04-16-2015, 06:41 AM
quote:
Originally posted by Chunkster
It's all about education and economic opportunity. The public schools in Hawaii are marginal at best, and failing at worst. Demanding that they be improved should be job one for all politicians and activists. Having said that, even those students here in Hawaii who do manage to get honors and scholarships tend to end up with careers on the mainland. There is a very real "brain drain" in the local population. Someone posted here on Punaweb about an honors teacher at Hilo High who had a reception for the thirty graduates that year who had won prestigious scholarships. When asked, all but two said they did not expect to return to the Big Island when they began their careers. The reason is lack of opportunity.
"Development" has become a dirty word in these parts, but smart economic development does not have to be pollution laden or destructive. Our good old boy leaders are stuck in a rut of tourism and government employment that they just don't seem to want to change. Why? Because they are doing OK with that model and don't care that their best and brightest are leaving in droves.
Chuckster, this is an island, a remote one at that. I think it's perfectly logical the kids after graduating take off the greener pastures. We will never offer the variety of opportunities the mainland and the world at large have to offer. I moved here because I like peace and quiet in a tropical undeveloped setting, perfect for me and most who have moved here after attaining an education elsewhere and able to financially adapt to living here.
Until we clean up the welfare handouts on this island we will always have problems it creates i.e. the pseudo hippies who flock here in droves to abuse the system. As well as more wealthy folk attracted to the health care system. We are a generous state and being blatantly taken advantage of the services we offer by the locals and transplants. Too many scammers here, I've heard it from insurance adjusters to Chiropractors doing the paperwork....a higher than normal population of scammers.