Letters to the Editor

Officers not serving as private security guards

It never fails to amaze me how some people will shoot off an indignant letter to the editor about the police without checking the facts. Carl Walstrom's Dec. 9 letter complaining about police officers in Kailua working as "private security guards" on the Kalaheo Avenue sewer project is without merit.

Walstrom obviously does not know that those police officers assigned to the sewer project are "off duty" officers hired by the contractor for traffic control, one of the requirements of the contract for the repairs.

Most, if not all of those officers, are on vacation, days off or having just completed a 12-hour work shift. They are working to help support their families since Honolulu Police Department officers are not paid adequately, as compared with their Mainland counterparts.

No tax dollars are being spent for "on duty" police officers to act as "private security guards." A suggestion for Mr. Walstrom: Please check your facts before you send such a letter to the editor again.

Value of individualism lost in public schools

Shades of George Orwell's "1984." Everyone marching to the same beat, at the same time, manipulated by one central power. An exaggeration perhaps. But that is my view of the direction the Bush administration is pushing us in public education.

By 10th grade, each student must be able to perform according to a federal mandate as assessed by a standardized test. What happened to the all-American value of individualism?

As teachers, we are supposed to develop a student-centered curriculum so that we base what we teach on what the students already know. This is supposed to facilitate learning.

As teachers, we must be cognizant of multiple intelligences and different learning styles. We must "differentiate" teaching to make allowances for the idiosyncrasies of each student.

Yet, when we as a system are assessed, we are evaluated on how well students as a numerical mass perform on a standardized test. Failure will result in firings not just of teachers, but of administrators as well.

Dr. Randy Hitz's Dec. 7 commentary hit home. Yes, indeed, the public schools need a new paradigm. But, how can the public schools develop a new paradigm when the federal government so heavy handedly rules the entire Department of Education?

Hawaiian children must be priority for admission

The Dec. 10 letter by Allan Wong, a graduate of the Kamehameha Schools, questioned the trustees' decision to enter into a legal settlement that guaranteed the admission of a non-Hawaiian and concluded that "trustees and the administration are not doing the job."

Unfortunately, Wong also cited that the "former chief executive officer Hamilton McCubbin said there were no other Hawaiian students better qualified for admission than Brayden Mohica-Cummings." To date I have not commented on this matter, and thus the quote is not accurate.

In spite of this inaccuracy, I want to congratulate Wong for drawing our attention to the bigger issue. I agree with him that as long as there is even one Hawaiian child who would benefit from a Kamehameha education, as there was in the Maui and Kapalama campuses' admissions process when non-Hawaiians were admitted, there should be no question, no ambiguity, no delays in decision making and no wavering — that a child of Hawaiian ancestry would have preference and be admitted.

Failing to provide every learning opportunity for Hawaiians in need of an education cannot ever be an option even to manipulate the legal process.

Hawai'i, nation support traditional marriage

In response to the Nov. 19 article "Same-sex marriage bans to be tested": The Hawai'i voters, by almost 75 percent, resoundingly supported the Hawai'i constitutional amendment for marriage between one man and one woman, the constitutional law of the land.

A sneak attack, similar to that attempted in the courts here in Hawai'i, just slipped through the Supreme Court of Massachusetts. The judges usurped the lawmaking responsibility reserved to the legislative branch. Even the governor of Massachusetts rightfully condemned their action.

I wonder if the people of Massachusetts can pass a state constitutional amendment like we did. But there is a better solution available immediately.

Our best and priority action should be to pass the federal Defense of Marriage Act in Congress and then ratify it as a U.S. constitutional amendment like we did in Hawai'i, establishing marriage between one man and one woman as the clear constitutional law of the United States.

More than 70 percent of our nation's voters believe traditional marriage should be the constitutional law of the land. Let's do it. Let's ask our federal representatives and senators to act to support DOMA and a traditional-marriage constitutional amendment.

Don't tempt thieves with valuables in your car

Since Nov. 17 my car has been broken into three times at the mall parking lot. The thief punched the door locks to gain entry.

The first time all of my camping gear from the trunk was stolen. I considered having the lock fixed, but during the holidays the $250 deductible was out of reach.

The second and third times, the thieves got nothing. I got smart and didn't keep anything in my car or trunk. But now I have two damaged doors.

It's too late for me, but I can warn others. Car break-ins are a daily occurrence all over the island, especially at this time of year. Be careful. Don't put packages in your trunk or inside your car. It is troublesome, but carry those packages with you, or leave them at the store and go back and pick them all up when you are finished shopping.

If this makes one person stop and think or makes one person more careful, then I have done my part to prevent someone else's holiday from being ruined.

Darwin proved right

What are these children who race their cars trying to prove? Their coolness? Their driving skills? All they prove is that Charles Darwin was right.

State should not tolerate muddy runoff

Developers are fouling our shorelines. The recent muddy runoff from D.G. "Andy" Anderson's North Shore development and the One Palauea Bay luxury development in South Maui are examples of this.

This is not the first time. Hokuli'a in 2000, Pila'a in 2001, Palauea in 2001 and 2003 are other examples.

We expect the state and the county to fully enforce our clean water laws — swiftly and strictly — to protect the public's resources. The state needs to send a strong message to developers: Muddy runoff will not be tolerated.