Hawaiian schools
A lawsuit settlement will allow a group of private schools in Hawaii to continue to admit only those who can prove that at least one of their ancestors lived on the Hawaiian Islands in 1778. The legal challenge to the Kamehameha Schools‘ Hawaiians-only admissions had been pending before the U.S. Supreme Court.
The admissions policy follows the 1883 will of Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop, who set up the school system to remedy economic and educational disadvantages endured by native Hawaiians. Backed by a $7.6 billion charitable trust, Kamehameha’s tuition is heavily subsidized, and only one in eight applicants get in.
Both supporters and opponents of the admissions policy the schools should expect more legal challenges.
What do you think?
May 22nd, 2007 @ 10:40 am
An administrator from Michigan writes:
“I am conflicted. A huge part of me says that a private organization, when not taking any federal or state funding, should be allowed to operate freely as long as it does not exist to hurt, intimidate, or otherwise promote hatred of others. It is a protected right under the constitution of the United States. But when I see the vehement opposition to anything that is exclusive to whites, especially white males, I am forced to reject any other type of organization that bases its membership on a person’s ancestry. Why is it that some people can feel sympathy for certain races when they want to organize but become fearful or angry when others do it?”
May 22nd, 2007 @ 10:42 am
An administrator from New York writes:
“What do I know about preserving Hawaiian culture? But I do feel we as a society have pushed the envelope a bit too far on ‘equal rights.’ Private is just that, private. Aren’t there privacy rights also?”
May 22nd, 2007 @ 2:37 pm
A reader from California writes:
“A private school has the right to admit whom they want. That is why it is a private school. If they can function financially on this limited criteria then so be it….I do not see that it is anybody’s business to try to force a school into taking people they do not want. There are plenty of schools out there to choose from.”
May 23rd, 2007 @ 9:30 am
A reader from Mississippi writes:
“It seems strange to me that the school is being allowed to do this. If it were a white or black school who wanted to restrict access based on race it would be called racism. Because it is Hawaii it is called tradition and culture.”
May 23rd, 2007 @ 6:00 pm
A reader from California writes:
“The U.S. stole the islands from the people and imposed our imperialism and culture; the Hawaiians deserve the respect of their own culture….We should grant them sovereignty again, just like cities are formed when they can demonstrate capability to sustain services and an economic basis to be self-governing.”