Posted on: Friday, May 9, 2003

Volunteers can't fix all the neglected schools

Where would our public schools be without motivated parents who volunteer their time and energy? Take Scott Konnath, a stay-at-home dad who transformed a dilapidated quonset hut into a fine arts center with a theater, auditorium and gym at Hickam Elementary School.

He deserves Hickam's Air Force Volunteer Excellence Award for the hours of service "unparalleled in the history of this school."

If every school had a volunteer like Konnath, the state's backlog of repairs, estimated to cost more than $400 million, would quickly be reduced, says Ann-Maile Yamasaki, executive director of Hawai'i's 3R's nonprofit program seeking money to support the repair and maintenance of Hawai'i's public schools.

That's a nice fantasy. But volunteers like Konnath come along once in a blue moon. Most parents are squeezed for time because of other commitments. More importantly, though, it's the state's obligation to fix long-neglected school facilities, and it shouldn't be let off the hook.

We're not saying parents can't throw themselves into a project if they feel so inclined. But "thousand points of light" volunteerism cannot be expected to take over governmental responsibilities.

School maintenance is a huge job that requires a significant financial commitment. And that's not evident in the budget freshly approved by the state Legislature.

Lawmakers have allotted only $42 million for repairs and maintenance over the next two years, which falls far short of the state Department of Accounting and General Services' request for $120 million to resume its six-year plan to catch up on long-overdue work.

Gov. Linda Lingle has chastized lawmakers for being so stingy and says pork-barrel politics is to blame for deteriorating school campuses.

It's true, as Rep. Dennis Arakaki points out, that less affluent communities have a harder time getting attention paid to their schools. That's why it's important that DAGS and the state Department of Education resist political pressure and strictly adhere to a list of priorities for school repairs with, of course, the most pressing needs fixed first.

While we understand the Legislature had to make sacrifices to balance the budget in a pinched economy, we urge Lingle and lawmakers to keep seeking money to complete a Marshall Plan to fix our neglected schools. Volunteers are welcome to pitch in. But ultimately, it's got to be the state's responsibility to bring our schools up to snuff — and quickly.