Josh is invested in the success of Hawaii’s public schools
Posted: March 25, 2022
The Hawaii State Teachers Association is excited to announce our support for Lt. Gov. Josh Green’s campaign for governor. The HSTA announced the recommendation at a news conference Friday morning at HSTA headquarters in Honolulu. View the event on our Facebook page and YouTube channel.
“When Hawaii’s public school educators needed something, Josh Green was always a champion for our issues,” said HSTA President Osa Tui, Jr. “This included our efforts to find ways to fully fund public education and give our keiki the schools they deserve. When thousands of our teachers descended upon the state Capitol in 2017, Josh Green was right there with us, helping to make our voices heard.
“He’s demonstrated that he cares about the future for our keiki and the wellbeing of the neediest in our communities, especially in our rural areas. He’s established that he will go ‘all-in’ to improve things that need improving. Josh Green will stir the pot, think outside of the box, and do whatever it takes to get the best results for Hawaii’s people,” Tui said.
Wendy Nickl, a teacher at Kohala Middle School and HSTA Kohala Chapter president said, “Josh supports our keiki through his advocacy for public schools. He cares about making things better for Hawaiiʻs children. His medical career, his legislative record, and his achievements as our lieutenant governor, show the commitment he has to making life in Hawaii the best it can be for our local ohana.”
Green reacted to the union’s recommendation and said, “Every child in Hawaii deserves a first-class public education no matter what zip code they live in, and the mission and values of HSTA align with that goal. I will work side by side with HSTA to give our teachers and students the tools they need to succeed.
“I support Hawaii’s teachers, and I’m proud to have the endorsement of HSTA,” Green added.
Public school roots; A strong record supporting public education
A product of public education and valedictorian of his public high school, Josh married the former Jaime Ushiroda of Kaneohe. Josh has almost a dozen public school teachers in his Hawaii family including his brother-in-law, aunties, and cousins, so he understands and strongly supports our public education system.
Josh is invested in the success of our public schools as he knows their value and respects and supports public school teachers. He knows our public schools are not adequately funded and will work to ensure more funding is provided for them. In 2018, he strongly supported a constitutional amendment to create additional revenue to fund our public schools. He knows how important it is to seek alternative revenue sources to help hire and retain qualified educators in our schools.
Josh also understands how the state needs to create a reliable pipeline of local educators and how affordable housing for public school employees and other members of the middle class must be a top priority. That’s why his campaign website features key issues like affordable housing, investing in the people of Hawaii, and nurturing children.
Josh’s background as a physician and lawmaker prepared him well for statewide office
As the state’s COVID-19 liaison, Josh led the largest healthcare response in Hawaii history during the pandemic, vaccinating more than a million people and saving thousands of lives.
Decades earlier, after completing his medical training, Josh started his life’s work as a family physician and ER doctor in rural hospitals and clinics on the Big Island. Today, he still works as an emergency department doctor on weekends at Kohala Hospital.
From 2004 to 2018, Josh served in the Hawaii State House of Representatives and State Senate, representing Kona and Ka’u. In the Senate, he chaired the Health and Human Services committees.
A humanitarian, he founded a community health center and homeless clinic
Josh served in the National Health Service Corps in Ka’u (2000-2004), worked medical missions in Africa (Swaziland), addressed the malaria crisis and AIDS epidemic, and founded the West Hawaii Community Health Center and the Chinatown homeless clinic. He is a true humanitarian.
He believes Hawaii should be a place where no family has to live in poverty or has to choose between buying food or buying medicine for a sick child. He knows that supporting strong, high-quality public schools is vital and benefits everyone. Josh understands that access to quality public school teachers makes a solid foundation that will strengthen our state and has fought beside us for many years to help get our public schools adequately funded and our teachers supported.
Hawaii families want the government to work for them, make a real difference in their lives, and reflect our shared values. That’s what Dr. Josh Green believes government should do, and that’s why he is running to serve as your next governor.
About the HSTA recommendation process
HSTA recommends candidates who are strong supporters of public education, our educators, labor, and are committed to creating a better future for our keiki.
HSTA sent out questionnaires to candidates in January and HSTA’s Government Relations Committee (GRC) interviewed them in February. The committee is made up of volunteer member leaders from each of HSTA’s 12 chapters across the state of Hawaii. Based on those responses and the interviews, the HSTA Board of Directors made a final decision to support him in the governor’s race.
