parents would flock to the private schools."

That's the fear of voucher opponents.

Randy Hitz, dean of the College of Education at the University of Hawai'i-Manoa, said he would like to see more parental choice in choosing public schools but is concerned that a voucher program would increase the socioeconomic segregation of Hawai'i schoolchildren.

"I do worry that vouchers could undermine a strong public school system. I think that this country needs a public school system that unites us," Hitz said. "Will vouchers encourage people to only send their kids to schools with people who look just like them?"

Karen Ginoza, president of the Hawai'i State Teachers Association, said vouchers would funnel money and energy away from a public school system that is already hurting. "We have to make sure public education is supported," she said. "We want our legislators to concentrate on issues like parent involvement and the quality of education."

The state constitution prohibits public money from going to religious schools — a legal point that Ginoza said the union would likely use to fight voucher proposals.

But Sen. Fred Hemmings, R-25th (Kailua, Waimanalo), called the ruling a victory for common sense.

"The vouchers would be most beneficial to low-income families who haven't always gotten the same quality of education," Hemmings said. "Hawai'i is in dire straits educationally."

A Hawai'i voucher program would take at least three to four years to win approval, said Rep. Ken Ito, D-48th (Kane'ohe).

Voters would have to vote to repeal the portion of the state constitution that prohibits public money from going to a private educational institution. That could happen at the earliest in the 2004 general elections, Ito said. Then, legislators would have to approve a voucher program and get the governor's signature — in the 2005 legislative session at the earliest.

"It depends on the public and the mood of the next Legislature," Ito said.

Lou Salza, board president of the Hawai'i Association of Independent Schools, said it's too early to say whether most private schools would even want to see a voucher program in Hawai'i.

There are other considerations beyond any financial benefit private schools would have, he said.

"Do the requirements and all the regulations follow that money?" Salza said. "My worry sometimes is that the rules follow the money, and I'm an independent school. With that money, do they also accept responsibility to run their schools in the way that public system deems appropriate? It's a question that I would ask, and I would have a concern about as the head of a school."

A separate Supreme Court ruling yesterday approved random drug tests for many public high school students. But Hawai'i school officials were uncertain about the impact of the ruling here.

Hawai'i public schools do not use drug tests, the DOE does not have a policy on drug testing, and there have been no schools or advocacy groups calling for drug testing of students.

"As the court has cleared the way, there's the possibility that the Board of Education would want to have a policy on this," said Tom Yamashita, director of civil rights compliance at the DOE. "Obviously the first question is, is there a need?"

School board member Winston Sakurai said drug testing isn't on the priority list for education officials. "I'm not sure if that's a role that the schools want to take on," he said.

Vanessa Y. Chong, executive director of the Honolulu chapter of American Civil Liberties Union, said the high court ruling would allow dragnet-type sweeps to find a few guilty students, but she was encouraged that educators here so far are not eager to develop a drug-testing program.

Also, the Hawai'i constitution guarantees residents a right to privacy — something that could be used as a legal challenge to any attempts to establish broad-based drug testing, she said.

"We would challenge drug testing every step of the way," Chong said. "I'm hoping that the DOE holds firm and doesn't follow the Mainland on this."