The Military Child in Hawaii Study Robert Wm. Blum MD MPH PhD Lynne Michael Blum MS PhD M.E. Hughes MA PhD Kristin Mmari MA DrPH
Acknowledgements • Jenita Parekh • Daesha Ramacharian
Study Objectives 1) To document youth and parental perceptions of education in Hawaii and possible contributing factors such as living in Hawaii, and issues of transition to new school and living environments and deployment; 2) To explore how attitudes, concerns and perceptions change over time; 3) To identify the consequences of living and being schooled in Hawaii after families leave this assignment; 4) To provide policy and programmatic guidance to assure that military families experience a positive tour of duty in Hawaii.
Study Parameters • A contract not a grant • A census not a sample • Active duty military • All branches of service • Sample restricted to Oahu • Children ages 10-18 for quantitative and 8-18 for qualitative data collection • Web-based data collection (www.hawaiikids.org)
Sources of Data • Parent cross-sectional survey data (n=1479) • Parent longitudinal survey data - two surveys completed approximately a year apart (n=117) • Parent focus group data (31 focus groups 2010-2012) • Child cross-sectional survey data (n=180) • Child focus group data (22 focus groups 2010-2012)
Construction of PACOM Samples
Women Men Branch Total Military Civilian Military Civilian Air Force 28 90 36 2 156 Army 115 348 315 9 787 Coast Guard 8 26 24 0 58 Marines 17 66 95 2 180 Navy 49 129 109 3 290 Total 217 659 579 16 1471 Parent Cross Section 7
Educational Level of Parent Respondents Less Than High School 1% High School Grad 25% 2 Years College or Tech School 24% 4 Years College 27% Graduate Degree 23% Parent Cross Section N=1479 8
Hawaii and the Military
This Is What They Expect 10
View of Non Military Hawaiians • Military is a closed group of mainlanders behind “the gate” (aka the base or installation). • Military are elitist with entitlements not available to locals (e.g., cheaper food and clothing). • Creates a culture of “haves” and “have nots ”
Not Like a Tropical Paradise Major or Significant Challenge Traffic 59% Quality of Affordable Housing 56% Cost of Living 66% Parent Cross Section N = 1436 12
Stressors: Traffic …my husband would spend about four hours a day in traffic. And he had to leave the house around four to get to work by seven. Where we lived: it was 22 miles from driveway to parking spot…. He had to leave at four in the morning to get there in time. And if he didn't leave base by 3:30, he wasn't getting home till after six 13
Being the Outsiders Major or Significant Challenge Experiences of Prejudice and Racism 26% Parent Cross Section N = 1436 14
Prejudice and Racism The teachers are very accepting of racism and said it was just the way things were in Hawaii. They allowed the children to openly call my son ‘white boy’ and allowed students to physically touch my daughter’s skin and hair…. 15
Isolation vs Integration
Loss of Social Connections Major or Significant Challenge Social Isolation 30% Distance from Extended Family 52% Parent Cross Section N = 1461 17
Children’s Perspectives Major or Significant Challenge Missing Family 65% Missing Life on Mainland 52% Parent Deployment 40% Child Cross Section N = 180 18
Residential Segregation Where Does Family Live? Private House in Community 34% Military Housing Neighborhood 23% On Base 44% Parent Cross Section, Year 1 Only N=919 19
Community of Affiliation Feelings About Connection to Military Community Very satisfied 38% Somewhat satisfied 44% Little or not satisfied 19% Parent Cross Section N= 1447 20
Perceptions of Local Community To What Extent Are People in Hawaii Welcoming? More than other places 28% About the same as other places 51% Less than other places 21% Parent Cross Section N=1478 21
Perceptions of Local Community How Supportive Are People In Hawaii of You Being In the Military? Not very supportive 21% Somewhat supportive 55% Very supportive 24% Parent Cross Section, Year 1 Asked of Military Members Only N=969 22
Community Engagement Respondent Is Involved In At Least One Community Activity 50% School Volunteers (3+ Times Last Year) 33% Parent Cross Section, Volunteer Question Year 2 Only N=1479 (565) 23
Perceived Barriers Major or Significant Challenge Cultural differences 18% Language and slang people use 16% N=1469 24
Strongly Agree or Agree That Child experiences prejudice and 15% discrimination due to military affiliation Child experiences prejudice and discrimination due to racial and cultural 18% background Students in child’s school treat each other 41% with respect Parent Cross Section N= 1253 25
Adaptation to Hawaii: Colonialist or Integrationist Perspectives 26
Colonialist and Integrationist Perspectives • Colonialists have a pejorative view of the locals and the public schools. • They tend to be isolationist with half of military reporting that they do not engage the community beyond the military compound. • They view locals as either simple minded or lazy. 27
Colonialist Perspective These schools mirror the culture of Hawaii. And you have the teachers and the administrators who reflect the Hawaiian culture, in which education is not a priority and when you talk about fixing it, you're going to bring in a group of leaders who all have that same culture: ‘Okay, okay, got it, yep, no worries.’ And they're going to go right back and do what they did. Because who holds the standard? Because we're not in the business of education, we can't hold them to that standard. Military Parent 28
Colonialist Perspective They pick on us because we are smart and they are jealous, they come from poor, bad families and don’t care about school. I also think that they are jealous because we are teachers to them. Child in Military Family 29
The Other View: Integrationist • They see themselves as guests in a foreign culture. • They want to learn about the culture and to engage with the customs. • They seek opportunities to get to know and become part of the Hawaii experience.
Integrationist perspective We’re all transplants here, and I find it’s very difficult for kids who live here, to include my son but even for me. And the only way I have begun to understand it is to remove myself from the military culture and go to work all day in the local culture, and the longer I’m here, I’m much more accepted…. 31
Integrationist Perspective When people come from the mainland and don’t immerse themselves in the culture, they’re going to have problems 32
Integrationist perspective You just have to live it. You have to be part of the community. It ’ s not a learned thing. You have to experience it. I would be very afraid too, if I ’ m put in a situation where I don’t know the culture, the language. But at the same time, it ’ s good to see it from the other perspective, and see that it ’ s not all that bad. 33
Integrationist perspective is important for coping… • Having such a perspective promotes community/local engagement – which then fosters a sense of ‘acceptance’ • This perspective helps families engage in new experiences and learning about the culture that promotes a positive attitudes towards living in Hawaii… despite the stressors I mean, every place is going to have its issues. Here, there ’ s so much to do outside. We try and pick something to do almost every weekend – do something new that we haven’t tried before.. My son just loves it here – never wants to move. 34
… but social isolation has perceived advantages I like that I ’ m surrounded by people who I can either relate to or communicate with, who understand what I ’ m going through, and what we do. It ’ s the camaraderie I think it ’ s better for the kids {to live on base}. When we did, it didn’t phase them when dad came and went because everyone had a member, a dad or mom, who was gone. Then, we moved into this community, and the kids would come up to my kids and were like, ‘ when is your dad going to go? ’ Oh, you poor kids. And, even for us, they just kind of swarmed us. The kids realized, oh, this doesn’t happen to everyone – and they then start thinking about the down sides of deployment.
Education
School is where all camps meet • Children must attend public school; no military schools. • Different perspectives become apparent when the children are not happy in the schools. • Blame falls on the school for not helping the children adjust and feel welcome.
Dissatisfied With Quality of education in Hawaii 48% How child treated by teachers 16% How child treated by classmates 17% Parent Cross Section N= 1264 38
Parents’ Opinions – Child in Public School Strongly Strongly Disagree/ Agree/ Disagree Agree Teachers are well qualified 286 (25%) 430 (38%) My child is learning grade 424 (38%) 490 (43%) appropriate information My child is challenged 547 (49%) 377 (34%) Parent Cross Section N=1264 39
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