Furlough Days Are Over!

Honolulu, Hawaii- The negotiations between the Department of Education and Hawaii State Teachers Association reached an agreement earlier today, Wednesday of December 23 to finally end school furloughs in all public schools all over the state.

The deal consummated about two hours of diligent talks in a closed door meeting this morning at the Board of Education offices.

Although both HSTA and DOE official refused to reveal details of the agreement, the latter stressed that it still subject to legislative approval, but certainly there will be no changes to the teachers' contract.

Hawaii Gov. Linda Lingle had proposed turning 15 teacher-training days into instructional days and cutting a $50 million from the rainy day fund to respond to public school parents clamor to end furlough days, and would also wipe out the 27 furlough Fridays earlier planned for the coming of years of 2010 and 2011.

Sources said that the negotiations between HSTA and BOE had been rigid last week with Gov. Linda Lingle's representatives to able to meet the deadline of Dec. 31 from the state legislature; for the negotiators to call for a special session to approve the plan.

The initiative originally came from the state teachers association, who had truly expressed sincere sentiment for their students losing learning days. The teachers sacrificed their training days, while the state cut a budget from the rainy funds to restore instructional days and end furlough.