Protesters Hold Firm On Furlough Sit-In

Citations for trespassing fail to sway demonstrators lobbying Lingle

By Gary T. Kubota

Seven adults cited for trespassing in an attempt to persuade Gov. Linda Lingle to end Furlough Fridays in public schools vowed to continue their demonstration in her office and in other locations this weekend.

Seven adults including a school teacher were cited last night for trespassing as they entered the third day of their sit-in in Gov. Linda Lingle's office.

Several of the Save Our Schools protesters receiving citations continued their sit-in last night and were prepared to be arrested or cited again.

"I'm committed to this cause. I'm committed to education," said Terri Zucchero, a Manoa resident and mother of three children.

Lt. Bryan Marciel said the citation was a violation, but the second time the protester is cited would be a criminal petty misdemeanor and the protesters could be arrested.

Marciel said the decision to cite the protesters came from the Governor's Office.

The Governor's Office said Lingle is continuing to work with the state Department of Education and legislators to resolve the Furlough Friday issue and urged the protesters to get the Hawaii State Teachers Association back to negotiations.

Lingle wants to spend $62 million to bring teachers back to work but does not want to pay for "nonessential workers."

The state Board of Education and teachers' union want an appropriation of $92 million to bring all staff back to work. Teachers yesterday were lobbying legislators to fund the agreement to eliminate 21 Furlough Fridays through fiscal 2011.

The protesters said they would leave the Governor's Office this morning and hold a demonstration in front of Washington Place, the former residence of the governor, at 9 a.m. They also plan a rally in the state Capitol courtyard tomorrow at 5:30 p.m., and leaders say they will be back in Lingle's office Monday morning.

The seven cited included Zucchero, 39; Olga Lubecke, 43, of Waikiki; Lois Yamauchi, 46, of Manoa; Clare Hanusz, 42, of Manoa; Evan Anderson, 35, of Manoa; Carrie Lau, 28, of Manoa; and Michael Doyle, 21, of Kapolei. Their appearance in Honolulu District Court is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. May 5.

Yamauchi said she chose to be cited for trespassing to bring attention to the need to resolve the problem of Furlough Fridays.

"Our decision is we're going to stay," she said.

Zucchero said she was at the sit-in to bring attention to the more than 2,000 homeless children who are going not only without an education on Furlough Fridays, but also without two meals in school and a safe place for learning. Several chose to leave before deputy sheriffs cited the seven for trespassing starting at 5:45 p.m.

The sit-in went from 25 people to eight, including three children, by about 7 p.m.

Save Our Schools member Hanusz said the citations were done after most of the news media had left the office and were obviously a tactic aimed at getting them to give up. "That was pretty sneaky," Hanusz said.

Parents yesterday criticized the governor for releasing a statement to the news media criticizing them but refusing to talk to them.

"Hello, we've been here for two days straight," said Marguerite Higa, a member of Save Our Schools.