HSTA Releases Statement on Supreme Court Con Am Decision

The Hawai‘i Supreme Court on Thursday, Oct. 18, 2018, declined to rule immediately on an emergency request by Hawai‘i counties to invalidate a measure that will let voters amend the Hawai‘i State Constitution (Con Am).

The court took the request to block the measure “under advisement.”

The amendment would change the Hawai‘i constitution to give state lawmakers the power to impose property taxes to support public education.

Hawai‘i State Teachers Association President Corey Rosenlee released the following statement regarding the Supreme Court’s decision:

“The counties are continuing to waste valuable taxpayer time and resources trying to stop the people of Hawai‘i from voting on a Constitutional Amendment that would properly fund Hawai‘i’s public schools.

“Hawai‘i’s keiki deserve an opportunity for a better education. Our public schools are still short more than 1,000 teachers and everyday one third of the current students go to school and have at least one teacher that is not qualified.

“If our county government continues to fight against providing access to quality education and the schools our keiki deserve, then they need to come up with a solution or stand aside and let the public vote ‘yes’ on the Con Am.”

On Tuesday, Oct. 16, 2018, teachers and parents across the state at 50 public school campuses conducted sign-waving and walk-ins before classes began, campaigning in favor of the school funding amendment.