Disappeared News

The KITV report on today’s sentencing of the Save Our Schools sit-in parents featured a few seconds of Bill Unruh reading his statement to the judge.

I’m not sure this judge cared, but Bill came through loud and clear to the rest of us.

Two other parents made statements which I don’t have. If they send ‘em, I’ll post ‘em.

Here’s what Bill said today. I’ll also plug his website, Travel Bug Hawaii.

Aloha Judge,

Thank you for letting us have the time to speak.

I have several photos to accompany what I have to say.

What is unique about me is that I work two jobs and for four months of the year I work three jobs.

I also volunteer as a Den Leader with Cub Scout Pack 35 which is sponsored by Noelani School, this takes countless hours of volunteer work.

For the past two years I have volunteered at Noelani Beautification Day where I have painted the yellow lines in the school parking lot to keep our school children safe.

This summer I repaired a bench in the Noelani school yard that had been broken for two years which had stainless steal screws sticking out of the frame. I paid for materials needed out of my own pocket.

This last May I helped coordinate a Teach-in at the state capitol on the last Furlough Friday of the year on May 14^th which amounted many many hours of volunteer work and well over a $1,500 dollars in donations from many people, including myself to bus in over 250 kids from places around the island to include shelters in both Waianae and Barber’s Point.

I have volunteered at the BOE & LG forum’s.

All of these things I was not asked or required to do I just did them on my own.

Basically, I have already done more than my share of community service and will continue to do so if I am forced to or not.

Also, I have already paid my dues, more than any fine that may come down to me.

What is not unique about me is that I am no different than any of these people standing here with me. We are a group made up of parents, students and professors who had to take up the issue to resolve as the current administration was not going to...most of us are in education field and thus know the societal impacts taking kids out of school will have, basically we felt compelled to do what was right as our Governor and Lt. Governor were not concerned about Hawaii’s keiki and the impact the Furlough Fridays were having. I am not an activist, I am a parent.

What is most ironic about this situation is that we are being punished for doing what was right, bringing education to the forefront, holding our leaders accountable and making them do their job.

Thank you for your time.

Permalink posted by Larry @ 9/10/2010 08:52:00 PM