Early Learning--"Programs that iniially target 4-year olds"

The following testimony, regarding Governor Abercrombie's Early Learning initiatives, was submitted (late--2/27/2013) to Committees on Education and Judiciary of the Hawaii State House of Representatives. It is reprinted here (in blog form) for the public record. --R. Morse
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.I ask that all Members of House to take caution with Governor Abercrombie's early-learning (EL) initiatives.*. [See Civil Beat article: Hawaii Preschools Initiative Passes First Test.**]

1. The combination of the governor's EL bills* [See HB 853] potentially establish a comprehensive, state-controlled mechanism for influencing the world-view and behavior of entire generations of [Hawaii's] children--in both private and public schools--when they are at their most impressionable age. If I am reading this right, this state-wide "program that initially targets 4-year-olds," would be exclusively controlled by the executive office; and through public-private partnerships, without much oversight.**
In the event of a potential rouge government this mechanism could be very dangerous.

Please consider the possibility that the provision in ARTICLE X, Section 1: "...nor shall public funds be appropriated for the support or benefit of any...private educational institution." is a preventative measure, purposely written into our State Constitution, for the purpose of separating public and private sectors in the area of education, specifically to safeguard children, and society, from such a program being implemented.

　
2. It may be coincidence, though I see striking similarities between the rhetoric (language and logic) in the Governor's early-learning dialog and the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) dialog on 21st century education. For a small example:
　
Rethinking Education UNESCO’s function as an international laboratory of ideas is to guide the global debate on education. As the rapid and interdependent changes of the 21st century present new challenges for education and training systems worldwide, educational policy-makers need to be more pro-active in identifying and understanding the implications of emerging trends for the future of education. Evidence-based policy dialogue and forward-looking research are essential to strengthening collective capacity to grapple with broader societal issues in a changing global environment. As the international community strengthens its collective efforts to reach internationally-agreed upon education and development goals, it is also crucial to look ahead and chart new paradigms to help guide the global education agenda beyond 2015. The Education Research and Foresight (ERF) team has been established in order to respond to this need, working to support research and analysis across UNESCO’s Education Sector. http://www.unesco.org/new/en/education/themes/leading-the-international-agenda/rethinking-education/
Also [see]: U.N. Decade of Education for Sustainable Development: http://www.gdrc.org/sustdev/un-desd/key-action.html
[End of testimony]
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* Related Early Learning bills in Gov. Abercrombie's 2013 package: Hb853 HB864 HB862

** To summarize: The Governor's package to the Legislature includes a handful of bills relating to Early Learning and School Preparedness. Three of those are interdependent.* Between them, they ask for an Amendment in the State Constitution which would allow public funds for private preschools and day-care centers. They also ask for non-profit, private contractors to bring programs into public schools. through PPPs. And money for all. (btw,This all while cutting back funds for public school teachers.)
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Of additional interest:
from--Anchorage Daily News

Compass: No Public Funds for Private Education
By VIC FISCHER
A concerted effort is under way to change Alaska's constitution to open the way to spend public funds to educate students in religious and other private schools.
http://www.adn.com/2013/02/19/2794702/compass-no-public-funds-for-private.html