WHY 5,000 TEACHERS DIDN'T VOTE

Here's a word problem for you: If there are 13,500 public school
teachers in Hawai'i and 8,500 voted on the hotly debated new contract,
why did 5,000 of them abstain?

Apathy? Doubtful. They were probably too busy grading papers, writing
lesson plans and taping up the cracked jalousies in their classrooms
to cast a ballot on how much they're paid and if Gov. Lingle thinks
they're sneaking hits in the break room and teaching under the influence.

Perhaps they decided long ago that they will teach no matter what --
no matter how hot the classroom gets, how rotten the kids act, how
spooky the parents behave and how insulting their work conditions
become. That's not apathy, that's grit.

The ones who did vote did so with a vengeance. They not only cast
ballots, they posted comments, wrote letters and called radio shows.

Some teachers asked the "what do I tell my students about this?"
questions, feeling that the measure is indefensible.

Perhaps they can frame it this way for the kids:

In life, you will face many tests. Some are fair, some are not. You
must be true to your mission. Now take out last night's homework and
let's focus on our work.

Others had no fear of any drug test. Bring it on. All you'll find is a
couple mocha lattes and a Beard Papa running through this bod. The
very idea of testing teachers for drug use is so much a product of the
times.

Today's parents might recall the days when teachers smoked cigarettes
in the classroom and the only ones who scolded and waggled fingers
were the students. It was once common for kids to see public school
teachers light up at their desks during lunch recess and after school
(while using their break time and off-the-clock hours to counsel kids,
help with homework, listen to yet another recitation of "Flowers for
Algernon").

These were good teachers with bad habits, and they were judged on
their ability to teach, not the nicotine in their system or the
example they were setting. It should be so today. Testing for cause is
valid and an important safeguard. Random testing is for parolees and
residents of halfway houses. Can an addict really run a classroom
without being noticed for "acting funny"?

Perhaps those silent 5,000 were just biding their time until the issue
goes away. They know how the state works. What are the chances that
those lidded plastic cups will ever be passed out to faculty members?
There are repair requisition forms years old still pending within the
system. If they can't get around to inspecting a dam, will the state
get around to inspecting teachers?