HONOLULU -- Gov. Linda Lingle on Friday criticized the Hawaii State Teachers Association over negotiations to end furlough days at public schools.

The teachers' union, governor's office and Department of Education had been meeting to reopen schools on 27 Fridays that were scheduled to close for furloughs starting next year.

Lingle Administration officials presented a counteroffer on Thursday to a proposal the teachers union made the previous day.

The Lingle Administration had requested the teachers be given a chance to vote on the final agreement.

The governor wants to take $50 million from the state's rainy day fund to get students back to school on all furlough Fridays. The money would be used to buy back 12 of the furlough days.

The governor wants teachers to give back some of their instructional prep days to make up the rest of the days. The union has said it does not want to give up non-instructional planning days because they are needed to provide quality education.

The parties broke off talks on Friday with the next session scheduled for Dec. 15.

HSTA said President Wil Okabe had a previously scheduled trip to Washington set for Tuesday and other members of the negotiating team, who are special education teachers, must complete individual education plans for their students.

Lingle said that is no excuse.

"Our staff is standing by they are able to meet at any time there are video conferences there are telephones with technology today I don't think there is any reason other than an unwillingness to do it," Lingle said.

"The governor and her team have shown no flexibility and have adopted a take-it-or-leave-it approach. The HSTA has made viable offers to get provide an interim solution but they have all been summarily rejected by the governor," Okabe said.

The governor said the delay makes it difficult for lawmakers to call a special session to fund any agreement. However, House Speaker Calvin Say said

Lingle also criticized the teachers' union's newspaper ads and radio commercials, saying why teacher-planning days must be retained.

"I think it is ridiculous at this point in the process to be explaining why we wont go back in the class and teach children," Lingle said. "And to spend their members money on these commercials that is going to bring further ridicule on their members I think is ridiculous."

The governor said another reason to get going is to put her proposal to teachers for a vote.