State supports Kamehameha in admissions suit

Honolulu Advertiser ^ | November 7, 2003 | Curtis Lum

[GrandmaPatriot]

The state attorney general is supporting the legality of Kamehameha Schools' admissions policy that gives preference to Native Hawaiian children.

Attorney General Mark Bennett filed a "friend of the court" brief yesterday in U.S. District Court in one of two lawsuits that challenge the schools' admissions policy. The case involves an unnamed non-Hawaiian boy who contends he is eligible and willing to attend Kamehameha, but cannot because he is not of Hawaiian ancestry.

[GrandmaPatriot]

Our Republican governor is 100% in favor of this so I am not surprised at this action, but like little Tommy I am deeply saddened.

[.cnI redruM]

>>>>>We believe that the preferences for Native Hawaiians, which Congress itself recognizes in a variety of statutes, are political, not racial,"

So pork barrel politics are a perfectly valid excuse for racism now. Wonderful.

[alancarp]

Likewise, Affirmative Action and the 14th Amendment are mutually incompatible. So naturally, the United states Constitution loses.

[.cnI redruM]

mosdef

[bonesmccoy]

how much state or federal money does Kam get?

In return for your right to live on a Hawaiian island, do you think it worth the trade of paying for some educational opportunity for native Hawaiian kids?

[banjo joe]

Interesting that this cuts only one way, huh?

"Class!? Compare and contrast this situation with illegals getting in-state tuition rates within CONUS".

[GrandmaPatriot]

They receive no state or federal money but their trust is tax exempt. I would say because of that fact if they want to use race as a criteria they should give up their tax exempt status.

[Stork169]

The school gets its revenues from some 350,000 acres of land, held in perpetual trust, for the support of the school. The Kamehameha School, consequently, has one of the largest endowments of almost ANY school in the US; back in the early '80's it exceed that of Harvard University, something in excess of $400 million; it has grown accordingly since then. Of the land held in the trust, some 98% of it is held as agricultural land, never to be developed; the remaining 2%, which is commercial and residential, is responsible for the inordinate amount of income which support the school. The school's policy is not racist... it is cultural. Kam is one of two schools on Oahu that were specifically established for educating native Hawaiian's, the other being Punahou. Both of these schools have a lengthy list of NON-Hawaiian supporters, and as PRIVATE schools, ought to be allowed to admit, or NOT admit, whoever they choose. My family has been involved with these institutions for nearly 90 years now, and there is nothing farther from the truth than that there is a racist policy in place here. They were established in a time of extremely limited opportunities for the Hawaiians to educate their children, and the legacy established ought to be cherished, not assaulted. The premise that "...in return for the right to live on a Hawaiian Island, do you think it worth the trade of paying for some educational opportnuity for native Hawaiian kids..." is flawed in that there IS no payment associated with it... these schools were set up and supported by trusts established in the late 1800's and early 1900's by the last living ancestors of the last king of Hawaii, Kamehmeha; initially the holdings supporting the school approached some 450,000 acres, but they have been sold off to current levels. These schools are their own entities, self-supporting, and deserve to be allowed to continuing to determine their own future... which includes admission policy.

[gaspar]

This is not "preference", it is exclusion.

[adam_az]

In return for your right to live on a Hawaiian island, do you think it worth the trade of paying for some educational opportunity for native Hawaiian kids?

Do you enjoy the right to live in the US? If so, would you pay for the remainder of my education? You seem to think it's OK to force people to pay for other peoples educations, so how about if you refuse to pay for my education, I will lock you in a cage? After all I'm a Native American. I was born in the US, so that means I'm owed everything!

Seriously, Hawaii is a US state. What makes you think the rules that apply to the rest of us don't apply to there?

This law is racist, it needs to go, along with all affirmative action.

[adam_az]

is flawed in that there IS no payment associated with it...

BS, it has TAX EXEMPT status, which means that everyone else pays for the government services it consumes. As a result, it should be open to everyone.

[adam_az]

Law was the wrong word to use, I meant policy.

[Stork169]

what, in your opinion, government services, does the school consume?

[Stork169]

I don't see where it says that the school DOES receive government assistance. Unless it's tax exempt status is the assistance... However, I do not believe that the school does receive any federal Or state monies...

[.cnI redruM]

Didn't George Wallace try this about 40 years ago?

[caisson71]

Hawaiians already get funding, lots of it, from the Federal government strictly because of race. There are over 100 Federal programs strictly based on race. The Akaka Bill is race based. Governor Lingle's support of the racist legislation is causeing a big problem amoung her supporters. She's will have a tough time being elected if she runs for governor again.

[caisson71]

Funds derived from the estate of Princess Pauahi Bishop is to be used, in part, for the "education of the children of Hawaii" not only for Hawaiian children. Tax exempt Kamehameha Schools takes only those Hawaiian children who "qualify" - those who would do well in any other school system - and exclude even those Hawaiians who are most at risk. Kam schools has spent a lot of money on brick and motar but some say has not really fulfilled the intent of the Bishop Estate mandate. Hawaiians did very well prior to the Democrat dominance in the past 40 years. Now, they can't do anything unless they receive "preferential treatment".

[GrandmaPatriot]

I agree, it seems we are in a situation like California. We can't get a conservative Republican so a rino will have to do. I don't like it one bit. This would be of no consequence if the school would give up their tax exempt status, but they won't. Aside from the school, the fact that if there are some programs being funded by congress and they are race based, every good liberal would scream about it if they perceived it was aimed at them. But they are silent or worse still are supportive of this racism. Just goes to show that some are more equal than others.

[GrandmaPatriot]

They also striped the portion of Princess Pauahi Bishop's will that stated that every teacher had to be a Protestant. They can change some of the will but will not change other parts. They should not have changed any of it since either way, it is illegal the way it being interpreted.