Court upholds school preference for Native Hawaiians
January 19th, 2007
The U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, in an 8-7 en banc decision, upheld the Kamehameha Schools’ policy of granting preference in admissions to children of Native Hawaiian descent. Doe v. Kamehameha Schools, 470 F.3d 827 (9th Cir. 2006). The en banc court reversed the decision of an earlier Ninth Circuit three judge panel.  The plaintiffs intend to seek Supreme Court review of this decision.Â
January 29th, 2007 19:39
I do think that it’s great that native Hawaiian children have a school tailored to them. And since it was started from the funds of a private estate, it may not have to conform to outside standards. However, what worries me is that by only allowing in children with Hawaiian blood (ignoring adopted children who are supposed to be considered the same as blood relatives) the Kamehameha schools are only aiding the federal government in their attempt to “bleed out” natives in the USA. Aren’t they just bowing to the government’s choice of inclusion based on blood alone?