IN REGARD TO GOV. LINGLE'S RECENT CONTRACT OFFER TO HAWAII PUBLIC
SCHOOL TEACHERS

In her current contract offer to the public school teachers of
Hawaii, Governor Linda Lingle is requiring that all public school
teachers submit to random drug testing in exchange for a pay increase.

First of all, there is no epidemic of public school teachers using or
selling illegal drugs. Period. The thought of any state worker
interacting with children while under the influence of drugs or
alcohol is abhorrent to any sane person. The vast majority of public
school teachers in Hawaii do not use, or promote the sale of, illegal
drugs, just as I'm quite sure that the majority of state workers,
including those in the Hawaii State Legislature, do not use, or
promote the sale of, illegal drugs. So if we assume that there is a
small fraction of all state workers using, or promoting the sale of,
illegal drugs, then why is Gov. Lingle singling out Hawaii's public
school teachers for mandatory random drug testing?

If the public school teachers of Hawaii ratify the contract as it
stands, they will gain a temporary monetary reward and in return will
give up a priceless commodity, their fourth amendment right as
guaranteed in the Bill of Rights of the U.S. Constitution: The right
of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and
effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be
violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause,
supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the
place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

Gov. Lingle's contract offer to the public school teachers of Hawaii
is typical the Bush/Rove style of conservative Republican politics
that she endorses. She forces teachers to give up a Constitutional
right in exchange for a pay increase, and then paints them as
un-American protectors of drug addicts if they cry fowl. If she
really cared about weeding out drug users from state jobs, she could
easily do so with the processes currently in place. But since the
media loves scandal, Gov. Lingle is using this teacher contract to
force teachers to wear the scarlet "D."

At the end of the day, if the contract is ratified, many honest,
sober, hard working public school teachers in the state of Hawaii
will see another constitutional right taken away, and the
Bush/Rove/Lingle conservatives will gain another victory in their
quest to dismantle public education and weaken organized labor.
Teachers Wake Up! Don't Ratify!

Speaking as an individual,

Bob Underwood,

Public School Teacher,

Molokai, Hawaii