| 45 | | - | WHEREAS, the "Aloha Spirit" is a unique cultural attribute of Hawaii, embodying the principles of kindness (Aloha Akahai), unity (Aloha Lokahi), humility (Aloha Haʻahaʻa), patience (Aloha Ahonui), and a deep sense of love and respect for others; and WHEREAS, these values are enshrined in section 5-7.5, Hawaii Revised Statutes, which recognizes the Aloha Spirit as "the coordination of mind and heart within each person" and emphasizes cooperation, empathy, and understanding; and WHEREAS, political polarization has intensified across the nation, creating significant barriers to constructive dialogue and civic engagement; and WHEREAS, the principles of the Aloha Spirit offer a powerful framework for fostering respectful discourse, active listening, and collaborative problem-solving, which are essential skills for participatory democracy; and WHEREAS, integrating the Aloha Spirit into civics education can help equip students with the tools to engage in political and social discussions in a manner that promotes unity and mutual understanding; and WHEREAS, a comprehensive approach to civics education that incorporates the Aloha Spirit can empower students to become engaged citizens who approach governance and public service with empathy and integrity; and WHEREAS, the Department of Education convened the Civic Learning and Engagement Task Force, at the direction of the Board of Education, to provide recommendations to the Board on strengthening and elevating civic learning, and to objectively measure knowledge, skills, and participation; and WHEREAS, the Civic Learning and Engagement Task Force published its findings and recommendations on March 2024; and WHEREAS, the findings and recommendations of the Civic Learning and Engagement Task Force are now informing strategic planning and implementation efforts within the Department of Education that will strengthen and elevate civic learning; now, therefore, BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Thirty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2025, the Senate concurring, that the Department of Education is requested to prepare and submit a report to the Legislature on the implementation of aloha-based civic education initiatives in Hawaii's public schools, based on the recommendations made by the Department's Civic Learning and Engagement Task Force; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Education is requested to submit a report to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2026 on the implementation of the Civic Learning and Engagement Task Force's recommendations, including efforts to integrate the principles of the Aloha Spirit into civics education and any additional strategies to enhance civic learning in Hawaii's public schools; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Governor and Superintendent of Education. |
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| 45 | + | WHEREAS, the "Aloha Spirit" is a unique cultural attribute of Hawaii, embodying the principles of kindness (Aloha Akahai), unity (Aloha Lokahi), humility (Aloha Haʻahaʻa), patience (Aloha Ahonui), and a deep sense of love and respect for others; and WHEREAS, these values are enshrined in section 5-7.5, Hawaii Revised Statutes, which recognizes the Aloha Spirit as "the coordination of mind and heart within each person" and emphasizes cooperation, empathy, and understanding; and WHEREAS, political polarization has intensified across the nation, creating significant barriers to constructive dialogue and civic engagement; and WHEREAS, the principles of the Aloha Spirit offer a powerful framework for fostering respectful discourse, active listening, and collaborative problem-solving, which are essential skills for participatory democracy; and WHEREAS, integrating the Aloha Spirit into civics education can help equip students with the tools to engage in political and social discussions in a manner that promotes unity and mutual understanding; and WHEREAS, a comprehensive approach to civics education that incorporates the Aloha Spirit can empower students to become engaged citizens who approach governance and public service with empathy and integrity; now, therefore, BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Thirty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2025, the Senate concurring, that the Department of Education is requested to establish an Aloha Civics Working Group to enhance civics education in Hawaii; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Aloha Civics Working Group is requested to include the following as members: (1) The Superintendent of Education, or the Superintendent's designee; (2) A representative from the University of Hawaii's Matsunaga Institute for Peace; (3) A representative from the Legislative Reference Bureau Public Access Room; (4) A representative from a community organization focused on civic engagement, to be selected by the Speaker of the House of Representatives; (5) A representative from a community organization focused on civic engagement, to be selected by the President of the Senate; and (6) Two public members with experience in education or civic engagement, to be selected by the Governor; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Aloha Civics Working Group is requested to: (1) Assess the current state of civics education in Hawaii's public schools; (2) Identify opportunities to integrate the principles of the Aloha Spirit into the civics curriculum; (3) Develop strategies to enhance students' understanding of democratic processes and civic responsibilities; (4) Recommend professional development programs for educators to effectively teach civics with an emphasis on the Aloha Spirit; and (5) Propose metrics to evaluate the effectiveness of civics education programs; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Aloha Civics Working Group is requested to submit a report of its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the Legislature and the Department of Education no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2026; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Governor, Superintendent of Education, Director of the University of Hawaii's Matsunaga Institute for Peace, and Coordinator of the Legislative Reference Bureau Public Access Room. OFFERED BY: _____________________________ |
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