Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 20, Number 05, 1 May 2003 — Education focus [ARTICLE]

Education focus

It's time for us Hawaiians to get over the overthrow of the monarchy and get on with making our great country a better plaee to Iive in. The overthrowers were wrong, but so was Kamehameha I when he caused the demise of many Hawaiians taking over the Islands. Like other Americans, we are of diverse ethnicities. No one forced our ancestors to marry those of other cultures, and no one forced Western religions on them. They chose change, believing that doing so would give them and their children an opportunity for a better

life. And they were right, especially for the commoners. If the eoneem is about improving the lives of Hawaiians, then begin with asking the kids why they're dropping out of school, cutting classes, not earning a graduation diploma; then eome up with solutions. Ask the superintendent and Board of Education if our kids are being afforded the same quality of education as schools in other areas. Since OHA is always vocal on the plight of Hawaiians, it should take the lead and fund programs to get our kids back in school, motivate them to succeed and equip the classrooms so that they are places kids want to go to. Folks, the root cause of our people's problems is the laek of success in learning by our youngsters in school. Bill Prescott Nānākuli