Lily Eskelsen García, president of the National Education Association (NEA), wrote Gov. David Ige Friday, telling him that while she understands the fiscal challenges that the coronavirus presents to Hawaii, “reducing the pay of teachers and other public employees will only compound this crisis.”

“Not only would their families suffer the consequences of not having enough to make ends meet; damage to the communities in which they live and work, and ultimately to your state, would be severe when Hawaii’s economy is already contracting,” said Eskelsen García, who leads the country’s largest union with three million members. The Hawaii State Teachers Association is an NEA affiliate.

“As a teacher, however, what troubles me most about what you are considering is the impact on students,” she wrote.

“This pandemic has shined a light on the huge disparities in resources that exist in communities across the nation—disparities teachers see in classrooms every day. But it has also exposed how dedicated teachers are to nurturing and supporting every student, no matter the circumstances,” Eskelsen García said.

She told Ige that she speaks daily with NEA teachers who have confronted this crisis with love, pragmatism, selflessness, and creativity. 

“They are driving through neighborhoods in caravans and posting videos on YouTube to let students know that even in—especially in—these tough times, they are still there for them. They are coaching parents through lesson plans and figuring out best-practices for distance learning, and where families don’t have access to the Internet, they are calling their students to provide whatever assistance they can, meanwhile attending to their own families’ needs.,” Eskelsen García said.

“Teachers are rising to meet this challenge because we know our students need us now, and will rely on us to restore a sense of normalcy when the crisis ebbs. This will be much more difficult if pay cuts or furloughs are enacted because Hawaii will very likely lose teachers across the spectrum: those who are close to retirement, those with several years of experience and expertise, and those just entering the profession, bringing new insights and perspectives. Given the teacher shortage your state already faces, students will ultimately pay for this loss at a time when Hawaii will need all-hands-on-deck to create the nurturing environments that will help students recover and thrive,” she said.

Of all the states, Eskelsen García noted that only Hawaii is considering taking “this dangerous step. In other states, the emphasis has been on maintaining public services during the pandemic by making full use of the provisions of the CARES Act, which has allocated $53 million to Hawaii’s schools and colleges (funds that can be used to pay salaries).”

“Governor Ige, I ask that you not cut, furlough, or lay off teachers and other public employees, but rather, use all methods available through the CARES Act and the state’s rainy day fund to avoid these drastic measures. Surely, Hawaii’s students and their families deserve better,” she said.

Click here to view a PDF version of the letter.

Featured photo provided by the NEA.