Thousands protest ruling on Hawaii schools

ASSOCIATED PRESS ^ | 8/7/2005 | ALEXANDRE DA SILVA

[dila813]

HONOLULU -- Blowing conch shells and chanting Hawaiian prayers, some 15,000 people marched through downtown Honolulu Saturday to protest a federal court ruling striking down Kamehameha Schools' Hawaiians-only admissions policy as unlawful.

"We are outraged," said Lilikala Kameeleihiwa, a professor of Hawaiian Studies at the University of Hawaii. "This is a great setback for our people. Here we are on our own homeland and we can't educate our children."

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco ruled 2-1 on Tuesday that the private school's policy of admitting only native Hawaiians amounted to "unlawful race discrimination" even though the school receives no federal funding.

The decision shocked school officials and devastated the Native Hawaiian community. The school has defended the exclusive policy as a remedy to socio-economic and educational disadvantages Hawaiians' have suffered since the 1893 U.S.-backed overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy.

Protests against the ruling were planned throughout the islands Saturday.

"Our hearts have bled in these past four days," Michael Chun, headmaster at the school's main Kapalama campus on Oahu, told the massive crowd blanketing the courtyard surrounding Iolani Palace - the former residence of the Hawaiian Kingdom's last two monarchs.

"We must stand together to focus and right this wrong," Chun said. "March tall, march proud, march strong."

The Kamehameha Schools were established under the 1883 will of a Hawaiian princess. About 5,100 Hawaiian and part-Hawaiian students from kindergarten through 12th grade attend the three campuses, which are partly funded by a trust now worth $6.2 billion. Admission is highly prized in Hawaii because of the quality of education and the relatively low cost.

Non-Hawaiians may be admitted if there are openings after Hawaiians who meet the criteria have been offered admission.

The lawsuit was brought by an unidentified non-Hawaiian student who was turned down in 2003.

The appeals court wrote that the school's admission policies are illegal because they operate "as an absolute bar to admission of those of the non-preferred race."

Kamehameha Schools has said it will appeal. An injunction asking the court to order the school to accept the teenager for the fall term is pending.

At the Honololu rally, Gov. Linda Lingle, introducing herself as a "haole" and "a non-Hawaiian," said the court's decision was "not just."

"The Hawaiian people have been tested many, many times," Lingle said. "This is just one more test that you will show you will overcome."

Amber Marquez, 17, a senior at the school's Kapalama campus, said Kamehameha has given her a future.

"We are just trying to preserve what little we have left because everything is being taken away," she said. "We just deserve this; we feel blessed."

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On the Net:

Kamehameha Schools: http://www.ksbe.edu/

[szweig]

They should simply ignore the court's ruling. Since the court has no legal jurisdiction in this matter their bleating should have no authority whatsoever. If they show enough balls to resist they might get something going...SSZ

[libsl]

I don't think it matters what color their skin is--it could be white, black, or brown. The qualification is whether the potential student has native Hawaiian ancestry. I'm not sure how much of a Hawaiian ancestry they have to have, but I think it is no more than 1/16th. Frankly they could be 1/16th Hawaiian and 15/16ths African or Caucasian, with skin any ahade it comes in, and they would qualify.

[Prime Choice]

Well, they should.

So I've been hearing. Repeatedly.

*trying not to look bored*

I wonder when someone will do something about it.

[hollywood]

Hopefully, the 9th Circuit will find itself arguing this case in front of the Supreme Court soon. If so, based on the 9th's historically poor SC record, this will be overturned.

[fr_freak]

This 6 billion dollar trust can easily be spent to benefit Hawaiian children of all races. Why are the native Hawaiians so stupidly greedy? How many of them are more than 25% native blood? How much of this 6 billion is being spent each year? I'll bet very little.

Do you realize what you're saying? You're saying that it is greedy for someone to be able to do what they want with their own money, when that money could easily be used to benefit more people. Well, you've just graduated to a full blown acceptance of communism. The government knows better what to do with your money because you are too stupid, greedy, and racist to spend it properly.

It is getting harder and harder for any private group to freely associate in this country, and only now are the Hawaiians really feeling it. Remember, if this private school can be forced to admit students as the government dictates, then the Boy Scouts can be forced to have gay scout masters. Period. Now, please re-evaluate which side you're on.

[I see my hands]

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Make no mistake.. The march was anti-white and anti-USA, schools being but an excuse.

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[dila813]

I am surprised how many are for this affirmative action on the part of the school.

Sounds like alot of people are really pro affirmative action.

[winodog]

How dare they? Dont they know that fedgov.con has outlawed such barbaric institutions. Close this down, make then integrate so they too can enjoy the fruits or a crappy socialist education in the land of the free and the home of the brave.

[dila813]

This school teaches that the Hawaii was stolen from them by the white man.

[injin]

say, isn't the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco the very same wacky Court of Appeals that regularly
hands down far left supporting rulings? Supports the atheists and their battles with prayer in the schools etc? One would think that the vociferous pro-Hawaiian sovereignty people and UH campus radicals that recently invited, welcomed and cheered
pseudo Prof Weird Ward Churchill to Hawaii would be firmly in line with the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals positions.
Now the shoe is on the other foot .
That being said , Hawaii was occupied by military force and the legitimate Queen was overthrown . The slime-ball politicians of the time tried to make it all right and now history just tries to overlook it all. Hawaiians and these Hawaiian lands are a special case . Rules elsewhere should not apply and that is a basis of the Sovereignty issue here.
Many favor succession and this decision adds fuel to that fire.

[Sam Cree]

"Another Blow to Racism and Affirmative Action"

In actuality, it's a blow to freedom. These were private schools. The Hawaiians are in the right.

[dennisw]

Race restricted deeds are null and void everywhere in the United States. Same must apply to this well meaning school welfare trust fund set up years ago for Hawaiians only. How much Hawaiian ancestry must one have anyway! Many of the present beneficiaries probably look white or Asian or a mix of the two

This trust must change with the times so all races can benefit.

[driveserve]

" Why? Even private country clubs don't enjoy that protection anymore."


Ahh yes, but they should.

[injin]

This school teaches that the Hawaii was stolen from them by the white man.

It was !
100%

[goldstategop]

I agree. I may not agree with the school's admission policy but private groups in our society should be able to define their own terms of association. Think the Boy Scouts. But the Left, led by the august worthies of the Nine Circus, wants every one to be "coordinated" and march along to the government's tune.

(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)

[dennisw]

"Another Blow to Racism and Affirmative Action" In actuality, it's a blow to freedom. These were private schools. The Hawaiians are in the right.

Try to run that past the private clubs and golf courses that must now admit minorities and gays. And Jews too, which I happen to be.