The July 23 Honolulu Star-Bulletin article entitled "Schools will try to beat isle heat" contains the following incongruous sentences:

• "Beginning this year, all public schools will open by the end of July, on a single calendar designed to make school operations more efficient and to boost learning."
• "The new school calendar, which starts July 27, will put Hawaii's public school students in class for the hottest months of the year, with little relief in sight."
• "People become tired when it's 90 degrees and on up."

Department of Education officials in the story bemoan the fact that they don't get enough money for air-conditioning. Here's a free and simple solution: Start the school year in September, end by June 1. That way, everyone can enjoy summer and will be refreshed when they return to school.

Laura Brown is the education reporter and researcher for HawaiiReporter.com and the education policy analyst for the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii. She can be reached via email at mailto:laura@grassrootinstitute.org