A significant federal lawsuit has been lodged in a U.S. federal court in Honolulu, directly challenging the admissions practices of Kamehameha Schools, a renowned private educational system across Hawaii. This institution notably gives preference to applicants with Native Hawaiian lineage. The suit was brought by Students for Fair Admissions (SFFA), an organization spearheaded by Edward Blum, who is widely recognized for his opposition to affirmative action policies.
Court documents reveal that SFFA argues Kamehameha’s admissions criteria amount to racial discrimination, directly contravening federal civil rights statutes. The group asserts that otherwise qualified and willing students who do not possess Native Hawaiian ancestry are unjustly barred from admission. While no individual plaintiffs are named, SFFA states that its membership includes individuals who have been “injured by Kamehameha’s discrimination.”
A Legacy of Hawaiian Royalty: The School’s Enduring Policy
Kamehameha Schools owes its existence to the profound vision of Bernice Pauahi Bishop, the great-granddaughter of King Kamehameha I. Following her passing in 1884, Bishop stipulated in her will that her substantial estate be dedicated to establishing and funding educational opportunities specifically for Native Hawaiian children, aiming to uplift and preserve their heritage.
Operating faithfully under this foundational directive, the schools today benefit from an impressive endowment exceeding $15 billion, underscoring their financial strength and commitment to their mission.
The demand for a place at Kamehameha Schools remains exceptionally high, with some campuses and grade levels seeing as many as 17 applications for every single available spot, according to the institution’s official communications. Graduates and current parents consistently praise the education provided as being of superior quality, remarkably affordable, and profoundly integrated with cherished Hawaiian cultural values.
This isn’t the first instance where Kamehameha’s admissions policy has come under legal challenge. In 2005, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals initially ruled that the school’s race-conscious admissions ran afoul of federal civil rights laws. However, that decision was later overturned in 2006 after a rehearing. The legal dispute was eventually resolved with a $7 million settlement paid to the family of a non-Hawaiian student who had been rejected for admission.
The Broader Context: A National Anti-DEI Movement
This latest legal battle emerges in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark decision against affirmative action in university admissions. It aligns with a wider national effort to broaden the legal definition of racial discrimination within education, specifically targeting policies and programs associated with Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives.
Before officially filing the lawsuit, SFFA launched a dedicated website posing a provocative question: “Is your child barred from Kamehameha Schools based on ancestry?” The formal complaint echoes this sentiment, contending that “nothing about training future leaders, or preserving Hawaii’s unique culture, requires Kamehameha to block its students from learning beside children of different ancestries — Asian, black, Hispanic, or white.”
Hawaii State Senator Jarrett Keohokalole publicly denounced the lawsuit, labeling its proponents as “tone deaf outsiders who know nothing about Hawaii.” He emphasized Hawaii’s vibrant multiracial identity, asserting that the admissions policy is crucial for rectifying historical inequities stemming from U.S. colonization and the 1893 overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom.
In response to the legal proceedings, Kamehameha Schools’ trustees issued a confident statement: “We are ready for this challenge. The facts and the law are on our side, and we are confident that we will prevail.”