A protest rally on the first “furlough Friday” is planned at the State Capitol beginning at 10 a.m. this Friday morning, Oct. 23. More information can be found on the web site of the group calling itself “Hawaii Education Matters“.

Buses will be ferrying participants from the University of Hawaii Manoa Campus to the capitol, or so I’ve heard.

Parents at Noelani Elementary School in Manoa are being encouraged to come to school as usual on Friday morning in a “walk in for education”. They plan to gather at the school for a rally with speakers and entertainment between 8-9:30 a.m.

Two buses will then be available to take parents and students to the Capitol and return after the downtown rally.

There is also an on-line petition:

Target:Governor Linda Lingle, Our Hawaii Legislature, DOE, BOE & HSTA

Sponsored by: A group of concerned Hawaii parents

We, the people of Hawaii, are calling upon the Governor, Legislature, Department of Education, Board of Education and Hawaii State Teachers Association to find the resources and funding necessary to keep our schools open, our teachers working and our students engaged and educated. Stop Furlough Fridays. Educate, protect, and respect the children of Hawaii.