Hawai'i has maintained a long-standing tradition in bringing forth an education system to keiki. Now, as Hawai'i celebrates its 50th year as a state and as we continue to celebrate our heritage, it is of great importance that we maintain this tradition of preparing students for the challenges of the present and the future.

But the 17 furlough days steer this state to the wrong path — one with little concern for the future well-being of Hawai'i.

Hawai'i's children are struggling to meet standards and compete with their peers within the United States and the global community. Thirty-eight percent of students are unable to read at grade level and 57 percent fail to meet math standards. If anything, this demonstrates a need for additional instruction, not less. Furloughs will cause permanent damage to an already broken system.

So it's encouraging to see efforts to reduce these furlough days are under way.

Our leaders promised that students would not be responsible for the burdens of a poor economy. But this is untrue. Students feel the pressures of budget cuts not only in extracurricular activities, but also where it matters most — the classroom. Furloughs simply are not a cure for a deficit. Students were not responsible for today's economic climate; do not expect us to pay for it.

As the voice of all 178,000 Hawai'i students, the Hawai'i State Student Council expressed its disappointment in the lack of student voice in the deliberations leading to collective bargaining. This decision was made with little regard to those our education system was created to serve, the students.

Students support the use of the hurricane relief fund and rainy day fund to offset the deficit, and we advocate for the use of the remaining $35 million in stimulus funds for public education.

We ask that our leaders re-evaluate Hawai'i's path into the future. Return to deliberations and find a solution that restores instruction and brings forth the true reform our schools need and our students deserve.

Mark Aoki is a junior at Roosevelt High School and the Honolulu representative on the Hawai'i State Student Council. He wrote this commentary for The Advertiser.