March 29, 2007
Contributed by CEO Message
We have strongly asserted that this case does not warrant any further consideration. The Federal District Court in Honolulu found in our favor, as did a majority of the judges at the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. If the Supreme Court agrees with us, that this case does not warrant further review, then the Doe lawsuit will be pau. If, instead, the Supreme Court justices decide they do want to hear this case, it will mean several more months of legal filings and arguments, with a hearing before the Court as early as the Fall of this year. If the Court decides to hear our case, we are fully prepared to decisively argue for our rights to serve our Princess's express wishes.
It bears repeating - we have made very strong arguments against having the Supreme Court hear any further appeals from Doe's attorneys. This case does not raise issues of national importance. There is simply no other school in the country like Kamehameha: founded by a Princess in her sovereign homeland, who bequeathed her private wealth to provide an educational remedy for the ongoing socioeconomic disadvantages suffered by her native people. Furthermore, this lawsuit involves a federal statute, enacted by Congress to protect freed slaves from being locked out of commerce. This is the same Congress that has repeatedly recognized and supported our mission. Thus we believe Congress never intended for this statute to stop our Schools from serving our people, according to our Princess's will. There is no other situation in the United States for which the court's current ruling in this case establishes a precedent, and we believe that the justices will consider this as they decide which cases from across the entire nation they will review this Fall.
As confident as we may be in our ability to defend our admissions policy, we are aware that we do not defend alone. We know you stand with us and that we need the strength and guidance of a much higher power to resolve this matter with finality. Mahalo for your continuing prayers, care and support as we direct our thoughts and energy toward those who will make these important decisions. As always, you bolster our strength and stand as a strong symbol of our commitment to continue to serve our people in the way our founder wished.
I mua Kamehameha!
Kamehameha Schools’ policy is to give preference to applicants of Hawaiian ancestry to the extent permitted by law.
