Hawai‘i Government Employees Association: Public servants should not have to work in fear

A union that represents Hawai‘i government employees says an alleged assault earlier this month of the Moanalua High School associate athletic director after a basketball game at the Honolulu school should be a call to action for the Hawai‘i Department of Education, Hawai‘i attorney general and state lawmakers.

“This kind of violence against public servants cannot become normalized,” wrote Hawai‘i Government Employees Association in a release following the incident.

That’s why Hawai‘i Government Employees Association Executive Director Randy Perreira sent State Superintendent of Schools Keith Hayashi a letter demanding action.

“We appreciate that you immediately reacted to the situation,” Perreira wrote. “Words are easy; however, currently we are demanding to know what steps the department intends to take to prevent such instances from occurring again in the future.”

Hawai‘i Government Employees Association — along with Hawai‘i State Teachers Association — has sounded the alarm for years about escalating threats against school employees.

The unions say this incident should prompt the state Department of Education to be much more proactive in pushing for harsher criminal penalties for assaulting school employees.

“[Hawai‘i Government Employees Association] and [Hawai‘i State Teachers Association] have sought passage of such legislation, with the response from the [Department of Education] being tepid at best,” said Perreira in the union’s release. “We hope this act of violence will compel the [Department of Education] to push hard for greater criminal penalties.”

Hawai‘i Government Employees Association intends to hold the state Education Department’s feet to the fire.

“It is time they find their spines and stand up to protect its dedicated employees,” the union’s release said.

The alleged incident happened Dec. 4 after a preseason basketball game at Moanalua High School.

A surveillance camera outside the gym captured the incident, during which a couple — identified as Aukusitino Noga Jr. and his wife Jamielee Noga — are seen confronting Moanalua High School Assistant Athletic Director Natalie Iwamoto.

Noga Jr. later is seen allegedly punching her, knocking her to the ground, while his wife stands over her and is reported to have made verbal threats toward the school official.

Honolulu Police Department subsequently charged Noga Jr. with second-degree assault.

Jamielee Noga was also arrested Dec. 23 for first-degree terroristic threatening connected with alleged threats made to referees during the same basketball game.

She was charged Christmas Eve by prosecutors, who reclassified the terroristic threatening offense to harassment.

A temporary restraining order was granted for Iwamoto against Noga Jr. during a court hearing Dec. 17. He also faces criminal charges.

The Nogas agreed to stay away from Iwamoto for 3 years, including her home and workplace. Hayashi on Dec. 17 also issued a permanent trespass notice, banning the Nogas from all Hawai‘i public school campuses for life.

It marks the first time Hawai‘i Department of Education issued a permanent ban.

“We took this step, sending a strong message that incidents like these will not be tolerated,” Hayashi said in a release announcing the ban. “No one’s safety should be jeopardized while doing their job — especially at a school event meant to support students and bring the community together.”

He added: “Our employees deserve to feel safe. This cannot happen again.”

The state Department of Education is reviewing what else is needed to better protect school communities and prevent similar incidents, including reviewing existing campus safety protocols and strengthening the tools available to schools.

“To all of our employees: thank you for showing up for our students every day with care, professionalism and resilience,” Hayashi said in the release.

He added that the department has “truly felt the support of the public, law enforcement and the judicial system” since the incident happened.

“Together as a community, we stand committed to ensuring our school system is one where every student and every employee feels safe, valued and supported,” the superintendent said in the release.

Noga Jr.’s trial is slated for Feb. 9, 2026.

News reporter Nathan Christophel contributed to this story.