A recent lawsuit filed in Honolulu has brought renewed legal scrutiny to the admissions policy of Kamehameha Schools, one of Hawaii’s most prestigious and well-endowed private educational institutions. The lawsuit challenges the school’s longstanding practice of giving admission preference to Native Hawaiian applicants, a policy rooted in the school’s founding mission but now facing opposition amid a shifting national legal landscape on race-conscious admissions.
Kamehameha Schools was established in the late 19th century through the will of Bernice Pauahi Bishop, the great-granddaughter of King Kamehameha I. Her will called for the creation of schools dedicated to providing educational opportunities specifically to Native Hawaiians. Since its founding, Kamehameha Schools has focused on educating Native Hawaiian children, aiming to preserve and promote the culture, history, and leadership of Hawaii’s Indigenous people. The school’s mission is deeply intertwined with efforts to address historical injustices and disparities experienced by Native Hawaiians, especially those stemming from the colonization and overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom in 1893.
Today, Kamehameha Schools enjoys a reputation for academic excellence, cultural grounding, and affordability. According to the school’s website, demand for admission is extremely high, with application-to-seat ratios reaching as much as 17 to 1, depending on the campus and grade level. Many Native Hawaiian families view the school as a unique and vital institution that nurtures future leaders within their community. Alumni and parents highlight not only the school’s strong academic programs but also its commitment to Hawaiian cultural values, which they consider essential in preserving their identity.
However, this admissions preference for Native Hawaiians is now being legally contested by Students for Fair Admissions (SFFA), an organization led by Edward Blum, a prominent opponent of affirmative action policies. SFFA has launched a broader campaign to challenge any educational policies that factor race or ancestry into admissions decisions, following the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent rulings striking down affirmative action in college admissions. Blum’s group argues that race-based preferences, whether in higher education or K-12 schools, constitute unlawful discrimination.
The lawsuit filed in federal court in Honolulu does not name any specific plaintiffs other than SFFA itself, which claims to represent members who are “injured by Kamehameha’s discrimination” and who are “ready and able” to apply to the school but are barred due to the admissions policy. The complaint emphasizes that many non-Hawaiian families seek admission to Kamehameha Schools for reasons including dissatisfaction with local public schools, the school's high-quality academic programs, and the career and networking opportunities it provides. SFFA’s legal challenge aims to broaden the definition of racial discrimination in education and to end race-conscious scholarship programs, academic initiatives, and admissions policies.
Kamehameha Schools’ trustees have responded assertively to the lawsuit, stating, “We are ready for this challenge. The facts and the law are on our side, and we are confident that we will prevail.” The school’s position rests on the historical and legal foundations of its mission to serve Native Hawaiians, as well as prior court rulings that have upheld its admissions criteria.
Indeed, this is not the first time Kamehameha Schools has defended its policy in court. In 2005, a panel of the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals initially ruled that the policy violated federal civil rights laws by restricting admission to students of Native Hawaiian ancestry. However, the following year, after rehearing the case, the same court upheld the school’s admissions preferences. A settlement was later reached with the family of the student who had challenged the policy after being denied admission; according to the recent lawsuit, this settlement amounted to $7 million.
The current legal challenge has sparked significant debate within Hawaii, with many locals viewing it as an attack by “tone deaf outsiders” who lack understanding of the unique cultural and historical context of Hawaii and its Indigenous people. State Senator Jarrett Keohokalole, who is running for Congress, criticized the lawsuit, pointing out that many Hawaiians are multiracial and that the plaintiffs fail to grasp what it means to be Native Hawaiian in today’s Hawaii. Keohokalole, whose own heritage includes Scottish, German, French, Tahitian, and Hawaiian roots, noted his personal experience applying to Kamehameha Schools in the 1990s and emphasized the importance of preserving the school’s mission.
The admissions policy of Kamehameha Schools is widely seen by local residents as a critical