Public school principals were also on edge waiting for the ruling from federal court. Principals informed faculty and staff members to be prepared to change plans if the TRO was granted.
More than a dozen Oahu principals, vice-principals and school administrators were attending a day-long workshop at McKinley High School when word of Judge David Ezra's decision surfaced.
"Can I have your attention please, okay we just got word that the motion for overturning the furlough Friday has been denied so that means that we are on furloughs tomorrow, starting tomorrow," said Ron Okamura, McKinley High School Principal.
And with that came a quiet sigh.
"We were waiting to find out what that would be what that result would be and right now because that decision was made we'll just continue with the plans that we had put in place," said Ann Mahi, Roosevelt High School Principal.
"We have a center voice system so I can actually call all my parents by phone in about 15 minutes," added Dr. John Brummel, Mililani High School Principal.
Okamura says he addressed the issue early knowing Ezra's decision would come after students were released from school.
"I went on our closed-circuit TV this morning and I talked to the faculty and I talked to the students and just to let them know that because there was this pending lawsuit and this pending motion hearing that there could be a possibility that we could have school tomorrow so I told them watch the news tonight," said Okamura.
"Because it's last minute it's getting the public to know that something was going to happen," said Meredith Maeda, Castle High School Principal.
Schools superintendent Pat Hamamoto says it would have been a challenge for some schools to be prepared.
"Even things like preparing lunch, the milk hasn't been ordered for tomorrow so all those kinds of details that you do to run a school have been preparing for the furlough Friday," said Hamamoto. "I am concerned that if students return to school and there aren't enough adults you also create an issue regarding safety."
"We were all very much in limbo, hoping that it would be resolved because we do realize that you know the students need to be in class, instruction is very important and we do feel for the parents," said Charlene Abe, Pearl City High School Student Service Coordinator.
Nearly 2,300 United Public Workers public school employees will still report to work as their contract remains unresolved.
