DOE, Let's make a Change

Aloha Everybody!My name is Ku'ulei Hanohano and as part of my Modern Hawaiian Issues class at Maui Community College I am required to set up a blog about the issues we are facing here in Hawai'i. This is my first entry so please bare with me.I work as an Education Assistant so the recent decision on furloughs directly affect me. As many of you may know there will be a total of 17 furlough days. That's a lot of days of school children will be missing. The first question I want to ask is; how students expected to pass Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) testing with less days of school? In the 2008-2009 school year 101 out of the 284 schools who participated in the testing passed. That is only 36 percent of the DOE schools. A 36 percent on anything would be equivalent to an F! The AYP test is a test created by the state. So the state is failing its own test. That kind of sucks. Something I also noticed while looking at last years AYP summary is that 3 out of 17 Hawaiian charter schools passed AYP. That is a 17 percent of Hawaiian Charter Schools. Yes that might be low but those 3 schools are Hawaiian immersion schools. So how is it that those three schools passed the AYP test which is in English while majority of regular DOE schools did not? This gives a thumbs up to cultural based education. Maybe there is something the rest of the DOE schools can learn from these schools. Obviously the academic structure of DOE schools are not doing its job.While talking with my father he brought up an important point. He said (not in his exact words) a child must first learn their connection to a place, people and culture to give them the foundation to learn anything and everything else. I would have to totally agree with him. With the less school days children will have, there needs to be a change in the DOE system. Incorporating the Hawaiian culture and values into the DOE system may be just the thing we need to not only boost test scores but also give children a more valuable education.Malama Jah Bless,Ku'ulei Hanohano
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Comments

  • Derekirra,
    Who is da wahine in the pic? Do you have a connection?
    j.
  • Aloha Ku'ulei
    Auwe, what a very cool subject, everybody geevum such good manao!
    Ku'ulei your dad is a wise man, he is giving you the correct advice, good sound council.
    Kaohi, you are absolutley right in your evaluation regarding a huge population of Hawaiian wahine.
    However from first hand experience, I am told most Hawaiian women choose their own paths these days.
    Hawaiian wahine should be more akamai to 'aina rightiousness and should be way less familiar with the internet & sex in the city.
    Ive been an arts educator for twenty five years and my, my, miss molly, yes I've seen them bolt in both directions.
    So that brings me to the point Ku'ulei, charter schools do rule, teach Hawaiian in all schools and as for furlough fridays -
    For our FURLOUGHFRIDAZE -"FF"we're dipping into our ALL HAWAIIAN cultural paint box over here on Kauai!
    JD'Alba kudos to you to my friend, your so right - never say never - our kids are clever.
    This DOE inconvience is going to pull us all together for we the people, God has a plan JUST KEEP THE FAITH - ATOOI

    ALOHA
  • Aloha Ku'ulei,
    Kaohi makes a good argument however, I do not agree that its not plausible for a student to create change for the betterment of the futre. To the contrary, you are the future. The manao you have, develope, and maintain is hope for the future.
    Your Father has given you sound advise that I'm glad you have elected to heed. Although it is understandably difficult for the Kanaka Maoli to be confronted by such mysterious forces as the "Trilateral Commission", by knowing who you are, where you come from, and the meaning of pono, aloha, malama, lokahi, and the like, you know that it is such opposition that need for listen and learn.
    The hope for the future of the world lies with the Kanaka. Just look to the legacy of Her Majesty, Queen Liliu'okalani, for confirmation.
    Malama pono,
    Aloha Ke Akua,
    j.
  • Aloha,

    My dissertationis on Politcal Dominations and Economic Explotations of Kanaka Maoli: Impact on Education and Ethnic Identity. In my reearch, I address factors that impact Kanaka Maoli whereas test scores in academic achievement among Kanaka Moali and counter part is about 15 point spread. The statement of the problem noted in chapter specfically address five issues that I find pertinent to address academic challenges thus include - 1) ban Hawaiian language, 2) students passes from one grade to another with low comprehension skills, 3) staff turnoners 4) resugence of identity 5) occupied status of Amelika. I addressed current problems and noted that culture is crucial to survival of those who perpetuate thus most importantly speaking 'Olelo Hawaii. Our langauge will only perpetuate when others do the same at all age levels regardless of what impacted our history. For example, I just recently studying and speaking 'Olelo Hawaii and I'm proud to be doing it again! Likewise, the occupied status by Amelika will only end when we as a nation, reclaim what is rightfully ours! Others listed makes sense yet never really addressed from a level that can fix the problems. Like at Waianae High School, a haole teacher told my niece to do research and when she said it was about the overthrow, she was not willing to allow her to do so. Unlikely, the teacher was not willing to allow her to learn and share, howoever parents and grandparents were at the ke kula were huhu. When is it the best time to educate the truth? The DOE is afraid to educate the truth! The two people who are recommended to study about are Machiavelli and Sun Tzu to understand what the issues are about. Unfortuantely, most people don't educate themselves thus leave other people to do the work with regard to education.

    Nonetheless, we need to provide all children with the opportunity to learn about their culture in all grade levels. However, Kanaka Maoli have been impacted by the historical dominations and political exploitations that led to the demise of the Hawaiian culture. Therefor, it is imperative to know that many factors have led to low academic scores. We as a nation, a people need to educate and perpetuate our culture in the classroom and in the environment. We learn by hands on expereinces to integrate into daily learnings and livings! There are teachers are limited in knowledge and relation to Hawaiian culture thus don't want to sep outside of the curriculum to perpetuate the Hawaiian language and culture.

    We must "unzip" the backback with both Hawaiian and western language thus remember that is very easy to be overwhelmed by values that are forced upon by others. Nonetheless, we can take both of each culture and use it to learn and care for ourselves.

    There are many more ideals, yet I do agree that it should be part of the curriculum at all grade levels in all schools, both private and public.

    namaka'eha
  • Aloha Ku'ulei,

    Whenever I see a posting blog (I wish it was on the political forum) I am concern. The comprehensive interpretations are all done by none native therefore, it takes awhile to sort through the findings as to what is an opinion, disrespect/nondisrepecting, and to facts. In the process the oral research because of it's objectivity, are usually removed in the journey of the thesis. So having said this here is my argument. Hawaiian sexuality is a must to understand because it is in relation to our aina. The voices of our women have been surpressed that we almost say nothing at the end of a 25 page writings. We have been put to shame and allowed the western culture to carve out our sexual behavior to whereas we know nothing and become prey. We have land loss, spiritual loss, and most important our pre-existing is lost in our minds and body. Here is a cita that one could go to http://www.rangahau.co.nz/research-intro to further what I am talking about. Dr. Pihama is excellent and I am so glad she came into my life through a class that I didn't do so well.

    Now, about your questions thank for asking these questions. And yes we have a huge problme. The Governess (Queer) is from Maui and she preyed on the Christian Holidays at her first attempt because she is a Jewish. No on caught her initial act for Moral Authority. She is a capitalist and playing end games which is AYP, Parents, and childrens careers as in college, job in Hawaii/citizenry. The Trilateral plans are to remove us or subjugate us to prostrate our posture to American government and to work for free. Only in this light I can attempt to answer your questions which I feel you have not been able to because you are not an activist firstly, secondly your are on the career tract, and you don't have the deep skills of risk management.

    The missing days are at cause for AYP failure, State created test, thumbs up for culture base education three charter schools passed our of seventeen Hawaiian charter's are all good topics. Dad's mana'o sounds like what I had said earlier, but not in that premise because that part has been carved out not just on tiki's by the missionary, but their correctional and mental institution did the same to women. Don't forget to check out Rangahu so that one can keep dad's mana'o in the journey. Your student objectivity will eliminate his voice because we haven't figured out how to replant the seed in fertile grounds.

    Under the admissions act there is 5(f) and one of those purposes is education. In 1978 there was 14 million dollars going into general funds and into education which were targeted for native Hawaiians with 50% bloodquantum. This should go over big in your classroom and your prof. One needs humor for this part.

    AYP if one looks at it could mean a threat of power from the trilateral nuts. Or, one can look at it as a measured base line for capitalism and it's sorts. Regardless, I feel that your State test is as cause for failure is weak, and replicated by native American and other subjugated cultures in America. The Kamehameha sponsored (look at why)charter schools out here in Nanakuli met AYP and over time did not but there third grade class met the AYP. This might be old data. I'm a sub so I teach at AYP schools and it is difficult for all involved. The sustainable plan check it out on the DOE site. One of the five questions is asking will the children that we are teaching in the classrooms have an opportunity to live in Hawaii.

    The Trilateral plans for Hawaii's future is poor, poverty and Native Hawaiians outside the fence and they inside the fence. With this perspective, one can see why the governor play queer games with our children. This is the end game for 17 furlough days will cause poverty ten fold in our Hawaiian communities. Teacher's don't really care because they mostly Asians that are internationlly sound and subplanting is there game. Besides, as a sub they take off anyway, it's just that teachers are not going to get paid for taking off. The Haole teachers that the DOE hired they take off to go back home or to go surfing when the surfs up.

    Getting back to the problem, until one address the existing problem of outside the military fence and their social plans outside the fence one won't address their issues that creates our issues because we are not in control or have the capacity for comprehensive culture interpretation. Until we have a hold on our own set of values, our practices, and our lands. To educate our children one needs risk assessments, risk managements, risk and guts to fight for the end results to change for the betterment of our future generation. And in the framework of a student, I don't think it's plausible. Kaohi
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