Teachers say retaliation reason for job nonrenewal at Laupāhoehoe Community Public Charter School

Kindergarten teacher Jamie Harden was not surprised when her contract was not renewed for the next school year at Laupāhoehoe Community Public Charter School on the Big Island.

Throughout this past school year, Harden and several other teachers expressed concerns about the actions of Interim Director Kualana Smith to the school’s Governing Board; and they filed grievances with the Hawaiʻi State Teachers Association.

At least two other teachers at the public charter school also received nonrenewal letters for this fall, Harden said.

“Our director resigned last year, and an administration member, who was planning to retire, was ‘forced’ to serve as interim director while the Governing Board sought a permanent candidate,” Harden said. “During our first meeting, she informed us she did not want to be at the school and wanted to retire. It felt like she was taking her frustration out on us, setting a somber tone for the year.”

Harden said she felt particularly targeted by Smith because she was the school representative for the teachers’ union. In that role she facilitated filing complaints and grievances from teachers throughout the year.

“I cared deeply about this job, and she did not appreciate being held accountable,” Harden said. “In every HSTA meeting, she would attend virtually with her camera off or not attend at all. Her emails were often terse, rude, and at times harassing.”

In April, Harden attended a Governing Board meeting to discuss the school’s eligibility for a Hard-to-Staff designation due to high turnover and reliance on underqualified staff at the rural school north of Hilo. She emphasized the need for mentorship and institutional knowledge to help new teachers meet board standards.

Without curriculum training protocols and mentorship requirements for new teachers, it’s unclear how successful teaching and student performance will be achieved under current turnover conditions.

In her public comment to the board, Harden advocated for limiting contract nonrenewal without proper performance evaluations. Teachers are currently observed informally through walkthroughs and asked to submit end-of-year portfolios. Their teaching and student scores are then evaluated and teachers are given status of “effective” or “noneffective.”

However, even if teachers are given a status of “effective,” administrators can overlook this and decide to not renew a contract without providing feedback, according to Harden.

After addressing the board, Harden received a nonrenewal letter for the next year.

“When I asked Kualana why I received this letter, her response was, ‘I don’t think you’re a good fit for this school,'” Harden said. “In three years, I’ve had no complaints, no behavioral issues, and have been noted as highly effective on my evaluations. My record is spotless. This feels retaliatory.”

Harden requested board intervention to ensure employment decisions were based on objective performance and evaluation criteria, not because she was “not a good fit for LCPCS.”

Following her nonrenewal, several teachers and parents wrote to the board, advocating for reconsideration and praising Harden’s effective interaction with students.

“My son, though academically gifted, struggled with the social aspects and chaos of public school,” parent Cheyenne Yoneda said. “While others labeled and collected data on his behavior, Kumu Harden showed love, patience, understanding, and grace. Soon, my child wasn’t just thriving academically but was happy to attend school, see his teacher and friends. I am grateful Kumu Harden didn’t dismiss my child as having ‘behavior’ issues.”

“Not a good fit” was also the reason Charlotte Husen, a special education teacher with 25 years of experience, received a nonrenewal letter.

Husen expressed disappointment, especially since she graduated from and lived in the community served by the school, unlike some former colleagues.

“The school is filled with unqualified emergency hires, and in this rural community, teachers from the mainland often leave after a year or two,” Husen said. “The school needs new hires for kindergarten, first grade and fifth grade, and I don’t understand why the interim director is ‘cleaning house’ before the new director arrives.”

The Governing Board appointed Weston Willard as the new director, effective July 1, with a meet-and-greet event scheduled for July 16.

Despite numerous public comments and submissions from teachers, students and parents over the year, the board did not respond. During its most recent meeting on Tuesday, Harden’s public comment was not read.

“Month after month, meetings provide more evidence and letters of support, displaying staff and faculty disappointment, yet no communication is given back to us,” Harden said. “No updates on complaints, nothing. All the Governing Board members are new, indicating high turnover. It’s not a good situation.”

Smith and the Governing Board did not respond to inquiries from Big Island Now.

A teacher who asked to remain anonymous expressed support for Harden and concern about how these decisions will impact the school’s future.

“The interim director can make these decisions without facing consequences. I worry about the loss of solid staff members in an already hard-to-staff school,” the teacher wrote. “I worry about the loss of colleagues who support the school community. I’m concerned this may damage our reputation and set up our new director for failure by starting the year with negativity, given how challenging it has been to maintain commitment from previous directors.”

In May, Harden lodged a complaint with the Department of Education’s Fraud and Ethics hotline and the Commission of Public Charter Schools. The Commission reviewed the complaint and Governing Board’s response, instructing Harden to resolve the issue through school-level processes.

“I reached out to the Commission because it wasn’t being addressed at the school level,” Harden said. “Nevertheless, I intend to push for equitable treatment for all future teachers, to prevent this from happening again.”

For now, Harden will seek new job opportunities, though she remains hopeful of discussing her return to Laupāhoehoe with the new director.

“I care deeply about our students and the school’s mission, and I would like to continue contributing to this community in a safe and supportive environment,” Harden said.