It's quite evident that the economy is spiraling downward, and Hawai'i is really starting to feel the effects. A major problem is it's affecting our youth more than it should.  

Two words to explain it all: budget cuts.   

The Board of Education passed a $46.5 million budget reduction plan that will devastate our schools. All that lost funding means less and/or no money for athletic supplies, equipment, textbooks and many more valuable necessities.

Worst of all, the lack of money means a lack of pay for teachers. Hawai'i has resorted to furloughs: Two Fridays of every month will be a furlough Friday. It may be the teachers' paycheck that takes a hit, but the students are paying the price.  

So much crucial time needed to cram in lessons will be lost. Still, when the alternative to furloughs is layoffs, less time in school is preferred over crammed and crowded classrooms. At least with fewer days, schools can keep more teachers. Either way, Hawai'i schools will definitely be suffering.

Heidi Neidhardt | Grade 12, Wai'anae High School