By Lee Cataluna
Advertiser Columnist

The injury was one thing, but the insult was something from which there may never be a recovery.

In announcing plans to cut the Department of Education's $5.5 million budget for adult education classes by half, Gov. Linda Lingle said:

"We feel very strongly that adult education in teaching karaoke and country line dancing is not a core function of the Department of Education."

You could almost hear the collective groan from karaoke and line-dancing classes across the state:

"Ouch!"

The thing that makes Lingle's dismissive statement on the special-interest courses offered through the DOE's Community Schools for Adults so damaging is that she's got a pretty good point. The DOE is struggling with basics like getting textbooks for kids. Why should there be any resources expended on futon making, foot reflexology and (yes, it's in the course catalogue) basket weaving?

Except ...

The DOE isn't bleeding money for these classes. On the contrary, according to DOE Superintendent Pat Hamamoto, the arts and leisure classes are largely self-sustaining. Tuition for a class like aerobics or 'ukulele or yoga runs about $25 to $40 per three-month session, plus lab and material costs if applicable. It's not as if taxpayers are subsidizing golf lessons for the wealthy. These are regular folks taking classes to make their lives a little more interesting, and paying for the opportunity.

Also, one man's basket weaving may be another man's lifeline. Adults take these classes for myriad reasons besides simply being interested in the topic: because they're bored, lonely, depressed, stressed ... because a doctor or a therapist or a friend said, "You know what you should do? You should take a class!" The value of a $25 class in one person's life could be immeasurable.

On the other side of adult ed are the programs that don't require much defending: adult literacy, earning a high-school diploma, naturalization classes for immigrants and English as a second language. The governor emphasized that such courses would continue to receive money, but added that individuals would have to qualify based on financial need, and that "those who can afford to pay, should pay." Again, a good point, but how many adults without a high-school diploma are kickin' it financially?

And, bottom-line, saving $2.75 million by cutting the Community Schools for Adults budget in half doesn't raise the water in the state's budget bucket by very much.

Hopefully, a compromise position will emerge that will allow Lingle to streamline but keep the best of adult ed intact. It would be sad to lose all the leisure classes that make the goal of lifelong learning possible. Moreover, it would be wrong to make it harder for adults who want to learn to read or speak English or get their GED.

Lee Cataluna's column runs Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Reach her at 535-8172 or lcataluna@honoluluadvertiser.com.