WAILUKU - Two Makawao mothers are organizing protests against a contract agreement to furlough public school teachers for 17 days this school year, and hoping to get the attention of legislators.
Although, as stay-at-home moms of school-aged children, Liza DeLaRosa-Walker and Kris Musto, don't have to worry about child care themselves, both are concerned about how other families will cope and how children will cope with the loss of classroom instruction, especially when schools are already struggling to meet benchmarks.
"It's an issue for many in the community," DeLaRosa-Walker said Wednesday afternoon after helping organize a second protest against the furlough plan.
Approximately 60 people were in Wailuku town Wednesday morning, holding signs in protest against the furlough days that teachers will take to help balance the state's budget. Earlier the same day, protesters rallied at the intersection of Haleakala and Hana highways.
DeLaRosa-Walker, with three children at Makawao Elementary School and two attending Kalama Intermediate School, said she and Musto also coordinated a protest last week in Makawao and plan to hold another sign-waving event next week.
She said they are urging state lawmakers to call a special session of the Legislature to respond to the issue, possibly by tapping the state's Hurricane Relief Fund to cover the 17 lost days of instruction.
She and others expect to meet soon with state Upcountry Rep. Kyle Yamashita to discuss the situation. But in the meantime she urged others to write to state legislators for help.
"We're not teachers. We are not equipped to help them," said Musto, a mother of a kindergartner and 3rd-grader at Makawao Elementary School, and mom to a 7th-grader at Kihei Charter School.
DeLaRosa-Walker said in addition to the loss of classroom instruction, the furloughs will impact families whose children get their only steady meal at school. She said she also wonders how the furloughs will impact lower-income families whose parents work multiple jobs to make ends meet.
"First and foremost, we want those furlough days gone, that's our immediate concern," DeLaRosa-Walker said.
Among the entities offering alternatives to parents, Doris Todd Memorial Christian School officials said they would accept applications for transfer students wishing to enroll in the private Paia school.
The school is accepting students grades K to 8.
The school day is from 7:50 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. Monday through Friday. In addition to academics, the school also provides physical education, computers, art and music (for K-8). Band is available for middle school students. After school care is also available.
For students entering the 2nd grading quarter, tuition rates are: K-5, $3,605 ($515 per month) and 6th-8th grades, $3,815 ($545 a month).
Call the school office at 579-9237 for more information.
And to help parents with childcare options and transportation, the Business Networking International Lahaina and Wailuku chapters are asking for volunteers to help with mentoring and transportation and provide donations of art supplies and crafts. The groups can also be contacted if parents need help during Furlough Fridays.
Contact Christina Currie at 661-4660 or send e-mail to: ccryder50505070@yahoo.com or contact Dano and Bernie Delos Santos at Bernie@BernieDelosSantos.com.
* Melissa Tanji can be reached at mtanji@mauinews.com.
