Civil Beat Staff

Viola Gaskell

Viola Gaskell is Civil Beat’s education reporter. Born and raised in Hana, Maui, she grew up in Hawaii public schools, and is deeply interested in the inner workings of the state’s education system and its effects on Hawaii’s youth.

After a stint as a foreign correspondent, she returned to Maui in 2021 and became the associate editor of Maui Times, where she wrote, photographed and edited stories for print and online publication.

Her coverage of the landmark Hong Kong protest movement was published in papers and on news sites in the U.S., Australia and Europe by DPA during her year-long tenure with the Berlin-based press agency. Viola has written about Hong Kong and China for news sites like Al Jazeera, The Independent and VICE, and has published dozens of multimedia stories with publications including Flux Hawaii and Whetstone Magazine about topics from Hawaii’s lei industry to air pollution solutions across Asia.

In 2020, Viola was a mentor with Solutions Journalism Network for Nigeria-based journalist Ifedayo Ogunyemi.

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Lawsuit: State Failed To Help Severely Disabled Boy Cory Lum/Civil Beat/2022

Lawsuit: State Failed To Help Severely Disabled Boy

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Hawaii still lacks long-term secure facilities for students with behavioral issues who can end up being housed on the mainland. 

Buses, School Safety And Student Lunches All On The Agenda For Legislative Education Committees Cory Lum/Civil Beat

Buses, School Safety And Student Lunches All On The Agenda For Legislative Education Committees

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Advocates hope that with a near $2 billion surplus and an influx of new faces, the Legislature will open its purse strings for Hawaii’s public education system. 

Leeward Community College Has Big Plans For Training A New Generation Of Food Innovators Courtesy of Jackie Freitas

Leeward Community College Has Big Plans For Training A New Generation Of Food Innovators

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The Wahiawa facility will support the development of new food products for local and export markets.

Honolulu Teacher Violated Ethics By Accepting $16,600 From School Volunteer David Croxford/Civil Beat/2022

Honolulu Teacher Violated Ethics By Accepting $16,600 From School Volunteer

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The Moanalua Elementary teacher has to pay back the funds and may face further disciplinary action.

Ambitious State Plan For Expansion Of Pre-K Hinges On Boosting Workforce Cory Lum/Civil Beat/2021

Ambitious State Plan For Expansion Of Pre-K Hinges On Boosting Workforce

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Hawaii Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke has so far declined to commit to wage increases for early educators this coming session.

$18 Million To Be Spent Replacing Or Repairing 100 School Playgrounds Viola Gaskell/CivilBeat/2022

$18 Million To Be Spent Replacing Or Repairing 100 School Playgrounds

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Elementary schools will get the bulk of the funding.

After-School Programs Have More Funding But Staffing And Enrollment Remain Challenges Viola Gaskell/Civil Beat/2022

After-School Programs Have More Funding But Staffing And Enrollment Remain Challenges

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Beneficial after-school programs received millions in pandemic-relief funding, but more than 1,000 Oahu families are still waitlisted because of staffing shortages. 

Adult Learners Thought This Program Was A Path To College. They Were Wrong Hawaii DOE Facebook/2016

Adult Learners Thought This Program Was A Path To College. They Were Wrong

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Hawaii schools continued to operate a popular alternative diploma program from 2014 to 2019, despite it not meeting federal standards. Now some of those graduates are unable to access financial aid. 

Why Parents Want ‘More Of A Voice’ In Hawaii’s Education System Viola Gaskell/Civil Beat/2022

Why Parents Want ‘More Of A Voice’ In Hawaii’s Education System

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Stakeholders are cautiously hopeful that the state’s new plan for public education will reflect their feedback this time around.