Election 2018

Where do Hawaiʻi candidates stand on education?

We asked candidates in the 2018 election to respond to the following four questions:

1. Do you support Hawaiian culture-based approaches in education?

The DOE Superintendent Christina Kishimoto, the Charter School Commission Executive Director Sione Thompson, and Kamehameha Schools CEO Jack Wong recently published an OpEd that voiced united support for the DOE’s Nā Hopena Aʻo Policy and Hawaiian culture-based education for all learners throughout Hawaiʻi.

2. Would you support public charter schools receiving per pupil funding on par with the per pupil funding received by other DOE schools?

Not all of public school students are equally supported. Per pupil funding for public charter school students is conservatively 20% less than for other public school students in the DOE.

3. Would you support Hawaiʻi and global environmental sustainability as a high priority among your public policy goals?

Hawaiian culture-based education grows students who practice sustainable lifestyles and who value the long-term well-being of Hawaiʻi’s natural resources. When such education priorities are in sync with the actions of publicly elected leaders, Hawaiʻi can emerge as a world leader in sustainability.

4. Would you support further Hawaiian language proliferation in public education, government offices, and the private sector?

In recent years enrollments in Hawaiian language immersion schools have seen significant increases. Hawaiian language speakers are also using ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi much more prominently in government, commerce, and everyday contexts.

Here are the candidates’ responses:

Kaialiʻi Kahele
Kaialiʻi KaheleSenate District 1 (Hilo)
Kimberly Arianoff
Kimberly ArianoffSenate District 1 (Hilo)
Dru Kanuha
Dru KanuhaSenate District 3 (Kona, Kaʻū)
Michael Last
Michael LastSenate District 3 (Kona, Kaʻū)
Roz Baker
Roz BakerSenate District 6 (South and West Maui)
Melissah Shishido
Melissah ShishidoSenate District 6 (South and West Maui)
Sharon Moriwaki
Sharon MoriwakiSenate District 12 (Kakaʻako - Waikīkī)
Lynn Mariano
Lynn MarianoSenate District 12 (Kakaʻako - Waikīkī)
Clarence Nishihara
Clarence NishiharaSenate District 17 (Pearl City, Waipahu)
Roger Clemente
Roger ClementeSenate District 17 (Pearl City, Waipahu)
Michelle Kidani
Michelle KidaniSenate District 18 (Mililani)
Tony Solis
Tony SolisSenate District 18 (Mililani)
Matt LoPresti
Matt LoPrestiSenate District 19 (ʻEwa)
Kurt Fevella
Kurt FevellaSenate District 19 (ʻEwa)
Maile Shimabukuro
Maile ShimabukuroSenate District 21 (Kalaeloa - Mākua)
Diamond Garcia
Diamond GarciaSenate District 21 (Kalaeloa - Mākua)
Chris Todd
Chris ToddHouse District 2 (Keaukaha-Waiākea)
Grace Manipol-Larson
Grace Manipol-LarsonHouse District 2 (Keaukaha - Waiākea)
Richard Onishi
Richard OnishiHouse District 3 (Hilo - Volcano)
Fred Fogel
Fred FogelHouse District 3 (Hilo - Volcano)
David Tarnas
David TarnasHouse District 7 (Kona - Kohala)
Tom Belekanich
Tom BelekanichHouse District 7 (Kona - Kohala)
Angus McKelvey
Angus McKelveyHouse District 10 (West Maui)
Chayne Marten
Chayne MartenHouse District 10 (West Maui)
Jen Mather
Jen MatherHouse District 10 (West Maui)
Lynn DeCoite
Lynn DeCoiteHouse District 13 (East Maui, Molokai, Lanaʻi, Kahoʻolawe)
Nick Nikhilanada
Nick NikhilanadaHouse District 13 (East Maui, Molokai, Lanaʻi, Kahoʻolawe)

(continued) “Restricted use pesticides must be eliminated from our farming practices and policies. There is no economy without protecting our environment. Every policy, program, legislation and all which is done in Hawai’i needs to take the environment as the first priority. I have fought for re-introducing water back into the streams of East Maui, even petitioning to be an intervenor in the successful case before the Commission on Water Resource Management. My opponent hesitated about whether a private corporation would keep its long term lease of our water, which, according to our State Constitution, is a public trust, and not to be bought and sold by a private corporation.”

Gene Ward
Gene WardHouse District 17 (Hawaiʻi Kai - Kalama Valley)
Alan Yim
Alan YimHouse District 17 (Hawaiʻi Kai - Kalama Valley)
Mark Hashem
Mark HashemHouse District 18 (Hahaione - Kahala)
Ola Souza
Ola SouzaHouse District 18 (Hahaione - Kahala)
Calvin Say
Calvin SayHouse District 20 (St. Louis Heights - Kaimukī)
Julia Allen
Julia AllenHouse District 20 (St. Louis Heights - Kaimukī)
Tom Brower
Tom BrowerHouse District 22 (Waikīkī, Ala Moana)
Kathryn Henski-Stark
Kathryn Henski-StarkHouse District 22 (Waikīkī, Ala Moana)
Takahashi Ohno
Takahashi OhnoHouse District 27 (Nuʻuanu - ʻĀlewa Heights)
Mela Kealoha-Lindsey
Mela Kealoha-LindseyHouse District 27 (Nuʻuanu - ʻĀlewa Heights)
Romy Cachola
Romy CacholaHouse District 30 (Kalihi Kai - Hālawa Valley)
Mar Velasco
Mar VelascoHouse District 30 (Kalihi Kai - Hālawa Valley)
Marilyn Lee
Marilyn LeeHouse District 36 (Mililani - Waipiʻo)
Val Okimoto
Val OkimotoHouse District 36 (Mililani - Waipiʻo)
Ryan Yamane
Ryan YamaneHouse District 37 (Mililani - Waikele)
Mary Smart
Mary SmartHouse District 37 (Mililani - Waikele)
Bob McDermott
Bob McDermottHouse District 40 (ʻEwa)
Rose Martinez
Rose MartinezHouse District 40 (ʻEwa)
Rida Cabanilla Arakawa
Rida Cabanilla ArakawaHouse District 41 (ʻEwa Beach)
Chris Fidelibus
Chris FidelibusHouse District 41 (ʻEwa Beach)
Amy Perruso
Amy PerrusoHouse District 46 (Launani Valley - Wahiawā)
John Miller
John MillerHouse District 46 (Launani Valley - Wahiawā)
Sean Quinlan
Sean QuinlanHouse District 47 (Waialua - Kaʻaʻawa)

(continued) “I think this would go a long way to bridging the divide between our ethnic groups and make it clear that we all respect and treasure the Hawaiian culture. To this end I have introduced a couple different bills, one was to fully fund the Office of Hawaiian Education (the bill died as we ended up funding it through the budgetary process instead) and another was a pilot project to choose 3 public schools to implement Hawaiian language education (it died for lack of funds). I also sponsored HB2643, which aimed to include Hawaiian language on all traffic signs on state and county lands. As someone who is bilingual (mandarin) I understand the benefits of speaking a second language, not just from a cultural standpoint but in the way it positively effects brain function.”

Richard Fale
Richard FaleHouse District 47 (Waialua - Kaʻaʻawa)
Cynthia Thielen
Cynthia ThielenHouse District 50 (Kailua - Kāneʻohe Bay)
Micah Pregitzer
Micah PregitzerHouse District 50 (Kailua - Kāneʻohe Bay)
Chris Lee
Chris LeeHouse District 51 (Kailua - Waimānalo)
Noe Galeaʻi
Noe GaleaʻiHouse District 51 (Kailua - Waimānalo)
Keʻeaumoku Kapu
Keʻeaumoku KapuMaui
Carmen Hulu Lindsey
Carmen Hulu LindseyMaui
Kalei Akaka
Kalei AkakaOʻahu
Esther Kiaʻaina
Esther KiaʻainaOʻahu
John Waiheʻe IV
John Waiheʻe IVOʻahu
William Ailā Jr.
William Ailā Jr.At Large
Rowena Akana
Rowena AkanaAt Large
Faye Hanohano
Faye HanohanoAt Large
Lei Ahu Isa
Lei Ahu IsaAt Large
Brendon Kaleiʻaina Lee
Brendon Kaleiʻaina LeeAt Large