Timeline

This timeline invites us to revisit the inception of HSDBSOAR, providing insight into the how, what, where, who, and why behind its creation of activism to protect the Deaf Keiki's future. Take a journey down memory lane and witness the remarkable efforts of members from the Hawaiian Deaf community, including leaders, parents, and children from diverse backgrounds and all along the Deaf spectrum. Let us express our admiration for all those who courageously supported Dr. Angel Ramos and challenged the discriminatory decisions made by the Hawai'i Department of Education, defying audism in the process.

The Truth about Hawai'i Department Of Education

‘I Lost 3 Years Of My Passion’: Popular Deaf School Principal Gets His Job Back

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A veteran deaf educator — hired to lead the Hawaii School for the Deaf and the Blind in 2016 — was demoted by the area superintendent in 2019 without proper cause.

By Suevon Lee of Honolulu Civic Beat

The Hawaii Department of Education acted in an “arbitrary and capricious” manner when it demoted and reassigned the principal of the Hawaii School for the Deaf and the Blind to a lower-level position at a different school three years ago, an arbitrator hearing a grievance in the case concluded late last month.

In a 34-page decision issued on Feb. 24, independent arbitrator Theodore Sakai found that the DOE failed to conduct an investigation into the concerns raised by the complex area superintendent who recommended the move and produced “insufficient evidence” to justify the reassignment and demotion of longtime deaf educator Angel Ramos.

The decision, released to Civil Beat by the DOE in response to a public records request, highlights the department’s failure to look into the basis for the concerns about Ramos brought by Rochelle Mahoe, complex area superintendent for the Farrington-Kaiser-Kalani district, and ultimately signed off on by the state’s top superintendent.

The decision also underscores the disruption caused to the Hawaii School for the Deaf and the Blind, a roughly 60-student school at the base of Diamond Head that caters to students who are deaf or hard of hearing, as a result of Ramos’ removal.

The Oahu campus of Hawaii School for the Deaf and the Blind serves deaf and special education students on a referral basis. John Hill/Civil Beat/2017

The decision stems from the reassignment of Ramos by Mahoe in August 2019 from his leadership of HSDB to a vice principal role at Kalakaua Middle School in Kalihi, which does not offer programs for the hard of hearing. Mahoe based her decision to reassign Ramos on a performance review she wrote for the 2018-19 school year that cited problems such as a lack of leadership, a lack of concern for the safety and well-being of students, mismanagement of finances and disregard of DOE policies.

The Hawaii Government Employees Association, the union that represents principals and other administrators, filed a grievance on behalf of Ramos alleging violations of multiple provisions of the group’s collective bargaining contract with the DOE. HGEA argued that the move was disciplinary in nature and that DOE failed to show just cause for demoting Ramos. The union also argued that Mahoe had “a subjective bias” against Ramos.

The DOE took the position that the transfer was proper since it was performance-based, arguing that Ramos failed to correct “a vast number of deficiencies” that had been flagged during his three-year tenure.

However, Sakai, the former director of the Department of Public Safety and an arbitrator mutually agreed upon by both parties, sided with the union and Ramos, saying Mahoe provided “no reason for the transfer” and “did not specify which policies and procedures that she wanted (Ramos) to learn.”

“Absent an articulated justification or plan for what (Ramos) was supposed to do while on this (demoted) status, it appears that Mahoe simply wanted to remove (him) from HSDB without thought to the impact (on the principal),” Sakai wrote.

Sakai also found that DOE’s failure to conduct an investigation, “even though one was specifically required by its own rules,” made the decision “unfair and renders (DOE’s) action arbitrary and capricious.”

Sakai ordered DOE to “immediately reinstate” Ramos to his former position and issue any back pay owed as the result of the salary reduction the principal experienced when he was shifted to a lower-level position for three years.

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As Seen on TV

Video by Patrick Kuehn - Thank you!

By Jolanie Martinez

Published: Feb. 26, 2022 at 7:51 PM PST|Updated: Feb. 27, 2022 at 2:20 AM PST

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HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - The former principal of the Hawaii School for the Deaf and Blind is getting his job back.
 

In 2019, the state Department of Education complex superintendent recommended that Angel Ramos, who was principal at the time, be demoted. The department brought in a temporarily assigned principal and transferred Ramos to another campus. At that time, DOE said they would not talk about personnel matters. But a state arbitrator has now said he must be reinstated.

 

Ramos says he’s thrilled to be returning to the Hawaii School for the Deaf and Blind. He said it’s the start to a new beginning and is ready to rebuild the school again. “To be honest with you, three years has been tough ... but I’m happy it’s over,” said Ramos. Ramos is looking forward to seeing his students and teachers again. “I missed everything about the school,” said Ramos, who is deaf and fluent in ASL.

Students and staff say the school regressed after he left. “When Dr. Ramos left, of course, all the students were sad,” said HSDB student Eva Silva-Ewan. “You know, our mental health went down. We weren’t happy as we used to be, sometimes people were missing classes.” And now they’re looking forward to seeing him around campus again following a state arbitrator’s orders. “He’s very encouraging to students,” said HSDB student Dane Silva-Ewan. “He encourages them to do well and do their best in school.”

“I am very happy, I am excited that he will come back to where we left off, we may have to play a little bit of catch up,” said former Vice Principal of Steve Laracuente. “Because it looks like this school has stopped a few programs.” Moving forward, Ramos and his former colleagues want to establish their own board of directors with majority of them deaf. “People who are experts in deaf education, representatives from the deaf community, perhaps even students who can give feedback to the school on how they can improve.” “We must get away from DOE management, make us independent,” said Ramos. “Let us run the school, we know what’s best for deaf students.”
 

A spokeswoman from DOE released the following statement:

“The Department is in receipt of the arbitrator’s report and is reviewing and discussing next steps. We cannot discuss further details of this personnel matter at this time.”

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Copyright 2022 Hawaii News Now. All rights reserved.

Bill for new governing board advances

Bill for new governing board advances.        (Honolulu Star-Advertiser, Saturday 2/1/20)

Advocates seek greater oversight of Hawaii School for the Deaf and Blind.

By Susan Essoyan. (sessoyan@staradvertiser.com)

A bill to ensure that deaf educators and community members are involved in oversight of the Hawaii School for the Deaf and Blind passed the first hurdle at the Legislature on Friday.

House Bill 2421 would create a board of trustees - which would include people with expertise in deaf education and American Sign Language, as well as a parent and a graduate- to independently govern the public school,

A dozen deaf advocates pushed for the change at a hearing off the Committee in Human Services and Homelessness, which passed the measure.    The school on Leahi Avenue,  with 62 students in kindergarten through 12th grade is overseen by the Honolulu District Office of the Department of Education under the direction of a complex-area superintendent.

Like a Hawaiian language immersion school, the school thrives when led by administrators fluent in American Sign Language, which is the first language of its students, according to written testimony from Brian Nakamoto, a teacher and alumnus.  “The problem here is our current Department of Education does not have a clear understanding of how bilingual-bicultural curriculum of American Sign Language and English work in our deaf school,” he wrote.

“We did have a deaf principal that worked with us from 2016 to 2019, we saw a golden age at HSDB.  During that golden age, we assembled our robotics team, secured the spot a the co-host for West Regionals Academic Bowl competition to be hosted in Honolulu for the first time, saw growth in our students” Lexile and…academic performance levels, improved the morale among students and staff, and many more.”

But that principal, Angel Ramos, was abruptly transferred to a different school Aug. 1 and replaced by a principal who does not know sign language.  The decision provoked an outcry and public rallies on Ramos’ behalf by members of the school community.

Under his leadership the Hawaii School for the Deaf and Blind had received national accreditation for the first time in its history, on July 1, through the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.

Zachary Rest, a 2019 graduate of HSDB who is studying at Kapiolani Community College, told legislators what a difference it made for him when Ramos Became principal. 

“Finally…they hired someone to the deaf school that I could understand and communicate with, and I felt good,” Rest said.  “A hearing principal doesn’t understand us or our feelings.”

Vice Principal Stephen Laracuente, who is deaf and fluent in American Sign Language, offered written testimony in favor of the bill.  Je plans to retire July 1 after 25 years at the school.  Faculty are all certified teachers of the deaf and fluent in ASL, according to the DOE website.

The preamble to HB 2421 says schools for the deaf and blind in Colorado, California and Maryland also have independent oversight.  The bill, which has 29 sponsors, will head next to the Consumer Protection and Commerce Committee.

It would create a nine-member board appointed by the governor, including two deaf individuals fluent in American Sign Language and knowledgeable about deaf education; a deaf-blind person or parent of a deaf-blind person; an alumnus of the school; a parent of a deaf child; and a deaf individual from the neighbor islands.

The unpaid boar would be responsible for management and policy decisions for the school and report to the superintendent of education.

Committee Chairwoman Joy San Buenaventura said she would incorporate language proposed by the attorney general specifying that “policy decisions of the board of trustees shall be consistent with the policies of the Board of Education.”

The Department of Education did not take a position on the bill, but noted it has created a work group to improve and expand services to students who are deaf, hard of hearing and deaf-blind students who are deaf, hard of hearing and deaf-blind.

Ramos, now vice principal at Kalakaua Middle School, said he expects the principals union to file a grievance on his behalf.  Department of Education spokeswoman Lindsay Chambers said, “Out of respect for our employees’ privacy, we cannot comment on any personnel matters.”

(Picture of Vernicole Agustin, right, a former student at HSDB currently a student at KCC, testified Friday at House committee for HB 2421, which would give deaf advocates greater influence in running the school. Debbie Jackson, left, interpreted.)

Section B, page 2 Local Business.

Paki Park Rally #2 on Nov 2, 2019

SEPT 26 PICKETING

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