Good schools, good jobs, good government. These are not unreasonable demands. But sadly, some of our people have already lost heart and have left Hawaii to look for these things elsewhere.
Good schools should be left alone.
I grew up in Denmark and was fortunate enough to have access to good schools and thoughtful teachers.
We believe in government involvement that leads to independence: good schools, quality roads and the best health care.
Having our own children in good schools does not inure us from the ill-effect of others having theirs in poor schools. Having great roads within our gated homes and offices does not help when our fancy cars spill out on to poor public roads.
There will always be places in the world where good schools don't exist and good teachers don't want to go, not just in the developing world but in places of socioeconomic hardship.
If we don't figure out a way to create equity, real equity, of opportunity and access, to good schools, housing, health care, and decent paying jobs, we're not going to survive as a productive and healthy society.
If we had in this room a hundred teachers, good teachers from good schools, and asked them to define the word education, there would be very little general agreement.
