June 20, 2006
Contributed by Thomas Yoshida
Trustee Adm. Robert Kihune
We're fighting for the future of our people and for the health and well being of our state. Our preference policy is absolutely critical to complete the work envisioned by Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop who in 1884 gave all of her personal wealth for the establishment of Kamehameha Schools to educate her people, to enable them to compete and survive in a rapidly changing world. While our school has made great progress over the past 119 years, the undisputed facts of this case tells the whole story. There are still thousands of Native Hawaiians who need the educational opportunities provided by Kamehameha Schools to help remedy historical harms that continue even today.
Kamehameha CEO Dee Jay Mailer
It's remarkable that over a hundred years ago our Princess knew that her people were dying in lots of different ways…from disease, from loss of identity, from the loss of their culture, from their denial of their culture…and today we see the same things happening, Hawaiians are again dying from diseases and are suffering the most and they are fighting for their identity again. We as a people are also looking to preserve our culture and build that sense of hope.
We're very clear about our mission…we're very passionate about our mission and what we need to do on behalf of the princess but it's always fabulous to have supporters around us who carry that same sense of passion.
To all of our 'ohana at home, for all of the people who are associated with Kamehameha, who just love Kamehameha and what we've done, mahalo to all of you. Without you, it would be a very very tough journey, with you we know that we will prevail.
Attorney Kathleen Sullivan
As one of the judges said today, 'we all know that Kamehameha Schools are wonderful schools.' What we argue is that they are also entirely legal under our civil rights laws because they redress the continuing harm from a legacy of devastation that Congress has acknowledged and apologized for against the Native Hawaiian people. The success stories of Kamehameha Schools in lifting up Hawaiian children, educating them and sending them off to seed the society with leadership…is exactly what Princess Pauahi intended when she left her charitable testamentary trust and it is exactly what the Kamehameha Schools do today…so our argument is that a private, remedial educational institution that asks nothing from the government, should be able to redress the historic wrongs.
Members of the Kamehameha team walk into the Federal Courthouse in San Francisco prior to the en banc hearing.
The Kamehameha team stands as one immediately following the hearing. (from left) Trustees Plotts and Lau, Attorney Kathleen Sullivan and Trustees Kihune, Thompson and Ing.
Reports at the courthouse ask questions to Trustee Kihune, CEO Dee Jay Mailer and attorney Kathleen Sullivan.
Kamehameha Schools’ policy is to give preference to applicants of Hawaiian ancestry to the extent permitted by law.
