Teach your children well
I am a pastor of a local Baptist church in Lahaina on the island of Maui. Some may believe that I should not address the school system because of misconceptions about the separation of church and state, but I fully support the hard-working educators of Hawaii. I do not agree with the idea of sacrificing the quality of the education of our children when there are other areas of spending that could be impacted without such a great long-term cost.
I am involved in our local schools as a parent, a community leader, a volunteer, a supporter and a local pastor. Although I may not agree with every individual political view, policy or administrative decision, I stand alongside our educators as a whole because I believe that they desire to teach our children the necessary building blocks of life that will enable them to become positive contributors to our community and society. Without their dedication and commitment, we would be in dire trouble.
The teachers of the great state of Hawaii are struggling under the same pressures that have our nation gripped in economic straits. Even though their workdays have been changed and their pay is hugely affected, their important job remains. I want to encourage our local businesses to support our local teachers wherever possible and our parents and communities to encourage our teachers as they seek to cope with these difficulties. I pledge to support our local teachers, staff and administrators in these tough times and to be available to serve or help in any way that I can. I hope you will also.
Chris Martin
Lahaina, Maui
