HONOLULU (KHON2) — Supporters of Kamehameha Schools are rallying at ʻIolani Palace in support of Ke Aliʻi Pauahi’s education system on Oct. 21.
School officials are speaking at the rally to provide insight on a lawsuit challenging their admissions policy.
Virginia-based nonprofit Students for Fair Admissions filed a lawsuit against Kamehameha Schools, calling their admissions policy “illegal.”
Founded in 1887, Kamehameha Schools gives preference to school applicants of Native Hawaiian ancestry to the extent permitted by law. The school was founded by Ke Aliʻi Pauahi and runs entirely on private funding.
Local leaders from both sides of the aisle have reacted in support of Kamehameha Schools amidst their lawsuit.
“Unlike other schools like Harvard and the other institutions that was sued, [Kamehameha Schools] takes zero government dollars, zero federal dollars, zero state dollars,” State Rep. Diamond Garcia said. “And so therefore they have the right to determine their own policies when it comes to their admissions. They’re a private Christian parochial school. And as conservatives, we support school choice.”
State Sen. Jarrett Keaohokalole spoke against the lawsuit, citing how the mainland litigants have no business in Hawaiian affairs.
“This is about somebody who thinks they know better and they want to come over here and dismantle one of our core institutions in Hawaiʻi,” Keohokalole said.
Students for Fair Admissions said they support the school’s institution but are fighting to prevent ethnicity from being considered as an admissions requirement.
“Kamehameha can keep its mission, its culture and its curriculum but it cannot bar children because of their race,” said Students for Fair Admissions President Edward Blum. “Native Hawaiian culture can be celebrated without imposing ancestry-based barriers that exclude white, Black, Hispanic and Asian children.”