DRUG TESTING

STUDENTS RELY ON US TO ENSURE SCHOOL SAFETY

Are the recent arrests of two Mililani Middle School teachers also "aberrations"? As a parent, I hope legislators are working on a bill that will require random drug testing of all personnel who come into regular contact with students. In your Dec. 6 article, Hawai'i State Teachers Association President Roger Takabayashi said that the cost of random drug testing would be "devastating" to the school budget. But what would be the cost of ignoring this issue, with the result of causing real harm to even one child? You cannot put a price on that kind of devastation.

Our children's safety should be the Department of Education's top priority. If lack of funding causes this issue to be abandoned, then that is a sad commentary on Hawai'i's educational system. We need to do all we can to ensure that our children are as safe as possible. They are depending on us.

Legislators, please act!

SAFETY TRUMPS PRIVACY IN OUR KIDS' SCHOOLS

As if any were needed, Advertiser education writer Beverly Creamer has provided more evidence of the urgent need for regimen to test teachers for drugs ("Arrest of teachers fuels a push for drug testing," Dec. 6).

At one Hawai'i public school where I taught some years ago, a probationary teacher who left at the end of his first and only year said he knew of eight teachers at that school who used drugs for recreation on a weekly basis.

Adopting a permissive attitude toward teachers who use drugs is stupid. To expect that drug users who teach will voluntarily give up their recreational habits in an absence of accountability and consequences is equally stupid.

Creamer quotes Mililani Middle Principal Roger Kim as having asked, "Why single out teachers?" The answer, Mr. Kim, is that teachers occupy a position of special trust and confidence, and those who violate that trust must be purged from our ranks.

The very first step should be the immediate establishment of random drug testing of all teachers. The so called "right" of privacy stops where the safety of children begins.

HSTA OPPOSITION TO DRUG TESTS OUTRAGEOUS

I am outraged and shocked that the Hawai'i State Teachers Association is opposed to drug-testing of its membership. In light of the latest arrest of two teachers allegedly smoking drugs, and another dealing drugs, it seems that perhaps drug testing is warranted. Why the opposition?

Police, fire, military and even private companies regularly drug-test. Some Mainland schools even drug-test students.

It appears the teachers union wants to hide the fact that drugs have infiltrated its ranks. It is almost certain that a few other teachers may have a drug or alcohol problem. Drug testing can identify and help treat them.

Teaching is an honorable profession, and I cannot understand why any teacher would oppose drug-testing. Perhaps if a drug-testing policy had been in place, the arrested teachers would have not been involved in drugs. I am not asking for teachers to be drug-tested, I demand it!

GO! AIRLINE

COMPETITION AT CRUX OF ISLAND AIR'S LAYOFFS

As go! airline's management sheds tears over the loss of jobs at Island Air, they arrogantly state that the loss of jobs has nothing to do with go! entering the market, "because go! doesn't compete on the routes that Island Air is discontinuing."

Nothing could be further from the truth. What go! doesn't want the people of Hawai'i to know is that competition does hurt when an airline must give up less-served and less-profitable routes for the whole airline to stay profitable.

It's easy for an airline like go! to come in and serve the profitable "meat and potato" routes. But, everyone loses because airlines are forced to give up less- served parts of our island state to remain profitable, especially when the "competitor" does so at fares below actual costs.

Don't let the "alligator tears" fool you. When you subsidize below-cost fares, you hurt all of Hawai'i and its families in the end. Just ask the folks on Lana'i and Moloka'i, when Hawaiian gave up serving those islands after some 50-plus years because of "competition."

HAWAIIANS FIRST

KAMEHAMEHA SCHOOLS POLICY IS CONFUSING

I am confused about the Kamehameha Schools segregation policy. In Hawaiian, the word "aloha" means, "I see the spirit soul within you."

Being spirit in essence, the soul, being eternal, is neither black nor white, Caucasian or Hawaiian. If the Hawaiians truly believe this, how can they on one hand relate spiritually to some and materially to others? How can they profess to see all equally and eternally, yet pick and choose those they wish to relate to according to the temporary nature of their material bodies? Is this the Hawaiian hypocrisy policy?

STUDENT IN LAWSUIT DOESN'T MERIT DAMAGES

In reading the article about the Kamehameha Schools discrimination lawsuit and its judicial review, the unnamed student's lawyer feels that the boy's family should be compensated.

In what way was this student damaged by not being accepted into Kamehameha? Did his reputation suffer from not being accepted? What money was lost in his not being accepted? Did it affect his acceptance into a reputable college?

The answer is no, no and no! This student graduated from high school and moved on to college none the worse for not having been admitted to Kamehameha Schools. So, why should he or his family receive monetary recompense?

STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN

HA'IKU STAIRS PARKING, ACCESS SOLUTION OFFERED

Regarding your editorial "City should make one last try at saving stairs" (Dec. 6).

People can park at Kane'ohe District Park, where there are two parking lots with restrooms. From there, one would walk through the back of the college, behind the Palanakila Building. Between the college and the Hokulele subdivision is a 50-yard land buffer zone. Behind the electrical building, there is a hole in the chain-link fence.

This buffer zone is 20 years old, and the rain runoff has created a stream in the middle of the zone. The access road leads to the entryway to the stairs.

The city can create a trail for the public that is close to the college and State Hospital, so that the hikers would be at least 150 feet or more away from the back yards of the subdivision houses and away from the stream, so if a downpour occurs, people would be safe. The hole in the fence can easily be converted to a real gate or passway.

FOSTER VILLAGE

ROUNDABOUT INSTALLED WITHOUT INSTRUCTIONS

Now that the city has had its way with the roundabout in Foster Village (against the request of the majority of residents), it has not advised drivers how to use it. I have seen four to five cars follow each other into the intersection, forcing one side to wait for an opening.

If you force your way into the crowd, they honk at you as if they had the right of way. I have even seen cars drive circles in the roundabout.

And the bulbout on Haloa Drive? It's so close to a bus stop that cars back up when a handicapped rider boards a bus. What planning? What follow-up? Maybe the city can respond to this with some instructions on how to properly use the roundabout.

UH FOOTBALL

BRENNAN REPRESENTS HAWAI'I WELL, HAS CLASS

I am not a football fan. I don't even watch the University of Hawai'i games.

I do, however, read the newspaper. And I see from his quotes, particularly about not making the Heisman list, that Colt Brennan has a lot of class.

Congratulations to UH for finding this extraordinary student athlete; and thank you, Mr. Brennan, for representing Hawai'i so well.

TRANSIT

RAIL WOULD BE SOLUTION TO COMMUTER GRIDLOCK

As an 'Aiea resident, I know all too well what can happen when highways and roads are blocked. This can be because of a traffic accident or bad weather. Or, as in the case of Sept. 5 when H-1 was completely shut down, it can be because of a damaged pedestrian overpass.

Traffic continues to grow because more and more cars are on the road. The sensible solution is a mass transit alternative. Rail would give people a choice to take transit instead of being stuck in traffic congestion.

Many modern cities have good highway and road systems, but also have good rail and bus systems. Not everyone will take rail, but at least we will be given a choice. The alternative is gridlock that will keep us tied up on the highways.

BIG ISLAND

DEVELOPMENT ERODING THE HAWAIIAN CULTURE

It is time for common sense and ethical behavior to triumph over greed and dishonesty. The disgraceful management of our land and natural resources has hurt our way of life and is quickly eroding the last vestiges of a once-vibrant Hawaiian culture.

Large-scale development and escalating real estate values are driving the cost of living up and forcing both parents in a family to work. This detracts from the moral education and the learning of traditional values of our youth.

The loss of open space and coastal development are depriving Hawaiians and other local residents of cultural and recreational activities that have helped them to preserve important traditions.

Hawaiians are becoming a fast-food people, relying on convenience while sacrificing nutrition and exercise.

It is time for a moratorium on development on the island of Hawai'i. The approval for permits without clear title should stop. The legal system regarding land-use policies needs to be revamped. The welfare of the people who live here, especially Hawaiians, needs to be included in any decisions regarding the altering or degradation of the natural resources that we all depend on.

ONLINE FEATURE

DAILY PHOTO DIARY OF ISLE HISTORY ENJOYABLE

I want to express just how much I've enjoyed the daily photo diary of Hawai'i's history on your Web site this year.

I lived in Hawai'i for 18 years, and though I now live on the Mainland, being able to see the cultural photos every morning online means so much to me, and probably many other ex-pats as well. I hope you'll consider keeping it on. Thank you.