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Fair & Equitable

Letter to Governor Linda Lingle

Take Action!
Virtually every decision that affects education is made in the political arena.

We need your strength and influence to make a difference for students and public education in Hawaii, but we also need you to make wise choices when using your school computer.

  • Please follow your school computer policies.
  • Use personal time away from school to work on letters to decision makers.
  • Use non-Lotus Notes e-mail and off-campus computers to read personal e-mail or when sending or   forwarding message, updates, and call to action alerts.
Your voice can be heard by filling out this contact form and clicking the submit button. You must fill out all information completely and it must be grammatically accurate, with appropriate upper and lower case lettering.

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First Name *
Last Name *
Your Email *
City *
Zip Code *
School *
Chapter *
Please go to Pay Cut Calculator to figure out your affected pay and medical. Enter information below.
Annual Salary Cut * (whole numbers only, NO "$" or "," ex. 4350)
Annual Medical Increase * (whole numbers only, NO "$" or "," ex. 200)
Enter Loss/Year - Add (Annual Salary Cut + Annual Medical Increase) * (whole numbers only, NO "$" or "," ex. 435)
We will not disclose your contact information that we collect from this form. HSTA collects and uses the information to operate and improve its sites and services.

Please enter your personal story on how you will be impacted - see examples:
"Your proposed cuts would be devastating to me."

"As a single teacher, I live paycheck-to-paycheck, and would not be able to afford my rent and utilities. I would probably be forced back to the mainland."

"As a single parent, I barely can make it with two children, rent and living expenses."
Personal Story (optional) Use correct grammar, with appropriate upper & lowercase lettering.
LETTER FROM A SINGLE TEACHER
Subject : Message from a concerned DOE Teacher

The Honorable Linda Lingle
Governor, State of Hawai`i
Executive Chambers
State Capitol
Honolulu, Hawai`i 96813

Dear Governor Lingle,

In difficult economic times like these, we look to our elected officials for leadership to make sound decisions. The legislature found ways to balance the state's budget. As governor, you also have choice in where to invest the state's money and where to spend it. from news report, you have asked teachers to give up additional pay and benefits.

For a single teacher like me, 36 days/year of furloughs would mean $[Annual Salary Cut] a year. In addition, the increase of medical costs as a single teacher would mean an additional $[Annual Medical Increase]. All in all, I would be losing approximately $[Loss/Year] each year!

What you are asking is far too excessive and too extreme for any individual.

[Personal Story inserted here]

Most teachers already give an additional 15 hours a week without pay. We also donate hundreds of dollars a year out-of-pocket to purchase classroom supplies for our students. I am willing to do my share, but it shoud be fair and equitable. What you are asking is not. If we are truly all in this together, don't only ask so much for teachers and public employees. In the long run, students will end up paying for the price.

Sincerely,

[First Name] [Last Name]
[School]

CC: Senate President Colleen Hanabusa
      House Speaker Calvin Say
      Superintendent Patricia Hamamoto
      Board of Education Chairmain Garrett Toguchi

Email (Please make sure that all names are left highlighted)

 






Hawaii State Teachers Association • 1200 Ala Kapuna St. • Honolulu Hawaii 96819 • 808.833.2711 • > Email
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