Federal lawsuit challenges private school that gives preference to Native Hawaiians
Source: ABC News/AP
October 20, 2025, 9:44 PM
HONOLULU -- HONOLULU (AP) — A lawsuit filed Monday in U.S. court in Honolulu challenges an admissions policy of a wealthy and prestigious private school that gives preference to applicants who are Native Hawaiian.
A leading opponent of affirmation action launched a campaign last month to test the policy's legality and stop Kamehameha Schools from favoring Hawaiians. It's part of a movement to expand the legal definition of racial discrimination in education, which comes on the heels of a Supreme Court ruling against affirmative action in college admissions and is bolstered by the Trump administration’s war against diversity, equity and inclusion. Now, they’re targeting scholarships, academic programs and admissions policies tied directly or indirectly to race.
The lawsuit was expected after Students for Fair Admissions — led by Edward Blum, a leading opponent of affirmative action — set up a website posing the question, “Is your child barred from Kamehameha Schools based on ancestry?”
The lawsuit doesn't include any named or anonymous plaintiffs other than Students for Fair Admissions. The complaint says the group has members who are “injured by Kamehameha's discrimination," and members who are “ready and able” to apply to the Hawaii private school system, which has an endowment valued at more than $15 billion.
Read more: https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/federal-lawsuit-challenges-private-school-preference-native-hawaiians-126705507
Link to SUIT (PDF viewer) - https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/26190962-students-for-fair-admissions-lawsuit/
Link to SUIT (PDF) - https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/26190962/students-for-fair-admissions-lawsuit.pdf
REFERENCE - https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143531274
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