Drawn by
the island's beauty, visitors are now staying an average of 7.2 days
on Kauai, we are told, which gives them plenty of time to get into
trouble on land and sea. What's new was this revelation by Councilman
Jay Furfaro:
The
ocean safety information is making a difference at the hotels, but
Furfaro said 62 percent of tragedies occur with people staying at
transient vacation rentals.
The
county engineer has the authority to close beaches and trails if
conditions present a public safety concern, Furfaro said. Queen’s
Bath could be closed for six months at a time, he added.
So does
this mean that residents will also lose access to trails and beaches
that are closed to protect the tourists from themselves? I can't
imagine that will go over too well with folks who are already feeling
squeezed out of their favorite places by the steady increase in
tourists.
And
if the county engineer has the authority to close natural areas that
present a public safety concern, what about the vacation rentals that
have bedrooms on the ground floor, unpermitted boat docks and other
such hazards? Or more to the point, doesn't he have authority over the
Building Division, which has allowed so many of these violations to
occur?
Meanwhile,
eastside folks are circulating competing petitions, one calling for
the removal of Kapaa Middle School Principal Nathan Aiwohi, who is reportedly on leave, and
another supporting his integrity. The issue, it appears, is his
leadership style, which is characterized in one petition as
“dictatorial, authoritarian” and in the other as an “exemplary
model.”
The
removal petition, which is signed by Councilwoman Nadine Nakamura,
includes such revealing comments as:
This
school has outstanding staff and they are constantly being squashed
by the principal. His decisions are unnecessary, unrealistic and just
ridiculous.
He
derives pleasure from bullying students, teachers and parents and is
preventing our school's academic progress.
He
has been nothing but a source of rudeness and hatred against me and
my family for a good six years now, and it's time to put his reign of
terror to an end.
HE
IS A TYRANT. HE TREATS THE STUDENTS LIKE PRISONERS WITH NO RIGHTS
And
a really sad one from the former band teacher:
The
mental and physical toll on me can be documented. I have been
diagnosed with PTSD and anxiety disorder due to years of a hostile
work environment. I will never be the person I used to be. I will
never get my career back. This man has been the ruin of me and the
ruin of real music on the East side.
The support petition, which was started by Aiwohi's wife, Leah, and signed by surveyor Dennis Esaki (who was recently given the political plum of a seat on the state Land Use Commission for his work on Gov. Abercrombie's campaign), includes such
comments as:
I
am very pleased with everything Principal Aiwohi has done for KMS. I
do not feel that the absence of PTSA has anything to do with him.
We
know Nathan E. 'Aiwohi as a man of integrity, character, and
leadership which is demonstrated in both his personal and public
life.
He
is not one that easily compromises, which takes courage to go against
even opposition and to stand up for what he believes is right and
best for the people and children he has under his responsibility. He
can be quite strict and will stick to the rules and regulations that
his position expects him to be...I think they call that integrity
The
clash dates back to 2008, and reportedly prompted resignations from
the school's PTSA boards in 2011 and 2012. There have also been
complaints that he assigned two of
the school's best teachers not to the classroom, but to work on
accreditation. Other reports contend that staff morale is low and
excellent teachers have left the school because of his leadership.
Numerous complaints reportedly have been made to Complex Area
Superintendent William Arakaki, who in 2011 was given a petition
with 200 signatures asking for Aiwohi to be removed from his position
at Kapaa Middle School. Aiwohi previously was the principal of Hanalei
School.
Moving
on, The Garden Island's new editor, Bill Buley, introduces himself in
an aptly titled piece, “More than you want to know about me.” In
it, he offers this revelation:
I
plan to learn about Kaua‘i and study several books, “The Ultimate
Kaua‘i Guidebook,” “Best Easy Day hikes Hawai‘i: Kaua‘i,”
and “Hawai‘i for Dummies.’”
Ahem.
Let's hope he seeks a broader education than will be found in those
pages.
Personally,
I would have been more interested in learning about his plans for the
paper. You know, answers to questions like, are you actually going to
edit the reporters' stories? Guide them in some
investigative/substantive reportage? Beef up the news content in the
paper? Stop running so many verbatim press releases? Publish stories
in a more timely fashion? Limit people to no more than one letter to
the editor per week?
I guess
we'll just have to wait and see. At least he likes dogs.....
Speaking
of which, a friend sent me this picture, with the caption:
if
only the mayor would perk up and listen like she does
Posts
22 comments:
It's telling that it was Nathan's wife that initiated the other petition. How many teachers, admin staff, students have signed her petition? Nathan was also at King Kaumualii Elementary a while back and I remember his demeanor as that of unapproachable. That isn't enough to warrant removal but I think with the amount of conflict going on, there should be an indepth investigation by DOE with political favor put aside.
I recently traveled interisland and I have to say that the video in the baggage claim area was easily missed by me. Positioning another screen near the exit would enhance visibility to all. I think a better solution is playing it inflight, and if not the video than an audio message. This way there is a captive audience and visitors staying at hotels and tvrs are informed.
It's time for the DOE to address the problem of Nathan Aiwohi. Enough already! Shame on those people putting his job security above the students' needs for a good education.
another great report on the real goings on here on Kauai -
truth hurts - and hopefully will help resolve this long term thorn in the public education system.
I find it interesting that with the exception of one teacher (and even that's subject to debate), the very reputable teachers at KMS did NOT sign in favor of Mr. Aiwohi. That speaks volumes!
Oh and I like how many people who signed in favor of him never actually sent their own children to KMS during Aiwohi's tenure. It's easy to support him when your own kids' education is not at stake!
if this guy has to study a book called Hawaii for Dummies we are in for some seriously poor reporting
It is really sad when the editor of our newspaper has no context, basis or history of Kauai, does not know the people, places, language, but somehow is the editor.
Leash ?
The petition about Nathan Aiwohi was not only signed by Nadine but started by her. She is courageous and completely accurate in her characterization of him. I have been a parent at the school for the last 5 years, and I can tell you we are counting the days until we are done. Nathan does not believe that encouragement is a legitimate way to reach the students, but rather fear and intimidation. He and his VP Pang have sucked the joy and morale out of the school and of the students by being far more concerned--read obsessed--with the length of the girls shorts than with anything else. They routinely have assemblies that patronize the students about their horrible behavior and attire, and with nothing about the good students. Nothing. No child is praised or encouraged, and the staff is brow-beaten into misery and submission. He may have his strengths, but they are NOT in working with our youth. I daresay that Dennis Esaki and others who signed his favorable petition have no idea what they are talking about. He is a dictatorial, authoritarian bully who is reliving his own childhood of being bullied by now being the aggressor. We have 25 days and counting, and believe me, if I were facing another 1-3 years with him at the helm, we would be homeschooling in a second.
Maybe those Lihue folks are in favor of Nathan Aiwohi because they would rather he stay at Kapaa Middle than get moved over to their kids' school. Just sayin'.
Sounds like Nathan Aiwohi would be a good candidate to be a KPD good ol boy.
5:24 is right. Nathan is much better suited to a career in law enforcement or auditing than education.
Any politician who takes education seriously gets my vote every time!
Win-win? How about the DOE create the New Century Nathan Aiwohi Charter School? Then all those people who elect to work for him and have him oversee their kids' education can opt for that school. And let the rest of us opt for Kapaa Middle.
Looks like kauai eclectic has a new scapegoat to bully. Look for lots of one side "reporting" and no chance for Aiwohi to respond unless he wants to grovel in the comment cesspool.
Unless I missed something, both (the petitions for and against Nathan Aiwohi) are in this article. A one- sided article would have only presented one petition. Thank you for the reporting, Joan!
Like so many caucasians, TGI's new Editor, Bill Burley, is ecstatic about relocating to Kauai. Bill is excited, and ready to explore this beautiful island.
Problems may come such as Bill targeted, run off the road, and obcenities like, "Go home, fu*kin' haole!!" are thrown at him.
Problems will come when the new editor attempts to build professional relationships with the County of Kauai/SOH, and the "local doors" are slammed in his face. "Either the Island accepts you or spits you out."
Guide books to trails and adventures? Read retired Honolulu Advertiser reporter, Anthony Sommer's book, "KPD Blue."
Then, do some serious research in studies to "Kill Haole Day." Yes, such research exist. Ask around, "Do you know any caucasians who have had their head kicked in, beaten to death, or shot off a roof top by a KPD cop for no apparant reason?
The research lays out what every caucasian needs to know. Then, do what everyone else does--watch your back.
The good news is Bill is not a caucasian female.
And the better news is that Bill is not a caucasian female working for Shaylene Iseri-Carvalho!
DOE: Aiwohi and Harada where staff are abused, and children left by the wayside.
OPA: Iseri-Carvalo and Delaplane. Iseri-Carvalho reported one of worst prosecutor is US.
Social services for child protection and crisis intervention: Dept. of Child Welfare. Heard Life's Bridges wouldn't "answer" the crisis line for a specific person in emotional and medical crisis. Political. Wielding of single phone a game of power and Russian Roulet.
County of Kauai: Carvalho and Rapozo, Portugese mafia alive and well. Gasoline purchases, and still no island drug/alcohol rehab center for youth.
Kauai Courts and KPD Blue.
Mind boggling.
Follow the "local" and funding trails. Lead to the heads of the snake.
Anonymous said...
And the better news is that Bill is not a caucasian female working for Shaylene Iseri-Carvalho!
April 22, 2013 at 9:37 PM
Amen. How much have law suits against Iseri-Carvalho cost tax payers?
Bernard could have built that youth rehab center mentioned x 10 by now, with the money we are forced to doll out in law suits against brats like Shaylene.
Is the complaint by Chief Perry against Bernard going to cost us too?
What a sinful waste of money, and violations of rights. These people just keep going with their spats at tax payers' expense.
Let's hope the DOE doesn't follow in the sheepish footsteps of the Catholic Church and just move Aiwohi around from school to school. Effective school administration is clearly not his forte. Time for him to move on and look into a different career before he does more damage and costs the taxpayers more money.
Seriously can someone get Aiwohi an application for KPD?
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